Napareuli PDO

Napareuli's viticultural identity stretches back millennia, rooted in a region Georgia considers the cradle of winemaking, with archaeological evidence pointing to some 8,000 years of continuous wine production across the Caucasus. The name Napareuli itself derives from the Georgian word for a sheep flock, reflecting the agricultural character of the territory. A pivotal modern chapter began in 1797 when King Erekle II granted estates in the village of Napareuli to Garsevan Chavchavadze, a Georgian ambassador to Russia. His son, Aleksandre Chavchavadze (1786 to 1846), poet, soldier, and winemaker, introduced European techniques and carried out vineyard reforms that elevated quality across Kakheti. In 1886, the Princes Estates Department purchased the Chavchavadze holdings in Napareuli, Tsinandali, Mukuzani, and other villages, and by the late 19th century Napareuli wines were being commercially bottled and sold under numbered labels. The Soviet era shifted production toward volume, but Georgia's post-independence wine renaissance restored Napareuli's reputation through formalized PDO regulation.

• In 1797, King Erekle II granted Napareuli estates to Garsevan Chavchavadze; his son Aleksandre introduced European winemaking methods to Kakheti
• By the late 19th century Napareuli had around 140 hectares of vineyard and three stone cellars with 164 qvevri, per official records
• The Napareuli name appeared on commercial wine labels in the 1880s under the Princes Estates Department
• Napareuli is among the 18 Georgian appellations now protected under the Georgia-EU Association Agreement

Napareuli occupies the left bank of the upper Alazani River in Telavi municipality, making it one of Kakheti's northernmost appellations. The six villages of the microzone lie at the foot of the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, at altitudes of 400 to 500 metres above sea level. Cold air descending from Caucasus glaciers moderates summer heat, while the Stori and Lopota rivers carry alluvial and deluvial material down from the mountains, creating soils of stony loam, sandy layers, and light clay with good drainage. The appellation lies roughly 100 kilometres northeast of Tbilisi, just north of the Tsinandali zone across the river. The climate is moderately humid with mild winters and warm summers; the greater cloudiness on the left bank results in slightly less sunshine than neighbouring right-bank appellations, contributing to the cooler, more restrained style of Napareuli wines.

• Located in Telavi municipality on the left bank of the Alazani River at 400 to 500 metres elevation
• Soils are alluvial and deluvial: stony loam, sandy layers, and light clay with strong natural drainage
• Cold air from the Caucasus Mountains moderates growing-season temperatures, supporting firm acidity
• Neighbouring appellations include Tsinandali to the south, and Manavi and Kvareli to the east

Napareuli produces both dry white and dry red wines from Georgia's two most planted indigenous varieties. White Napareuli is made predominantly from Rkatsiteli, a late-ripening, frost-hardy variety that accounts for over 20,000 hectares of Georgian vineyard planting. In European-style production, Rkatsiteli delivers subtle floral aromas with citrus, quince, and apple notes; in qvevri, it develops more power, moderate tannin, and flavours of honey and dried stone fruit. Up to 15% Kakhuri Mtsvane may be added, bringing fresh white peach, floral lift, and aromatic complexity. Red Napareuli is produced exclusively from Saperavi, an intensely coloured teinturier variety that delivers dark fruit, spice, firm tannin, and impressive aging potential. Both styles are classified as dry, with residual sugar no higher than 4 grams per litre.

• White: minimum 85% Rkatsiteli, with optional addition of up to 15% Kakhuri Mtsvane; minimum 11% alcohol
• Red: exclusively Saperavi and/or Saperavi-Budeshuri; dry, full-bodied, with dark fruit and firm tannin
• Both styles may be vinified in stainless steel for freshness or in qvevri for added texture and complexity
• Cooler left-bank terroir produces wines of firm acidity, mineral clarity, and refined structure

Several well-regarded producers source from or are based in the Napareuli microzone. Twins Wine Cellar, run by twin brothers Gia and Gela Gamtkitsulashvili, is situated in Napareuli village itself, focusing on traditional Kakhetian qvevri winemaking with over 135 large qvevri on site. The brothers were among the pioneers of the qvevri revival in Georgia in the early 2000s. Schuchmann Wines, founded in 2008 by German entrepreneur Burkhard Schuchmann, sources grapes from Napareuli as one of three distinct vineyard sites, vinifying both European-style and qvevri wines. Artanuli Gvino, founded in 2006 in the village of Artana within the microzone, is a family-run producer using organic farming and traditional Georgian methods. Sanavardo Estate also produces wines from Napareuli microzone fruit, including PDO Saperavi.

• Twins Wine Cellar: family-run qvevri specialist in Napareuli village, with over 135 qvevri; pioneers of Georgia's qvevri revival
• Schuchmann Wines (est. 2008): sources Napareuli grapes for both European-style and Vinoterra qvevri ranges
• Artanuli Gvino (est. 2006): organic, family-owned producer based in Artana village within the microzone
• Multiple producers balance traditional qvevri methods with modern stainless steel vinification

Napareuli is a Protected Designation of Origin administered by Georgia's National Wine Agency (LEPL). The PDO regulations specify that all grapes must be grown exclusively within the six villages of the Napareuli microzone in Telavi municipality. White wine must contain at least 85% Rkatsiteli, with up to 15% Kakhuri Mtsvane permitted; no other varieties are allowed. Red wine must be made solely from Saperavi and/or Saperavi-Budeshuri grapes. Both colours must be dry, with residual sugar not exceeding 4 grams per litre. Grape processing and winemaking must take place inside the Napareuli microzone; bottling may occur elsewhere in Georgia under strict supervision. Wine production is capped at 650 litres per tonne of grapes. Napareuli is among the 18 Georgian appellations protected under the Georgia-EU Association Agreement.

• White wine: minimum 85% Rkatsiteli, up to 15% Kakhuri Mtsvane; no other varieties permitted
• Red wine: exclusively Saperavi and/or Saperavi-Budeshuri; dry style mandatory
• Production capped at 650 litres per tonne of grapes; all processing must occur within the microzone
• Napareuli is one of 18 Georgian PDOs protected under the Georgia-EU Association Agreement

Telavi, the historic administrative capital of Kakheti, is the main gateway to the Napareuli microzone, located approximately 12 to 15 kilometres from Napareuli village. Visitors can explore Batonistsikhe, the residence of the Kakhetian kings in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the nearby Tsinandali Estate, which was the centre of Aleksandre Chavchavadze's winemaking legacy in the 19th century and today houses a museum, cellar, and historic wine collection dating from 1814. Within the microzone, Twins Wine Cellar in Napareuli village offers immersive tastings and a wine museum showcasing traditional qvevri production. The Alaverdi Monastery complex, situated approximately 20 kilometres from Telavi and about 15 kilometres from Napareuli, is one of Georgia's most significant ecclesiastical monuments: its Cathedral of Saint George was built in the 11th century and stands over 50 metres tall. The monastery operates its own winery producing traditional qvevri wines. The annual Alaverdoba festival, held in late September, celebrates the grape harvest with days of worship, feasting, and traditional winemaking demonstrations.

• Twins Wine Cellar in Napareuli village offers guided tastings and a museum of traditional qvevri winemaking
• Tsinandali Estate, near Telavi, preserves a historic cellar and wine collection from 1814, linked to the Chavchavadze legacy
• Alaverdi Monastery (11th-century cathedral, over 50 metres tall, 20 km from Telavi) operates a working qvevri winery
• Alaverdoba festival in late September marks the grape harvest with traditional feasting and winemaking celebrations