Nadelebi Wines
(naad-el-ebee)
Nadelebi is owned and operated by 20-something year-old Guram Maisuradze, located near the city of Telavi in the Eastern region of Georgia, Kakheti. Guram's passion for wine comes from growing up around his father and uncle who had a small plot of vines and would make wine for their family and friends. His father also worked at a larger wine factory as his day job. Guram then discovered the world of natural wines in early 2014 and quickly became captivated. Driven by childhood memories and a newfound passion, he left his foreign affairs job and fell into a strong-willed philosophy of winemaking. Thus, Nadelebi was born, named after the distinct sub-zone where their vineyard grows.
In 2019, he began his first experimentations with those same vines. He now tends to 3 hectares with his father and uses traditional Qvevri winemaking vessels, producing just 6,000 bottles a year. Most of his vines are more than 60-years old, as him and his father prefer to work with older vines, only planting new vines where the older do not produce as efficiently anymore. His first few years, they tended with only horses in the vineyards, but now they use small tractors.
'– It was a bit of a journey. Everything starts in the soil. Everything starts in the field. The soil has to be strong. No chemicals should be in the ground or on the plants. Then you can think about naturally creating wine. You have to stay away from chemicals.' Guram's steadfast philosophy is the core of his wines. He doesn't blur the lines, believing that organic practices are not enough for a regenerative and purely natural process and goes beyond the minimum standard.
He begins harvest around midnight while the temperature is as low as possible. The grapes are hand-sorted to assure the skin and stem quality, to decide the style of wines to be made.
Wines that don't turn out to his standard, he makes into Chacha (Georgia's version of grappa).
He experiments with the timeliness of transferring the wine from Qvevri to stainless steel tanks before bottling, to observe when the best time to bottle is with rested sediment, for natural filtration.
He is a member of the Natural Wine Association of Georgia which employs strict regulations and check-ups to ensure the honest marketing of natural winemakers.
Everything relies on this hands-on approach, producing pure grape juice that is clean and alive. Drink Guram's wines with the knowledge that him, his family and friends, pour their soul into these wines.
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From 7-year-old organic Saperavi and Mtsvane vines, the grapes were hand-harvested and taken to tanks for semi-carbonic maceration. Bottled after 5 months. Unfined, unfiltered, and with no additions of sulphur. Only 800 bottles of this wine were produced, and we have the pleasure of drinking them here in Canada! This wine is an extravagant wine for all occasions. Picnic in the park, at your dinner table, or while toasting with friends at your local wine bars. Bursting candied red fruit. Red cherry, strawberry, and cranberry, with a little bit of watermelon. Subtle herb and spice on the undertone with a long, juicy finish.
From 21-year-old organic Kisi vines. Hand harvested and crushed into Qvevri for fermentation with its full skins and some stem contact. In April, after 7 months of hibernation, it was pressed off its skins and bottled. Microfiltration was conducted, and 10mg of sulphur was added before bottling. On the nose, bright grapefruit, blood orange, and lemon. It opens up on the palate similarly, with an integrated herbaceous bouquet and ripe apricot. Beautiful tannin and acidity balance, true to Kakhetian-style and structure.
