Dimitri Wine — From Letters to Vines

Our vineyard is located in a terroir called Karabulakhi, a distinctive spot within the village of Khashmi. Historically, this area was where the Cholokhashvili royal family had their estate vineyards and winery. During the Soviet era, the land was transformed into a large-scale "wine factory" designed to process grapes from all surrounding vineyards. Eventually, these vineyards were divided among local villagers, and this is how my great-grandfather came to own a small piece of this iconic land. Initially, we started with just 3,000 square meters, but beginning in the early 2000s, my father and I steadily expanded our vineyard, purchasing several small plots around us to create a total of one hectare. The location itself is fascinating—it lies close to the Iori River, with a distinct mountain formation to the north. Essentially, the entire village is situated on a gentle slope cascading down from Ialno Mountain toward the Iori River.

Yes, it's somewhat unusual for Kakheti to consolidate such tiny plots—six in total—from different families. This really underscores how limited and precious the soils in Karabulakhi are. Each plot has unique characteristics, which add complexity to our vineyard as a whole.

Yes, the name "Karabulakhi" actually has Turkic roots, translating to "Black Water," probably referencing the dark water flowing through the nearby Iori River.

Exactly, the historic section of our vineyard was planted solely with Saperavi, reflecting traditional practices in this area and its suitability to our terroir.

The rows were set 1.3 meters apart, with vines spaced 1.5 meters apart within each row. This is somewhat unconventional by today's Kakhetian standards, where it's rare to see vines spaced farther apart than the rows themselves. These spacing choices reflect older agricultural methods aimed at managing soil moisture and vine health.

Initially, our vision was simply to expand our family vineyard, to create wine primarily for our own consumption and enjoyment, while also having the confidence we could easily sell any surplus grapes to local clients and markets.

Our winery is named Dimitri wine, after my grandfather. If you look closely at our labels, you'll see they're designed around a letter he wrote during World War II to his wife. He expressed deep concern that the vineyard might not survive his absence, urging her to sell whatever necessary to preserve it. Thankfully, my grandfather survived the war and returned home to personally care for the vineyard, which flourished under his attention.

The first vintage we bottled was in 2016, featuring very limited quantities of Saperavi. While we've been making wine since my great-grandfather's time, it was primarily for family consumption. Bottling that vintage was our first step in testing the market and gaining feedback from professionals and wine enthusiasts outside our immediate circle. In 2017, I collaborated with a friend to establish a joint winery under a different name, but by 2020, I formally established our family winery as you see it today.

Definitely! Some vintages practically managed themselves, with minimal disease pressure. In Khashmi, we typically spray our vineyards only 5-6 times a year, compared to the 8-12 times common elsewhere in Kakheti. This reduced frequency is due to our drier climate, lower rainfall, and our vineyard's elevation at 750 meters, which delays our growing season by two to three weeks compared to other Kakhetian vineyards. This dry environment significantly reduces the risk of Downy Mildew, though Powdery Mildew can occasionally pose a challenge. Interestingly, Khashmi's conditions align more closely with the Kartli region than typical Kakheti conditions.

Definitely! Some vintages practically managed themselves, with minimal disease pressure. In Khashmi, we typically spray our vineyards only 5-6 times a year, compared to the 8-12 times common elsewhere in Kakheti. This reduced frequency is due to our drier climate, lower rainfall, and our vineyard's elevation at 750 meters, which delays our growing season by two to three weeks compared to other Kakhetian vineyards. This dry environment significantly reduces the risk of Downy Mildew, though Powdery Mildew can occasionally pose a challenge. Interestingly, Khashmi's conditions align more closely with the Kartli region than typical Kakheti conditions. Regarding standout vintages, 2014 and 2016 are particularly memorable, though overall, vintage variation here is not overly pronounced. Most years provide consistently high-quality fruit, except for truly difficult years like 2023, when we nearly lost our entire harvest.

Absolutely. Due to our dry climate, irrigation is essential—especially for Saperavi. Without the irrigation canal sourced from the Iori River that runs through the entire village, cultivating this variety would be nearly impossible. I usually irrigate just once or twice a year, which is enough given our soil composition and vine density. The soils here are very dense, with deep clay layers beneath a compact, almost compressed topsoil. These dark, nearly black soils—possibly the origin of the name Karabulakhi, meaning “Black Water”—retain moisture fairly well but still require occasional irrigation support, especially during prolonged dry spells.

It likely predates the village itself. There's a good chance the original canals were derived from natural branches of the Iori River, and the settlement may have developed around this water infrastructure.

Our pruning approach is intentionally conservative because we need to avoid overly stressing our vines—not just for ripening quality, but also for their very survival. Our vine formations are quite low, around 60 cm off the ground, compared to the typical 90 cm seen elsewhere in Kakheti, which naturally limits yields. This conservative practice likely contributes significantly to the high-quality Saperavi we produce from this terroir.

The 2024 vintage has been remarkably balanced, yielding excellent fruit with good disease resistance, concentration, and ripeness. Though it’s still early for final assessments, the wines already display a compelling balance between power and elegance, promising an outstanding vintage.

Our primary challenge throughout the growing season is finding labor. With our small village size, tiny vineyards, and proximity to Tbilisi—just a 25-30 minute drive away—finding reliable vineyard workers is extremely difficult. Larger wineries nearby naturally attract bigger labor pools. Moreover, many young villagers leave to pursue education and employment opportunities in Tbilisi, further diminishing local labor availability. Vineyard operations require precise timing, so finding labor exactly when needed becomes a significant logistical hurdle.

Interestingly, we face fewer issues during harvest, mainly because ours occurs later in the season when most other vineyards have completed their harvesting. This timing allows easier access to labor groups.

Typically, we harvest between the first and third weeks of October, significantly later than the rest of Kakheti, where harvest can begin in late August or early September.

Currently, I prefer stainless steel tanks for both fermentation and aging, even though I adhere to traditional Kakhetian methods—wild yeast fermentations and extended skin contact for amber wines. Stainless steel tanks feel safer for now, but I'm open to future experimentation with Qvevris and oak barrels, especially for our Saperavi.

Our Marani is integrated into our family home, and we're currently expanding it to accommodate guests overnight. This will enhance visitor experiences, especially during harvest. We also aim to explore classic whites and various aging techniques, like oak barrels, ensuring exciting developments ahead for our winery.