Tornike Sherazadishvili is a young winemaker from Georgia. His winery named Shalos Cellar is located in Bolnisi in the wine region of Lower Kartli (Kvemo Kartli). It was built in 1818 by German hermits and covers about 5 hectares of vineyards. These are planted with the native grape varieties Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Shavkapito, Tavkveri, Chinebuli, Kisi and Mtsvane.
Tornike produces natural wine and therefore rarely intervenes in the winemaking process. His technical equipment is minimalist, almost everything is handmade. His main focus is the top quality of his grapes, so he selects them very strictly. This is reflected in a very low production volume of around 8,000 to 10,000 bottles per year.
The ambitious winemaker uses two methods to produce white wines and red wines. For the traditional, Georgian method, he uses qvevris. These are large clay amphorae that hold up to 3,000 liters and are embedded in the ground. The grape mash with stems and skins is filled into these and fermented. This cool maceration usually lasts a few months.
In the second method, the maceration takes place in large oak barrels. It lasts about two to three weeks. Then the wine is transferred to barrels and stainless steel tanks for further aging. Both methods, under the direction of Tornike, result in exceptional wines in which both the diverse varietal aromas and the different taste qualities are wonderfully expressed.