Gogoladze of the Ateni Gorge

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The Ateni gorge has been making wine since the sixth century and the Gogoladze family have been in this particular village for at least six generations, which by local standards is unremarkable.

What is unusual is the wine. Chinuri from these slopes keeps a very high natural acidity, and Irakli Gogoladze uses it to make a sparkling wine by a second fermentation in bottle — almost nobody else in Georgia does this. He also makes a still Chinuri in qvevri for people who came expecting one.

The gorge is forty minutes from Gori and the road is good. Irakli speaks careful, deliberate English and is a patient explainer.