Orgo Winery: Tsinandali's qvevri natural wine specialist

Why Orgo occupies a unique position

Orgo is an unusual wine project: a natural wine sub-brand created within and protected by one of Kakheti’s established commercial producers, Teliani Valley. This combination — the infrastructure and vineyard resources of a mid-size operation with the winemaking philosophy of a small-batch natural wine producer — gives Orgo capabilities that most boutique Georgian natural wine operations lack, while maintaining the commitment to qvevri, indigenous varieties, and minimal intervention that defines serious natural wine production.

The result is wines of genuine quality and individuality that are more reliably available and more consistently made than many of the one-person natural wine projects that have emerged from Kakheti over the past two decades. Orgo is not a compromise between commercial and artisan winemaking — it is an argument that these approaches are compatible when the commitment is real.

The winery’s location in the Tsinandali area of Kakheti places it in one of the most historically significant wine-growing territories in Georgia, directly adjacent to the estate where Alexander Chavchavadze began systematising Georgian winemaking in the 1830s. The Tsinandali terroir — alluvial soils, moderate elevation, continental climate with significant diurnal variation — is one of the most distinctive in Kakheti, and the Orgo wines express it with clarity.

History and philosophy

Teliani Valley has been one of Kakheti’s significant commercial producers since the post-Soviet period, with established vineyards, production facilities, and distribution networks both domestically and in export markets. The creation of Orgo as a separate natural wine project reflects the influence of the global natural wine movement on Georgian wine culture in the 2010s — a period when even established producers began asking whether their indigenous varieties and traditional methods deserved a more serious platform.

The Orgo project was conceived as a deliberately minimal operation: take the best indigenous variety fruit from the estate vineyards, make wine using only traditional qvevri methods with no additions, and release small quantities under a label that could be distinguished clearly from Teliani Valley’s broader conventional range.

The name Orgo — derived from Georgian, suggesting something golden and original — signals the project’s orientation toward the ancient traditions of Kakhetian winemaking rather than toward European models of what premium wine should be.

The winemaker

The Orgo project has benefited from Teliani Valley’s winemaking infrastructure while maintaining a distinct creative vision in the cellar. The winemaker responsible for the Orgo range approaches the wines with the same philosophy as Georgia’s most celebrated natural wine producers: the winemaker’s role is to assist nature rather than to engineer an outcome.

In practice, this means working with the wild yeasts present in the vineyard and cellar, conducting fermentation in qvevri without temperature control or commercial yeast additions, and allowing the wine to clarify and develop at its own pace without filtration or fining. The timing of bottling is determined by tasting rather than by a production schedule.

Vineyards and grape varieties

The Orgo project draws on Teliani Valley’s estate vineyards in the Tsinandali and surrounding Kakheti areas. The vineyards are managed without synthetic inputs for the Orgo range, following the principles that underpin genuine natural wine production.

Kisi is the white variety most closely associated with Orgo’s reputation. A naturally aromatic grape that develops extraordinary complexity with extended skin contact in qvevri, Kisi in the Orgo interpretation becomes a wine of amber depth — dried apricot and quince on the nose, a broad, textured palate with the characteristic tannic grip of full Kakhetian skin contact, and a long finish that develops over the course of an evening in the glass.

Rkatsiteli is the second white in the Orgo lineup, produced with the same full-contact qvevri method. The contrast between the Kisi’s aromatic opulence and the Rkatsiteli’s more austere, mineral profile is instructive — these are not interchangeable indigenous varieties but distinct expressions of Kakheti’s wine culture.

Saperavi for the Orgo red is fermented and aged in qvevri rather than in the oak barrels that define most commercial Kakhetian Saperavi. The result is a wine of raw power and authenticity — no vanilla or toasted notes from wood, instead pure dark fruit, violet, and the distinctive iron and mineral character that makes Saperavi one of the great indigenous red grapes of the world.

Some vintages include small quantities of additional varieties — Mtsvane Kakhuri and occasional experimental batches from old vineyard plots. Ask what is currently available when you visit.

Winemaking method

The Orgo cellar is dedicated to traditional Kakhetian qvevri winemaking without concession to European oenological convention.

For the white varieties (Kisi and Rkatsiteli), the process follows the Kakhetian full-contact method: grapes are pressed by foot or by gentle mechanical means, and the entire must — juice, skins, seeds, and stems — is transferred to qvevri. Fermentation begins spontaneously within 24–48 hours as wild yeasts on the grape surfaces activate. The cap is punched down daily throughout active fermentation. After primary fermentation, the wine rests on its skins for an extended period — typically four to six months in the Orgo style — before being pressed, transferred, and sealed in clean qvevri for winter maturation.

For the Saperavi, the process is similar but with considerations appropriate for a thick-skinned red variety. Skin contact for Saperavi in qvevri produces wines of deep, almost opaque colour with substantial tannin — wines built for ageing rather than immediate consumption.

Our qvevri winemaking guide explains the full traditional process, the scientific reasons qvevri wine tastes different from conventionally made wine, and what to expect when you taste amber wine for the first time.

What to taste

A visit to Orgo should begin with the Kisi Qvevri — it is the wine that has attracted the most international attention and the most useful entry point into understanding what the Orgo project is attempting.

After the Kisi, taste the Rkatsiteli Qvevri for comparison. The two wines show how differently the same method can manifest in different varieties — the aromatic exuberance of the Kisi against the more austere, mineral quality of the Rkatsiteli is a lesson in Kakhetian white wine diversity that no amount of reading conveys.

Complete the tasting with the Saperavi Qvevri — even wine drinkers who are initially sceptical about amber wines tend to respond well to a qvevri red, which has a more familiar profile of dark fruit and tannin, albeit in a wild and unfiltered form that differs substantially from oaked commercial Saperavi.

If available, taste any experimental or small-batch wines. These are often made in quantities of a single qvevri and appear on the tasting menu only when there is enough to share.

Visit logistics

Location: Tsinandali area, Kakheti, in close proximity to the Teliani Valley main production facility. The address and access details are confirmed when you book.

Tours: The Orgo winery visit includes the qvevri cellar, explanation of the natural winemaking process, and a guided tasting. The relationship with Teliani Valley means that the visit can sometimes be extended to include the main Teliani Valley production facility for those interested in comparing natural and conventional production at the same estate.

Reservations: Book in advance. As a specialised project rather than a mainstream visitor attraction, the Orgo tasting experience is best arranged with a few days’ notice at minimum.

Duration: Allow 1.5–2 hours for the cellar tour and tasting. Add time if you want to explore the surrounding area.

Languages: English, Georgian, Russian are all available. Advance notice helps for other languages.

Book a guided wine tour in the Telavi area

Best time to visit

Spring (April–June): The wines from the most recent harvest are ready for tasting. The Tsinandali landscape is at its most beautiful, with the vineyards coming into leaf against the backdrop of the Caucasus mountains.

Harvest (September–October): Active qvevri winemaking can be observed directly. The smells of fermentation in a working marani are one of the defining sensory experiences of Georgian wine tourism.

Winter (November–March): The quietest period, with the wines developing in their sealed qvevri. Visits in winter have a contemplative quality and the winemakers have the most time for extended conversation.

Buying wine

The Orgo range is available at the cellar in modest quantities. Production is small enough that some vintages sell out — buying directly from the winery guarantees you get what you want.

International availability: Orgo wines have been exported to specialist markets in Europe and beyond, with more consistent availability than most small-batch Georgian natural wine producers, due to the Teliani Valley distribution infrastructure. Ask at the winery for current export markets.

Cellar door prices range from approximately 30–60 GEL per bottle, representing excellent value for wines of this quality and character.

Nearby wineries to combine

The Tsinandali area is ideal for a focused multi-winery day.

Tsinandali Estate (see our Tsinandali Estate guide) is the historic Chavchavadze property — a palace museum, ancient cellar, and beautiful gardens — and makes an ideal companion to the Orgo visit. The contrast between the historical context of Tsinandali and the forward-looking natural wine philosophy of Orgo creates a vivid picture of Kakheti’s wine range.

Shumi Winery (see our Shumi Winery guide) is also in the Tsinandali village area, with its extraordinary grape variety museum of 400+ cultivars.

Schuchmann Wines (see our Schuchmann guide) is approximately 15 minutes away and offers the most complete estate accommodation experience in this part of Kakheti.

For planning a multi-winery itinerary, see our Kakheti wine tours guide.

Book a full-day Kakheti wine tour from Tbilisi

FAQ

What is the relationship between Orgo and Teliani Valley? Orgo is a natural wine sub-brand created by Teliani Valley, one of Kakheti’s established commercial producers. The two projects share vineyard resources and infrastructure but operate under entirely different winemaking philosophies. Teliani Valley produces conventional European-style wines; Orgo produces natural qvevri wines with no additions. The combined visit shows both approaches at one estate.

Are the Orgo wines suitable for people new to amber wine? The Kisi is an excellent introduction to amber wine — its aromatic character bridges the gap between conventional white wine and the more challenging full-skin-contact style. The Rkatsiteli is more austere and may need more context. If you are new to amber wine, our amber wine guide is essential reading before the visit.

How long do the wines age? The amber whites can age 5–10 years with development. The Saperavi qvevri is built for 10+ years and shows its best qualities with some bottle age. Cellar-door bottles of the current vintage are already good; older vintages, when available, are often superior.

Can I combine Orgo with the Teliani Valley main winery visit? Yes, and this makes for one of the most educational wine visits in Kakheti — seeing conventional and natural production methods at the same estate, side by side, with the same vineyard fruit as the starting point.