📍 Shida Kartli

Shida Kartli ("Inner Kartli") is a historic area in central Georgia, around the city of Gori. It is the upper part of the large Kartli region and lies along the Kura (Mtkvari) river. It includes two small zones, Atenuri and Okami, named after villages.

The main grape here is Chinuri, a pale variety with lively acidity. It makes dry white and sparkling wines. Nearby grow Goruli Mtsvane, one of the old local white varieties, and Shavkapito, a red grape that gives light reds and sparkling wines.

The area is known for two ways of making wine. The European way gives fresh wines fermented in steel. The Georgian way means fermenting in clay vessels called qvevri buried in the ground. In a qvevri white wine stays together with the skins and seeds, so it turns amber and tannic.

Atenuri is counted among the best-known zones of Shida Kartli and yields crisp white and sparkling wines. For comparison with its neighbours: to the east lies Kakheti, the country's main wine region, and to the west Imereti, where wine is traditionally made with less skin contact.