Georgian Wine Knowledge

Georgian Grape Varieties & Wine Regions

Explore Georgia's wine landscape through its defining regions, documented local grape varieties, vineyard altitudes, climate patterns, soils, and signature wine styles. Select a region on the map to review its profile and reveal the grape varieties most closely associated with it in this editorial guide.

Interactive Wine Map

Each marker opens a regional profile and filters the grape list below to the varieties presented here in connection with that area.

Kakheti - Alazani Valley

Altitude: roughly 200-800 m above sea level

Climate: warm continental conditions with hot summers, cold winters, and long, sunlit autumns that support full ripening.

Soils / Terroir: diverse alluvial deposits, clay, limestone, loam, and river terraces across the Alazani and Iori valleys.

White Grapes: Rkatsiteli, Kakhuri Mtsvane, Kisi, Khikhvi, Mtsvivani, Kakhetian Tetri, Kunsi, Sapena

Red Grapes: Saperavi, Budeshuri Saperavi, Tavkveri, Ikalto Red

Wine Style: structured reds, age-worthy amber qvevri wines, and textural dry whites with depth and cellar potential.

Kartli

Altitude: roughly 450-900 m

Climate: continental, with cooler nights and pronounced diurnal variation that preserves freshness and definition.

Soils / Terroir: sandy soils, clay, loam, and limestone-rich sites suited to bright whites and refined reds.

White Grapes: Chinuri, Goruli Mtsvane, Melikuda, Jvari, Andreuli

Red Grapes: Tavkveri, Shavkapito, Saperavi, Dzvelshavi

Other Local Varieties: Budeshuri, Aragvispira, Khvtisferi, Grdzelmtevana

Wine Style: vibrant whites, classic sparkling bases, and elegant lighter-bodied reds.

Imereti

Altitude: roughly 100-500 m

Climate: milder and more humid than eastern Georgia, with moderate temperatures and a softer growing season.

Soils / Terroir: limestone, calcareous soils, and clay-limestone combinations that support freshness and finesse.

White Grapes: Tsolikouri, Tsitska, Krakhuna, Kviristava, Bazaleturi, Adanasuri, Dondghlabi

Red Grapes: Otskhanuri Sapere, Aladasturi, Dzvelshavi, Argvetuli Sapere

Wine Style: delicate whites, lively acidity, restrained extraction, and elegant reds.

Racha-Lechkhumi

Altitude: roughly 400-900 m

Climate: cool, mountain-influenced conditions with fresh nights and steady ripening.

Soils / Terroir: limestone, mineral-rich slopes, and mixed mountain soils that emphasize lift and perfume.

White Grapes: Rachuli Tetra, Tsulukidze Tetra, Tsolikouri

Red Grapes: Aleksandrouli, Mujuretuli, Usakhelouri

Other Local Varieties: Orbeluri Ojaleshi

Wine Style: aromatic reds, historic naturally semi-sweet styles, and pronounced mountain freshness.

Guria

Altitude: roughly 0-500 m

Climate: humid subtropical, shaped by Black Sea influence and consistently high rainfall.

Soils / Terroir: red clay, alluvial deposits, and moisture-retentive soils that suit coastal viticulture.

Main Grapes: Chkhaveri, Jani

Other Local Varieties: Mtevandidi, Sakmiela, Skhilatubani

Wine Style: vivid rose and light red expressions with brisk, coastal acidity.

Samegrelo

Altitude: roughly 0-400 m

Climate: humid subtropical with a strong maritime signature and lush growing conditions.

Soils / Terroir: alluvial soils, clay, and river-influenced lowlands across a warm western landscape.

Main Grapes: Ojaleshi

Other Local Varieties: Godaaturi, Chvitiluri, Chechipeshi

Wine Style: perfumed reds with supple tannins and vivid fruit character.

Adjara

Altitude: roughly 0-600 m on coastal and terraced mountain sites

Climate: very humid subtropical conditions shaped by the meeting of sea air and mountain relief.

Soils / Terroir: red soils, mountain terraces, and erosion-shaped slopes with a marked coastal-mountain identity.

Main Grapes: Chkhaveri, Batomura

Other Local Varieties: Brola, Khopaturi, Mekrenchkhi, Burdzghala, Shvashura, Jineshi, Klarjuli

Wine Style: fresh, mineral wines that combine coastal energy with mountain structure.

Meskheti

Altitude: roughly 900-1700 m

Climate: cold mountain conditions with short warm periods and demanding high-altitude exposure.

Soils / Terroir: volcanic and rocky terrace soils that define one of Georgia's most distinctive revival zones.

Historical / Revived Grapes: Khikhvi, Saperavi, ancient Meskhuri types under revival

Wine Style: high-acid, mineral-driven mountain wines produced on a small but historically important scale.

Encyclopedia

Georgian Grape Encyclopedia

The encyclopedia below updates with each regional selection, allowing you to move from geography to grape profile without losing context.

Catalog by Color

Georgia is associated with a broad diversity of vine material. The grouped catalog below highlights the documented wine grapes featured in this guide, organized into the two broad categories commonly used by Georgian wine sources: red and white.

White Grapes

Red Grapes

Source basis: publicly available grape-variety materials from the National Wine Agency and the Georgian Wine Association, combined with editorial summaries prepared for this page.

Reference Links

National Wine Agency: Georgian Grape Varieties National Wine Agency: Red Wine Grape Varieties National Wine Agency: White Wine Grape Varieties Georgian Wine Association: Grape Varieties Georgian Wine Association: Unique Grape Varieties

Editorial Note

This page is an informational guide, not an official state register, legal classification, certification record, or wine-labeling instruction. Variety groupings and regional associations are simplified for reader clarity. For commercial labeling, certification, protected designations of origin, or other regulatory use, consult the competent Georgian authorities and the applicable law.