Mirianuli - Nikoladze family
Mirianuli is the Nikoladze family wine cellar located in the village of Ninotsminda, Sagarejo district, Kakheti region. Laid out in the basement, this stone-clad store of wine dates back 120 years. The wine there is made through the use of the technique, which Mirian Nikoladze introduced by allowing the ancient methods and novel approaches to mix and interact. This is what shapes the character of his wine that is just unique. Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane Kakhuri grape varieties are de-stemmed and placed in earth-buried vessels called Qvevri. This is where the grapes left uncrushed experience fermentation, which may take up to two months before it is complete. Then the grape juice is sent to Breathing Qvevris – vessels placed above the ground, in the open air, where the liquid mass is left in contact with skins and pips (pomace) for three months to age. Once the wine is separated from the pomace, it is let to age for another month in the same vessels. Six months after the wine is produced, it is prepared for bottling. The resulting wine, compared to other Qvevri wines, is a pale colour with greenish hues. It delights with an elegant yet powerful and gentle bouquet and a wide range of organo-leptic properties.