INTRODUCTION
Iori Valley produces premium quality handcrafted wines with distinctive flavours that are an expression of our terroir.
We only use the best grapes from our land, which we nurture with care and light touch farming practices. In this way, we remain in control of the wine process from grape to glass.
Georgians have been making wine in Qvevri (clay amphora) for other 8,000 years. They let wine macerate on skins, stems and seeds for a long time. We make wines using these same traditional Georgian methods, but also combined with international best practices.
Our wine making process can be summarised as:
Grapes → Crushing → Qvevri → Fermentation → Maceration → Filtration → Storage / Cask → Preparation → Bottle
VINEYARDS & GRAPES
Our wine making process starts with our lands and vineyards. Good wine starts with delicious and healthy grapes that are suitable for wine-making.
Iori Valley has planted both red and white grapes, with some international varieties but mostly local Georgian varieties. Georgia boasts a diverse range of rare and indigenous grapes, with reds known for their deep colour and whites known for their fruit, floral or herbal notes.
Red wine is made with red grapes. White wine is made from white grapes but can also be made with red grapes that are de-skinned with light flesh. Rose wine is made with red skin maceration. Amber wine is made with white skin maceration.
CRUSHING
Once ripe grapes are harvested, they are placed into special baskets to avoid squishing and transported quickly to the winery to avoid heat and sun exposure.
At the winery, after sorting the grapes, the first step is crushing. They are not de-skinned or juiced. They are kept in clusters and moderately crushed with stems, skin, seeds and all intact.
QVEVRI
After crushing, the grape juice (must) is then loaded into a Qvevri.
A Qvevri is an egg-shaped clay amphora available in a range of sizes which is usually buried in the ground, with only the rim visible about the ground. UNESCO has approved the Georgian Qvevri wine-making process as “Intangible Cultural Heritage”.
The Qvevri is used for wine fermentation, maturation, and storage.
FERMENTATION
Fermentation is the process where yeast converts the sugars in grape juice into alcohol and carbon dioxide, creating wine.
Fermentation takes place without intervention, using naturally occurring yeasts present on grape skins and natural temperature control, with the aid of some stirring and an airing fan. Fermentation often lasts 3 weeks.
MACERATION
Maceration is the process where grape solids (skins, seeds and stems) are left in contact with the grape juice to allow for extraction of colour, tannins and flavour.
We leave the solids to macerate in the Qvevri for at least 4 – 6 months. This extended maceration contributes to the unique characteristics of Georgian wines, including the taste of oak without oak from the stems and the white wines becoming amber or orange in colour.
FILTRATION
Filtration is the process of removing any remaining particles, solids, yeast cells or bacteria. It helps with clarity, stability and quality. Iori Valley uses natural methods and a semi-permeable membrane to filter its wines.
Clarity is improved by removing sediment and haze, improving the appearance of the wine.
Stability is improved by eliminating yeast and bacteria that may cause re-fermentation or spoilage in the bottle.
Quality is improved as it refines the overall taste and quality of the wine.
STORAGE/CASK
In the spring, when the wine is ready, we either bottle it or transfer it to another container for further aging.
This may be another Qvevri, a steel vat or a cask (barrel).
Use of cask or barrel is not typically Georgian but is a well-accepted international method used for maturing wine.
We use it to harmonise the wine’s structure and flavour.
It accentuates the tannins and helps develop notes of vanilla, fresh wood and smoky notes of coffee, cocoa and toast.
We use it sparingly as the Georgian long maceration process already adds a great depth of flavour.
PREPARATION
Preparation is the last stage before bottling and includes blending, filtration and stabilisation.
Blending is the process of mixing wines from different grapes, qvevris, barrels or tanks. Some of our wines are not blended at all. Others, may be blended to enhance colour, flavour and quality. In particular, Iori Valley is experimenting with blending wine from our qvevris with wine from our barrels, as we believe that qvevri wine has good acidity for an initial burst of flavour on the palate and barrels help prolong and extend the flavour on the palate thereafter.
Filtration is the process of clarifying the wine referred to above. It is repeated at different stages.
Stabilisation is the process of adjusting sulphur dioxide to help preserve the wine and prevent spoilage.
Iori Valley seeks to avoid any chemical processes in its wine making and to maintain sulphur within its wines at naturally occurring levels.
BOTTLING
The bottling process starts with bottle selection. We prefer simple and elegant classic bottle shapes with tinted glass, to protect the wine from sun exposure. Our Rose however uses clearer glass, to showcase the colour we achieve.
Once the bottles arrive, they are thoroughly cleaned to ensure sterility and prevent contamination.
Wine is then transferred into the bottles and filled, using a vacuum to minimize oxidation.
The filled bottles are then sealed with corks, using automatic corking machines. Our preference is for natural cork, which helps the wine breath.
A layer of foil is then placed over the cork for additional protection and to prevent spoilage. This is called capsuling.
Finally, the wine bottles are labelled with our logo and branding and essential information, such as the type of wine, vintage, and region.
Bottling is not necessarily the end of the process. Wine further ages and matures in the bottle. Also, in the case of white wine, we may add sugar and years to create sparkling wine with secondary fermentation in the bottle itself.