Manavi Wines

Overview & Identity

Manavi Wines is a boutique winery located in the Manavi microzone of Georgia’s Kakheti region, at the southern foothills of the Gombori Range. Founded by Giorgi Aivazyan, the estate focuses on expressing the unique terroir of Manavi through low-intervention winemaking rooted in the qvevri tradition.

Established in the early 2020s, the project operates on approximately 7 hectares of estate-owned vineyards situated at elevations around 700–750 meters above sea level, producing limited quantities of handcrafted wines.

Vineyards & Terroir

The Manavi appellation (PDO) is recognized for its cool, high-altitude climate, with a balance of warm sunlight and moderating breezes from the Iori Plateau. Soils are primarily alluvial-proluvial with layers of brown and meadow-type loam, offering excellent drainage and balanced mineral content.

The estate’s vineyards are planted exclusively with indigenous Georgian varieties, most notably Kakhuri Mtsvane—the signature grape of the Manavi PDO—along with smaller experimental plots of Rkatsiteli and Saperavi.

All vineyard work is conducted according to organic and sustainable principles:

  • No synthetic herbicides or pesticides are used.

  • Hand-harvesting ensures gentle handling and selection of optimal fruit.

  • Yields are limited to around 6–7 tons per hectare for optimal concentration.

Winemaking & Cellar Practices

Manavi Wines follows a minimal-intervention, natural fermentation approach using the ancient Georgian qvevrimethod.

  • Fermentation: All fermentations occur spontaneously with wild yeasts. Temperature control is achieved naturally through underground qvevri burial.

  • Skin contact: White wines typically undergo 1 to 6 months of maceration on skins, depending on the grape and vintage, producing amber or orange wines with rich tannin texture.

  • Aging: Wines remain in qvevri for maturation, allowing micro-oxygenation and stable development of structure and aroma.

  • Additives: No fining or filtration is employed. Minimal SO₂ is added only at bottling, if required for stability.

  • Batch control: Each vineyard plot is vinified separately to preserve its individual character before blending and bottling.

Production & Style

Annual production is intentionally limited to small lots, emphasizing precision and authenticity over scale.

Manavi Wines are recognized for:

  • High natural acidity and freshness derived from altitude and climate.

  • Textural depth from extended maceration in qvevri.

  • Floral and citrus aromatics with mineral and herbal undertones.

  • Balance and longevity, suitable for cellaring and gastronomy.

Analytical parameters vary by vintage but generally range around 12–13% ABV, pH 3.3–3.5, and total acidity 5.5–6.5 g/L (tartaric acid).