About Us
Jobava Winery is a family-run winery located in the Kakheti region of Georgia - a primary wine-producing area known for its rich viticultural heritage. The winery was founded by the Jobava family, who were displaced by conflict and discovered a passion for vine cultivation and winemaking.
For the Jobava family, wine represents more than just a product; it is a bridge that connects communities and fosters a sense of unity.
Early Beginnings and Vineyard Cultivation
Our journey into viticulture began in 2013. For a decade, we dedicated ourselves to learning and exploring the cultivation of endemic Georgian grape varieties such as Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Kisi, and Kakhuri Mtsvane. Our vines aged between 5-6 years, and none exceeding 12 years. The region's moderate, subtropical climate, characterized by hot summers and temperate winters, provides ideal conditions for grape growing.
Unique Terroir and Vineyard Location
Our vineyards are situated in Shilda, within the Kvareli Municipality of the Kakheti region. While Kakheti is Georgia’s primary wine region, accounting for 65-70% of all Georgian vineyards, our specific location within this region offers particularly unique conditions that influence the character and quality of our wines.
• Brown Forest Soils: These soils are well-drained and rich in organic matter, providing a stable environment for vine growth. They help in retaining moisture and nutrients, which are essential for the development of healthy vines.
• Alluvial Soils: These are typically found near rivers and are composed of clay, silt, and sand. The alluvial soils in our vineyards are enriched by the Duruji River, which deposits mineral-rich sediment. This enrichment boosts the fertility of the soil, leading to vigorous vine growth and contributing to the robust flavors in our wines.
The 21 hectares of vineyards under our care provide us with the critical ability to closely monitor the maturity and ripeness of our vines, enabling precise timing for the harvest. However, equally crucial to our winemaking success is the strategic proximity of these vineyards to our winery within the same micro-zone.
The significance of having our vineyards and winery close together lies in the meticulous control it affords us throughout the winemaking process. Firstly, it allows for real-time assessment of grape maturity. By being nearby, our viticulturists can regularly inspect the grapes, ensuring they are harvested precisely when they reach optimal ripeness. This careful timing is essential as it directly influences the balance of sugars, acids, and flavors in the grapes, crucial for the quality of the final wine.
Secondly, the proximity ensures swift transportation of the harvested grapes to the winery immediately after picking. This minimizes any potential damage or deterioration of the grapes, preserving their freshness and integrity. Once at the winery, immediate processing is facilitated under controlled conditions.
Furthermore, the shared microclimate and soil characteristics within the micro-zone play a pivotal role.
Influence of the Duruji River
The Duruji River, a 27km long river primarily fed by snowmelt and rainfall, plays a significant role in enhancing the fertility of our vineyard soil. As the river flows, it carries and deposits mineral-rich sediment across the vineyards. These minerals are crucial for vine health and grape quality, as they provide essential nutrients that contribute to the development of intense and complex flavors in the grapes. The unique mineral composition of the river sediment, which includes elements such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, enriches the soil and influences the distinctive taste of our wines.
The Kindzmarauli Micro-zone
Our vineyards are also located within the Kindzmarauli Micro-zone, an area renowned for its exceptional climatic and geographical conditions. This micro-zone significantly influences the growing environment and, ultimately, the characteristics of our wines.
• Altitude and Temperature: The vineyards are situated at an altitude range of 250-550 meters above sea level. This elevation ensures a cooler climate, which helps in maintaining the acidity and freshness of the grapes. The dark-colored schist surface in the area retains heat, increasing the soil temperature by 3-5°C compared to adjacent forest alluvial soils. This heat retention promotes even ripening of the grapes, enhancing their flavor concentration and sugar levels.
• Climatic Influence: The weather in the Kindzmarauli Micro-zone is shaped by the interplay of subtropical and temperate air masses, influenced by the surrounding mountainous systems. This unique climatic mix creates ideal conditions for grape growing, with warm days and cool nights that are perfect for developing balanced acidity and complex flavors in the grapes.
• Microclimatic Variations: The combination of altitude, soil types, and climatic influences creates microclimatic variations within the vineyards. These variations lead to differences in grape characteristics, even within small vineyard plots. This diversity adds layers of complexity and uniqueness to our wines, making each vintage a true reflection of the terroir.
Endemic Grape Varieties cultivated by Jobava Winery
Georgian indigenous grape varieties are often named in a way that reflects their origin or unique qualities. This naming tradition helps to highlight the grape's regional heritage, such as its place of cultivation or historical significance within Georgian wine-making traditions.
• Rkatsiteli: Though it is now grown throughout Georgia as well as abroad, the Rkatsiteli white grape variety is believed to have first emerged in eastern Georgia in the first century. Rkatsiteli makes noticeably acidic but balanced white wines with a full flavor profile and good body. Restrained and refreshing, with crisp green-apple flavors and hints of quince and white peach, Rkatsiteli wines are more complex when produced using the traditional Georgian Qvevri method. Rkatsiteli grapes result in high-quality table wines, regional wines, and appellation-controlled wines. Rkatsiteli grapes are frequently mixed with the Kakhuri Mtsvane variety.
• Kisi: Kisi is an ancient white grape variety native to Georgia, traditionally grown in the Kakheti region. It is characterized by its disease resistance and adaptability to diverse terroirs. The grapes are small to medium-sized with thick skins, contributing to wines of robust structure and aging potential. Kisi wines typically exhibit a golden hue and aromas of ripe stone fruits, honey, and floral notes. The palate is full-bodied with balanced acidity, featuring flavors of apricot, pear, and a distinct nuttiness, and a long, textured finish.
• Kakhuri Mtsvane: One of the most widespread white grape varieties in the Kakheti region in the early 19th century, Kakhuri Mtsvane became increasingly rare due to diseases such as powdery mildew and phylloxera. Early to ripen compared to other grape varieties, Kakhuri Mtsvane is light-bodied but full of character, with distinctive aromas. It yields amazing traditional, Qvevri-made wines that are also well suited for coupage.
• Saperavi: Deep in fruit character, yet brisk with acidity, this gutsy grape presents a unique alternative to everyday reds. The leading red variety in Georgia, Saperavi is indigenous to the country. Its name means “the place of color.” It is one of the few teinturier grape varieties in the world—a grape with red flesh as well as red skin. Saperavi wine reflects a deep, inky, and often fully opaque color. It has aromas and flavors of dark berries, licorice, grilled meat, tobacco, chocolate, and spices.
Integration of Traditional and Modern Winemaking
In 2020, we decided to expand from viticulture to wine production. Although our plans were temporarily halted due to the global pandemic, we eventually inaugurated a winery and distillery that blends traditional Georgian methods with European technologies. Central to our winemaking process is the use of Qvevris—large handmade terracotta vessels—an ancient Georgian winemaking tradition dating back 8,000 years.
Qvevri winemaking involves fermenting and aging wine in these clay vessels, which contain limestone and trace amounts of precious metals such as gold, silver, and copper. The limestone acts as a natural antiseptic and strengthens the Qvevri walls, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the wine. The temperature within the Qvevri remains constant at 13-15°C, ideal for wine fermentation. This method naturally and chronologically facilitates the chemical processes required for winemaking, often needing no additional equipment or additives.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Qvevri winemaking is its influence on the wine's color and character. The extended skin contact during fermentation gives white wines a rich amber hue, often referred to as "orange wines." This process enhances the wine's body and flavor profile, imparting complex notes and a distinctive, deep color.
In addition to Georgian Qvevris, we use Italian-made steel tanks and French oak barrels.
We've developed a unique winemaking method that combines traditional Kakhetian techniques with modern technology. By using stainless steel tanks with Qvevri methods, we achieve wines with an amber color and a smoother finish, reducing the tannic characteristics typically associated with Qvevri wines. This results in several distinct benefits for our wines: Smoother Texture, Enhanced Aromatics, Crisp Finish, Clear Amber Color, and Refined Tannins.
By integrating stainless steel tanks into the Qvevri methodology, we can control the fermentation process more precisely, maintaining a stable temperature and preventing excessive oxidation. These wines can be identified by the inclusion of "Kakhuri" (Kakhetian) in the name, reflecting their origin and the traditional Kakhetian winemaking techniques used. NOTE: an exception is Kakhuri Mtsvane, where "Kakhuri" refers to the geographical origin of the Mtsvane grape variety.
The Winery
Jobava Winery stands out in the Georgian wine landscape due to our unique combination of traditional and modern winemaking techniques, exceptional vineyard location, and dedication to preserving and innovating the rich heritage of Georgian viticulture. Our passion and commitment to quality make our wines and spirits truly special, offering a taste of Georgia’s ancient winemaking traditions enhanced by contemporary methods. For us, wine is more than just a drink—it’s a way to unite communities with a shared love for this timeless craft.
Technology and Equipment: • Qvevris: Traditional Georgian clay vessels with a total volume of 55,000 liters
• Latest Italian-Made Equipment: Employed for modern winemaking processes
• French-Made Oak Barrels: Totaling a volume of 35,000 liters, used for aging wine
• Bottling Line: Capable of producing 1,000 bottles per hour
Production Capacity: • Grape Throughput: 1-1.2 million tons of grapes annually
• Wine Production: More than 1,000,000 bottles annually
The Distillery
On the premises of Jobava Winery, the distillery operates with Georgian hand-made traditional equipment, featuring tanks of 500 liters capacity. This setup enables the production of several thousand liters of spirits annually, ranging between 50,000 to 100,000 liters.
Chacha
Our distillery produces traditional Georgian spirit – Chacha - using classic Kakhetian methodology. Chacha is a potent pomace brandy, often referred to as "wine vodka" or "grape vodka." It is made from the grape residue left after winemaking and ranges in alcohol content from 40% for commercially produced varieties to 85% for home-brewed versions. We produce two types of Chacha: classical and aged in oak, both with a 50% alcohol content. The classical Chacha has a robust and intense flavor, while the oak-aged Chacha offers a smoother, more refined taste with subtle notes of the wood.
Note: The alcohol level for Chacha drinks can be adjusted upon production (lowered as requested)
Brandy
Our distillery will soon start the production of brandy; This golden brandy is meticulously crafted by aging wine spirit in oak barrels for a period of three years. During this time, the aging process is closely monitored to achieve a perfect balance of flavors, resulting in an exceptional drinking experience. The interaction between the wine spirit and the oak barrels imparts a distinctive amber color and a nuanced, complex taste to the brandy. With an alcohol content of 40%, our brandy is versatile and can be savored neat, on the rocks, or as a sophisticated ingredient in premium cocktails.
Georgia
Kakheti,
2013
Kisi Qvevri (2022) • Gold at International Qvevri Wine Competition 2023 • Bronze at International Wine Show (IWC) 2023 Kindzmarauli (2022) • Gold at Bolnisi Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Wine Festival 2023 • Silver at International Wine Show (IWS) 2023 Saperavi Qvevri (2022) • Silver at International Qvevri Wine Competition 2023 • Bronze at International Wine Show (IWC) 2023 Mukuzani (2023) • Silver at Bolnisi Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Wine Festival 2023 Kakhuri Mtsvane (2022) • Bronze at International Wine Show (IWC) 2023 Rkatsiteli Qvevri (2022) • Bronze at International Wine Show (IWC) 2023 Saperavi Oak (2022) • Bronze at International Wine Show (IWC) 2023 Rkatsiteli (Kakhuri) Barrel (2022) • Bronze at International Wine Show (IWC) 2023