Naotari Georgian Wines Winemaker

The head winemaker at Naotari is Koba Kvatchrelishvili but he happily has help from his son Alex and his grandsons. Koba is in love with the traditions of Kakhetian wine making; traditions that have existed in Georgia for thousands of years and in Koba's family for as long as anyone can remember.

Kakhetian wine making centers itself around two things: 1) qvevri, the traditional terra-cotta vessels that are buried underneath the ground and are used in each stage of the winemaking process, 2) Skin contact, Kakhetian white wines spend ~6 months in contact with their grape skins developing complex and amber colored wines. 

Koba is firmly in line with the natural wine philosophy, which arguably has its roots in Georgia. Kobe's philosophy is rooted in the belief the grapes and the natural wine process is a sacred and whole process. Koba works his hardest in the vineyards so that when harvest comes he is simply a guide in the winemaking process rather than an interventionist. Koba also chooses to do small batch wine production focused on uniqueness and an authentic expression of the Chikaani terroir and Kakhetian traditions. Annually he currently produces ~3,000 bottles.