{"title":"Vartsikhe Marani","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe story of Vartsikhe Marani begins in the early 1900s when the Ananov brothers acquired land in the village of Vartsikhe, in the Baghdati district of western Georgia's Imereti region. In 1907, the winery commenced operations. Today, with winemaker Kakha Tchotiashvili at the helm, Vartsikhe Marani produces 100 percent natural wines in underground qvevri, using traditional Georgian methods that predate the concept of winemaking by most of the world's standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGeorgia invented qvevri fermentation over eight thousand years ago, and Vartsikhe Marani practices it with full fidelity to that tradition. Grapes are fermented and aged in clay qvevri buried underground, which regulate temperature naturally and allow for gentle, slow extraction without the intervention of modern winemaking equipment. The wines that emerge are wild, textured, and deeply expressive of their origin, carrying tannin, complexity, and a Georgian flavor profile unlike anything produced elsewhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore on how they farm and work in the cellar in our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/natural-wine-producers-primal-wine\/vartsikhe-marani\"\u003eVartsikhe Marani producer profile\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"tsolikouri-orange-vartsikhe-marani-natural-wine","title":"Vartsikhe Marani Tsolikouri Orange 2018","description":"\u003cp\u003eTsolikouri is the dominant white grape of western Georgia, planted across nearly 90% of Imereti's vineyards. Vartsikhe Marani grows it in the Baghdati district of Imereti, where stony loam soils rich in calcium carbonate and limestone, combined with a humid subtropical climate influenced by the Black Sea, produce grapes with vibrant natural acidity and concentrated flavor.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe wine is made entirely in qvevri — large clay vessels buried in the ground — using spontaneous wild yeast fermentation with full skin contact for approximately 180 days. Once fermentation stops as outdoor temperatures drop, the wine is transferred to fresh qvevri and left to age through the winter months. The solids settle naturally to the bottom; the wine is then bottled unfiltered with no additives.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe result is a deep amber wine with aromas of dried apricot, quince, wildflowers, and honey, and a texture that is fuller and more structured than you would expect from a standard white wine. Skin contact contributes noticeable but fine-grained tannins alongside the grape's characteristic acidity. This is the classic Imeretian amber style, direct from one of the region's dedicated natural producers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vartsikhe Marani","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":37766281101511,"sku":"VARTTSOL18C","price":33.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/products\/vartsikhe-marani-tsolikouri-natural-wine-primal-wine.jpg?v=1780186625"},{"product_id":"aladasturi-red-vartsikhe-marani-natural-wine","title":"Vartsikhe Marani Aladasturi Red 2018","description":"\u003cp\u003eAladasturi is a dark-skinned indigenous grape from western Georgia, historically widespread across Guria and Imereti before phylloxera reduced its plantings. It produces pale ruby, light-bodied red wines known for low alcohol, delicate tannins, and flavors of red cherry, cranberry, and earth. Vartsikhe Marani grows it in the Baghdati district of Imereti, a sub-zone noted for its limestone soils and cool, humid conditions that favor low-alcohol, high-acid wines.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe wine is made entirely in qvevri, the traditional buried clay vessel used in Georgia for thousands of years. Grapes are fermented with native yeast and skin contact, then the qvevri is sealed and buried through winter. When outdoor temperatures drop, fermentation stops naturally; the wine is then transferred to a second qvevri for further aging before being bottled unfiltered and without fining. No additives are used at any stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe result is a genuinely light red: pale, silky, and precise. The 2018 vintage scored 87\/100 on Wine-Searcher. Each bottle is individually numbered and inspected by the winemaker before release, in keeping with the winery's small-production ethos.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vartsikhe Marani","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":37766451658951,"sku":"VARTALAD18C","price":33.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/products\/vartsikhe-marani-aladasturi-natural-wine-primal-wine.jpg?v=1780186623"}],"url":"https:\/\/primalwine.com\/collections\/vartsikhe-marani.oembed","provider":"Primal Wine","version":"1.0","type":"link"}