Overview
Adjara lies in Georgia's far southwest along the Black Sea, with vineyards from sea level up to about 500 meters on the forested slopes of the Lesser Caucasus. The climate is humid subtropical and exceptionally wet, especially on west-facing mountain slopes, making it one of the most distinctive wine terroirs in the country. Growers manage constant fungal pressure through careful site selection, canopy work, and well-drained slopes.
Chkhaveri is Adjara's signature grape, a thin-skinned indigenous variety that produces pale red, rosé, and lightly amber wines with bright acidity and delicate red-fruit character. Tsolikouri and Saperavi are also grown, along with rare local varieties that are being restored by small family estates. Soils range from coastal alluvium and sandstone to slate and clay-loam on the hillsides.
Key Varietals
- ChkhaveriAdjara's flagship pale-red grape, naturally low in alcohol with strawberry, sour cherry, and mineral notes.
- TsolikouriA adaptable white variety planted at higher elevations for fresh dry and semi-sweet wines.
- SaperaviGeorgia's great red adds depth and structure in Adjara's humid coastal microclimates.
- SatsuraviAn ancient Adjarian red variety being restored for light, fragrant wines.