David Leladze's Family Marani

My winemaking history began in 1890 when my great-grandfather, Mikheil, built a wine cellar in the village of Rokhi, in the Imereti region. A considerable amount of wine was produced and successfully sold in Georgia and Russia. Mikheil passed away at the age of 105, leaving behind the attributes of a traditional wine cellar. Most importantly, he passed on to me the centuries-old wisdom and love of winemaking. Winemaking is a way of life in my family. I am the fourth generation to continue this tradition. My great-grandfather started winemaking in 1890 when he was 35 years old. In my cellar, I still have the qvevri and the walnut wood press purchased in 1890. I have been involved in winemaking and viticulture in my village for 47 years. However, it was only in 2019 that I finally decided to turn my passion into a business. In this short time, I have received several awards: • A silver medal for the 2020 Aladasturi harvest in Poland, where 260 samples from 21 countries participated. • A gold medal for the 2021 Tsitska harvest. • A gold medal for the 2021 Tsolikouri harvest in the "Jury’s Choice" category. • In 2023, the Imeretian Wine Association awarded silver medals to both Tsitska and Tsolikouri. • In 2020-2021, I exported wine to Germany. • In 2023, the German publishing house Falstaff included the red wine "Aladasturi-Otskhanuri Sapere" in its list of 15 selected wines. I own a vineyard of nearly one hectare, where I use only organic products and produce four types of natural wine from the Tsitska, Tsolikouri, and Aladasturi grape varieties. In 2023, I planted a vineyard with the Krakhuna variety, which produces high-quality white wine. Currently, I make wine in stainless steel tanks without lees and claret—only grape juice—resulting in a light, crisp, and pleasant taste. I ferment red wine with full lees for five days, after which I remove it and continue fermentation until completion. I produce approximately 5,000 bottles of wine per year, depending on the harvest and its quality—sometimes even more. I do not need to buy grapes, as I do not yet sell enough wine to require additional supply. This is a brief introduction to my winemaking journey. I will add the winery’s Facebook page so you can explore more.