Kakheti is a major winemaking region in Georgia. The county has registered 18 locally produced wines and 14 of them originate in Kakheti: 'Tsinandali', 'Gurjaani', 'Vazisubani', 'Manavi', 'Kardenakhi', 'Tibaani', 'Kakheti', 'Kotekhi', 'Napareuli', 'Mukuzani', 'Teliani', 'Kindzmarauli', 'Akhasheni', 'Kvareli'. The most notable ones among Kakheti’s local and cultivated verieties are: 'Rkatsiteli', 'Saperavi', 'Mtsvane Kakhuri', 'Kisi', 'Khikhvi', 'Budeshuri Tsiteli', 'Kakhuri Mtsvivani', 'Sapena', 'Kumsi Kviteli', 'Kaberne Sauvignon' (French variety), 'Tavkveri', 'Ikaltos Tsiteli' etc. Grapes harvested in Kakheti are used to produce high-quality European wines, as well as Kakhetian wines made with traditional technique.
Traditional Kakhetian wine technique is one of a kind in the wrld. It involves producing a grape juice in a wine press and pouring the syrup in Kvevri (clay jar/amphora). After squeezing the grapes, they add the syrup from Kvevri jar to the total amount of husks and stalks of grapes. Once alcoholic fermentation is completed, Chacha (husks) begin to sink and Kvevri jars are closed with a lid and after Malolactic fermentation, they hermetically seal the Kvevri jars. In March the wine is racked to another Kvevri for the first time. For about a year, wine is being systematically controlled.
Aside from traditional Kakhetian wine, they produce decent European style wines from locally harvested grape varieties.
