Always wanted to know what Georgian wine is all about? Try this sample pack of rare wines from the oldest winemaking culture on earth!

• 2023 Pheasant's Tears Vardisperi Rkatsiteli
• 2023 Lurji Bani Rkatsiteli
• 2022 Okros Wines Rkatsiteli Zvari
• 2023 Brothers Cellar Rkatsiteli
• 2023 Martvilis Marani Tsolikouri
• 2022 Do Re Mi Khikhvi

2023 Pheasant's Tears Vardisperi Rkatsiteli

Founded in 2005 by John Wurdeman and Gela Patalishvili, Pheasant’s Tears has become one of the most influential names in Georgian wine, dedicated to keeping qvevri traditions alive while showing just how exciting these wines can be today. Their cellars house clay vessels up to 200 years old, still used in daily winemaking.

The Vardisperi Rkatsiteli is a rare thing – a pink-skinned cousin of Rkatsiteli that was close to disappearing not long ago. Pheasant’s Tears has helped bring it back, and the 2023 vintage is as striking as ever. Fermented and aged six months on skins in buried clay qvevri, it pours a coppery-pink and has a wild, savoury energy that’s very different to your typical rosé or amber wine.

Bright red berry fruit, dried herbs and a gentle grip from tannin make it both refreshing and textural. No fining, filtering or additions, just pure expression of grape and place. Small quantities made, so grab it while you can.

Read More

2023 Lurji Bani Rkatsiteli

Lurji Bani is the project of lifelong mates Dato and Gogita, who are out to show just how exciting modern Georgian wine can be. Based in Telavi, Kakheti, they work from an old 18th-century marani, surrounded by vineyards that have been farmed organically for close to two decades.

The 2023 Rkatsiteli is their fresher, stainless-steel version of this ancient variety. Instead of going down the full traditional amber path, they’ve kept things bright, juicy and clean, while still giving you a little of that savoury grip that makes Georgian whites so distinctive.

It pours a pale golden-amber in the glass, with crunchy orchard fruit, citrus peel and just a hint of nutty spice. On the palate it’s lively, textured and refreshingly dry, with enough tannin to make it a brilliant food wine but not so much that it overwhelms the fruit.

Unfiltered, organic and small in production, it’s the kind of bottle that gives a fresh spin on Georgia’s winemaking heritage while still being incredibly easy to drink.

Read More

2022 Okros Wines Rkatsiteli Zvari

Okros Wines, based in the heart of Kakheti, has built a reputation as one of Georgia’s true champions of natural winemaking. All of their vineyards are farmed organically, and the wines are made with nothing added, nothing taken away – just grapes, qvevri, and time. The Zvari bottling comes from old Rkatsiteli vines, a grape that has been cultivated in Georgia for thousands of years and remains central to its winemaking story.

The 2022 release was fermented and aged in buried clay qvevri for six months on skins, giving the wine its amber hue and a textured, gently tannic feel. There’s plenty of stone fruit and dried citrus in the glass, layered with herbs, spice and that savoury, earthy edge that marks it as classic Kakhetian amber. It’s structured but not heavy, with the freshness to keep you coming back for another sip.

As with all Okros wines, quantities are tiny and each vintage reflects the conditions of the year. In 2022, the balance of fruit and structure is particularly compelling, making this a benchmark example of what natural Georgian wine can be.

Read More

2023 Brothers Cellar Rkatsiteli

Rkatsiteli has been grown in Georgia for thousands of years, and Brothers Cellar treat it with the kind of respect a grape of that history deserves. This comes from vineyards in Kakheti, where the variety has always thrived, and the winemaking is kept simple and traditional. Fermentation and maceration in clay qvevri give the wine its amber colour, savoury edges and textural grip, while the fruit stays bright and pure.

The 2023 vintage has delivered a really balanced expression – there’s that hallmark dried citrus, apple-skin character, a touch of spice and earth, and plenty of freshness to keep things moving along. It’s a wine that feels firmly rooted in Georgian tradition, yet it’s clean, approachable and incredibly food-friendly. You get the structure from skin contact, but not in a way that feels rustic or heavy.

Production is small, and like so many Georgian qvevri wines, it’s best approached with a sense of curiosity. Chill it a little, pour it into big glasses, and let it open up slowly – it’s a brilliant snapshot of why amber wines from Georgia have captured so much attention.

Read More

2023 Martvilis Marani Tsolikouri

Tsolikouri is one of Georgia’s classic white grapes, and Martvilis Marani do a brilliant job of showing just how much character it can have. Their winery is tucked away in Samegrelo, in western Georgia, and everything here is farmed with care and made in the traditional way, with a modern eye for balance and drinkability.

The 2023 vintage has given them a particularly fresh, lifted style. Fermented in qvevri, it carries that little bit of textural grip you expect from Georgian wines, but the focus here is really on the clean orchard fruit and citrusy zip that Tsolikouri is loved for. There’s also a savoury edge in the background, a nod to the clay vessels, which keeps things interesting and food-friendly.

Quantities are tiny, as with most of Martvilis’ wines, and each year feels like a snapshot of both the vineyard and the vintage. In 2023, that snapshot is crisp, bright and really moreish – the kind of bottle you want around the table with a mix of dishes.

Read More

2022 Do Re Mi Khikhvi

Doremi (see Do-Re-Mi) is a young operation in which is blossoming against an ancient background of winemaking.

Two friends began this operation in 2014 and have hit the ground running. Their wines are made in accordance with the traditions of the country as closely observed as possible in a modern world. The vines farmed without the use of pesticides or fungicides, the white (amber) wines buried in the traditional qvevri. Long maceration, no additions - these are authentic Georgian natural wines delivered in pristine fashion.

Forget about the amber nectar, this is the amber nec plus ultra... A powerhouse, natural orange wine matured in the traditional buried Georgian kvevri clay pots, with lots of skin contact.

Khikhvi is a native white grape but there's nothing vaguely white wineish here. The colour is dark burnt copper, the fruit intensity is exotic and overwhelming, and the finish is tannic, bitter and supremely long.

Skin contact fiends... this is your classy, dinner table wine.

Read More