Iago’s Winery

Inner Kartli

Iago’s Wines is located in the rural village of Chardahki in the central Georgian region of Kartli. Iago is the natural wine champion of the Chinuri variety, a variety traditionally used for commercial sparkling wines. From his small marani (qvevri cellar) he crafts beguiling skin macerated examples filled with exotic floral beauty, heirloom fruits, spice and briny umami. His front veranda is a popular spot for day trippers from Tbilisi to experience his bottlings and old fashioned Georgian hospitality. Iago was one of the first to turn traditional winemaking into his full-time job although his production still remains very small.

The family has always cultivated grapes and made wine for home, like all Georgian families. However in 1998 Iago changed his philosophy towards the vines and switched to organic farming, in 2015 the vineyard was officially certified and was not only the first in Georgia but also the first in the whole South Caucasian region. The first time they began bottling wine was in 2003 and the first time the wine was exported was 2006. Iago's entire production is now exported.

In 2008 Iago was also the first to make Chinebuli with skin contact and has been so happy with the result most of the wines are made this way now. Iago is also one of the founding fathers of the Natural Wine Association in Georgia and in 2012 his wife Marina was the first woman in Georgia to make wine.