Iberieli

Gurian chkhaveri in qvevri, the Topuridze family

Iberieli is the family estate of Zurab Topuridze. The cellar and the vineyards are in the Gurian village of Sakvavistke, Chokhatauri municipality; the family keeps a second block of vineyards in Kakheti.

Guria is humid, with hot summers and mild winters, and the soils are brown and red loam over weathered basalt. Hence the estate's main variety, chkhaveri: a Gurian grape that gives a light rosé. From Kakheti come saperavi, rkatsiteli and kisi.

The wines are natural and made in qvevri, without additives, in the Gurian way. The name was chosen by Zurab's children: the Iberians were the ancient people of the Caucasus from whom the Georgians descend and who are held to have invented qvevri winemaking. The wines travel to Europe, America and Japan.