Red grape of Imereti
Mgaloblishvili is a red grape of Imereti, known from the Argveti zone. It gives light to medium-bodied reds with fresh acidity, soft tannin and berry-and-floral aromatics.
Long a niche variety, renewed interest in authentic Imeretian reds has brought it back to winemakers' attention; it is made into both dry and light qvevri wines.
The name (from «mgalobeli» — a chanter, a church singer) hints at the ecclesiastical setting in which the grape may have survived.