Baia’s Wine: New Life of Imeretian Traditions at Wine Store Orbeliani

Georgia: The Homeland of Wine. Georgia is now considered the birthplace of wine, as recently unearthed winemaking artifacts are more than 8,000 years old—these are the oldest winemaking remains in the world! Culturally speaking, specific regions within Georgia such as Kakheti, Kartli, Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi, Svaneti, and Abkhazia are famous winemaking places; legends and recorded history document centuries of continual winemaking. Vessels discovered in the Anaklia region have proven that Georgians were making wine in the Neolithic era in a manner that would be familiar even today. In 2013, a couple of maverick Georgian winemakers, such as Baia Abuladze and her sister Gvantsa, started to rediscover the rarest species of wine grapes in Western Georgia and focused on organic winemaking techniques. The re-discovery process continues until today: Baia Abuladze, together with her winemaking family, stands among those Georgian winemakers who work to identify and classify local vine varieties. 3-Generational Tradition. Baia and her younger siblings—Gvantsa and Giorgi—were born and raised in Obcha in a friendly, traditional family of winemakers. They spent a happy childhood watching how parents and grandparents were involved in the diverse winemaking processes. Children were also allowed to arrange their own small farm with vineyards, greens, household animals, and plantations. At that time, the Abuladze family traditionally produced wine using Imeretian technology—the maceration process was shorter, and only 5-10% of grape skin was used during fermentation in Qvevri. The New Life of the Winery. In 2015, the Abuladze family business participated in a local agricultural startup competition and won a grant of GEL 5,000 to buy a used wine bottling machine. At the same time, Baia officially established a new wine company, and the label "Baia’s Wine" was born. Next came a new chapter for wines from Imereti. They studied each of their varieties and their terroir. Their first organic wine—a white dry Tsolikouri—was bottled in 2015. After starting with white wines, the trio offered red wine from Otskhanuri Sapere and Aladasturi grapes. Today, they produce wines from Imeretian vine varieties such as Tsolikouri, Tsitska, Krakhuna, Aladasturi, and Otskhanuri Sapere. Each grape cluster is chosen carefully only from the Abuladze’s Obcha vineyards. The grape crushing, fermentation, and aging are all done by the trio in the family cellar to proudly offer the highest-quality organic Georgian wine to the world. About Obcha Village. The village of Obcha boasts a unique microclimate for growing grapes. It is located in the eastern part of the Sairme Mountains, which gives a higher angle for the rays of the sun and greater solar intensity. At 324 meters of altitude, the land offers an ideal location for growing premium wine grapes. The well-balanced geography, micro-climate, and well-drained soil come together to create the perfect environment for Baia’s exquisitely handcrafted wines. The cool nighttime temperatures are critical in developing high-quality grapes. The alluvial soil, with clay, gravel, sand, and limestone, has another significant influence on wine quality. Visit "Wine Store Orbeliani" We are happy to inform you that in our shop, you can purchase the Baia’s Wine collection: Tsitska-Tsolikauri Tsitska Tsolikauri Also, you can visit us for a wine tasting, which you can book directly from our website.