From an improvised workshop to a flagship of Georgian wine culture
The story of Teliani Valley begins in 1997 in Telavi, the capital of the Kakheti wine region. Two young winemakers founded the winery with borrowed equipment from the old state distillery and a clear intention: to make Georgian wine in their own way — free from Soviet volume targets, close to the old grape varieties and traditions. They started in a converted car workshop. That this improvised start would turn into one of Georgia's largest wineries was not foreseeable at the time. The location was no coincidence: the village of Teliani looks back on a viticultural tradition that dates back to the 19th century, when the brother of the Russian Tsar, Mikhail Romanov, had a large cellar built here and the Bordeaux winemaker Antoin Mossano vinified Georgian grape varieties using the European method for the first time. Teliani Valley consciously builds on this heritage.
700 hectares in Kakheti — Qvevri and modern cellar craftsmanship under one roof
Today, the winery manages 700 hectares of vineyards, mainly in Kakheti — a region at the foot of the Greater Caucasus that produces around 80 percent of Georgian grapes. A continental climate with hot summers, cool nights, and well-ventilated hillside sites ensures distinct aromatics and a natural acid structure. In the cellar, Teliani Valley works on two tracks: one of the founders, Gogi Dakishvili, is still responsible for the traditional Qvevri wines of the Glekhuri line — spontaneously fermented in egg-shaped clay amphorae that remain buried in the ground at a constant temperature and ferment both mash and skins together. In parallel, the winery has created a platform for young, experimental winemakers with the modern "Winery 97" facility, who work with barriques and controlled fermentation. Both lines follow the same principle: the terroir of Kakheti should speak, not be technologically over-molded. Part of the range is vegan.
Teliani Valley is also committed to promoting small artisanal winemakers through the Teliani Collection project — a sign that the winery views its influence as a platform, not just as a brand.
Saperavi, Kisi, Khikhvi — the broad spectrum of rare Georgian grape varieties
The range includes 25 grape varieties from four Georgian wine regions and extends from structured red wines to fresh white wines and characterful Amber Wines. The heart of the range is the indigenous varieties: Saperavi provides deep purple red wines with dense tannins and intense fruit — in unfiltered production with maximum varietal fidelity. Kisi and Khikhvi show their aromatic complexity in Qvevri production with skin contact: golden color, tannins, floral notes, and a texture not typically found in European white wines. The Kindzmarauli line takes up the protected designation of origin of the micro-zone of the same name — a medium-sweet Saperavi with soft fruit and Georgian identity. Those who want to get to know Teliani Valley will find both an accessible entry point and consistent artisanal work at the highest level in the range.
