Vartsikhe Marani Aladasturi 2018, a natural red wine from Georgia, showcasing the unique Aladasturi grape varietal
Vartsikhe Marani
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Vartsikhe Marani Aladasturi Red 2018

$33.00
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Tasting notes

This is one of the rarest red grapes in Georgia, producing a pale, silky wine with red cherry, cranberry, and a stony mineral edge at just 11.5% ABV. The qvevri process gives it a quiet earthy texture that no stainless steel or barrel wine can replicate.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
CranberryRed CherryEarthMineral
Dry/Sweet:Dry
Wine Type:Red Wine
Wine Style:Light Body
Grapes:Aladasturi
Farming:Organic
Vintage:2018
Alcohol:11.5%
Country:Georgia
Region:Imereti
Appellation:Baghdati, Imereti
Bottle Size:750ml
Sugar Level:Zero Added Sugar
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Important information

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package; carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older. Shipping to PO Boxes is not allowed.

Ship to a FedEx Store

If nobody can be at your address to sign for the package, you can have your order sent to a FedEx store instead. Enter your preferred FedEx store as the shipping address at checkout and we'll ship your order there. Once it arrives, you have 5 business days to pick it up, and you'll need to show your ID.

Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.

Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.

Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.

Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice packs upon request, at a cost, but even so, we can't be held liable if it's 104 where you are and corks pop. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.

Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Vartsikhe Marani

Vartsikhe Marani is located in the Baghdati district of Imereti, western Georgia. The winery was founded by David Tsertsvadze, whose grandfather made wine and kept a wine cellar in the nearby village of Dimi. Tsertsvadze established the winery in Vartsikhe and planted his own vineyards there. The winery bottled its first wine in 2015. Through 2021, all wines were made using the traditional qvevri method exclusively.

Vartsikhe Marani holds vineyards in both the western Imereti region and the eastern Kakheti region. The Imereti vineyards sit on slopes at approximately 300 meters above sea level on limestone soils in the Sazano hillside area of Baghdati. The winery farms using organic methods and maintains a vine nursery focused on reviving rare Imeretian varieties, including Otskhanuri Sapere, of which it holds 3 hectares. Planted varieties include Aladasturi, Tsolikouri, Krakhuna, Otskhanuri Sapere, and Dzelshavi.

All Vartsikhe Marani wines through the 2018 vintage were made in qvevri with native yeast fermentation and no additives. After fermentation, the qvevri are sealed and buried until temperatures drop outdoors and fermentation ceases naturally. The wine is then transferred to a second qvevri for further aging. Wines are bottled unfiltered and unfined. Each bottle is individually numbered and signed by the winemaker before release.

Wine region

Imereti, Georgia

Imereti sits in western-central Georgia along the middle and upper reaches of the Rioni River, bordered by the Likha Ridge and the Caucasus Range. The region covers roughly 6,475 square kilometers with altitudes ranging from 50 to 500 meters above sea level. The climate is humid subtropical, moderated by Black Sea air to the west and the Caucasus Mountains to the north. Higher rainfall and humidity than eastern Georgia, combined with cooler nights and varied slopes, create a mosaic of microclimates suited to high-acid, fresh wines.

Imereti's soils are predominantly stony calcareous loams with significant limestone and carbonate rocky content. The region is divided conventionally into Upper, Middle, and Lower zones, each with distinct soil and climate profiles. Sviri is the only PDO in Imereti, producing a white blend of Tsitska, Tsolikouri, and Krakhuna. Indigenous red varieties grown in the region include Aladasturi, Otskhanuri Sapere, and Dzelshavi. Traditional winemaking in Imereti uses qvevri, locally called churi, which are buried in the ground rather than housed in enclosed cellars as in Kakheti.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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