Winery
Our Winery
The Askaneli vineyard is a place where every detail is carefully considered and crafted with dedication and creativity. From the initial planting of the vines to the final pour into a bottle, the team at Askaneli puts in tireless effort to create the best possible wines.
But it’s not just about the end product. The team at Askaneli is also committed to continuous learning and improvement, constantly seeking out new ways to refine their techniques and produce even better wines. And they understand the importance of corporate responsibility, prioritizing staff training, environmental concerns, and social responsibility in all of their operations.
At Askaneli, the focus is on quality and sustainability, and it shows in every bottle. It’s this dedication and attention to detail that sets Askaneli apart and makes their wines truly unique and special.
Our Wine Making Process
Beginnings
For a winemaker, the crying of a vine represents a deeply emotional and sacred moment in the relationship with their vineyard. This is when our company’s growers begin the process of caring for the vines in the early spring. As the temperatures rise, the bud removal process also increases to protect the newly planted buds from parasites and diseases.
During the summer months, our vineyards undergo a significant transformation as the pollinated flowers of the vine transform into grape berries. This is also when the green harvest begins, which involves carefully selecting and removing excess grapes in order to allow the remaining grapes to thrive and produce high quality vintages.
Throughout the summer, our growers closely monitor the ripening process, taking steps to protect the vines from pests and ensuring that the grapes are ripening properly. This may involve removing excess leaves to allow the grapes to receive the proper amount of sunlight. We believe that the vine is a living, sensitive organism, which is why we play Georgian folk polyphonic music over our Askaneli vineyards in the belief that it will help the grapes grow and the resulting wine be more flavorful and aromatic.
The Harvest
Harvest, or rtveli, is a special ceremony for our company and for Georgia as a whole. It marks the end of the agricultural year and is a joyous time. Preparations for the harvest, including the gathering of necessary vehicles and containers and the selection of collection points for the harvested grapes, begin well in advance. Like the rest of Georgia, we handpick only the healthiest and ripest grapes. The harvest begins in late summer or early fall and continues until late November, with the earliest harvest taking place in Kakheti and the latest in western Georgia’s Guria and Racha-Lechkhumi regions. White grape varieties are typically harvested before reds in order to preserve their acidity, while reds require more time to ripen. The grapes are carefully transported to the winery in special boxes to prevent damage.
Once at the winery, our staff carefully selects and sorts the grapes before pressing them to extract the juice. Our winemakers then begin the process of turning the juice into wine through fermentation, sediment removal, and clarification. Each wine receives individualized, creative attention. The Askaneli Brothers’ winery is equipped with modern equipment to ensure the highest quality control of all technological processes. White wines are produced by separating the skins from the must after pressing, while rosé wines are produced by briefly leaving the pulp with the must. Red wines, on the other hand, undergo fermentation with the skins included, which gives them their characteristic color. Yeast is also added to the grape juice to aid in fermentation. To maintain the sweetness of the wines, we use a low temperature process to stop fermentation.
Aging & Bottling
Our aging process involves a variety of methods to bring out the best in our wines. Some are aged in stainless steel tanks for up to half a year, while others are left to mature in oak barrels for a period of 6-24 months. Our Rkatsiteli and Saperavi wines undergo the traditional Kakhetian method of qvevri, using large clay jugs to enhance extractability and add uniqueness. Additionally, all of our wines are left to age in bottles for an additional 3-6 months before being made available for sale. Once the aging process is complete, we bottle the wine at our state-of-the-art facility using the utmost care and advanced equipment.