"Iliaseuli cellar"

"Family Winery Iliaseuli"

Winemaking was not a traditional pursuit for Ilia's family. Ilia's father primarily focused on selling grapes grown on the family estate. Like many of his generation, he was more interested in selling grapes than in producing wine.

However, in 2014, Ilia and his brother became the first in the family to venture into winemaking. This decision was spurred by the growing popularity of wine tourism and the increasing number of tourists visiting Racha with a keen interest in local wines from both the post-Soviet region and various countries in Europe and beyond.

Tourists engaged in wine tourism were eager to taste wines from different vintages and to meet the winemakers themselves, often wanting to observe or even participate in the winemaking process. Fortunately, the brothers had certain advantages: they possessed their own cellar, maintained at the optimal temperature for wine production and storage, and had a space where they could host guests. Moreover, their entrepreneurial background since childhood equipped them with the necessary knowledge to embark on this new venture.

Their focus was on local grape varieties that are prominent in Racha's viticulture and winemaking: the reds, Alexandrouli and Mujuretuli, and the whites, Rachuli Green and Tsolikouri. Not afraid to experiment, the brothers also sought out forgotten varieties such as Rachuli Safere (distinct from Saperavi), resulting in intriguing wines.

Today, the "Family Winery of Iliaseuli" boasts a decade-long wine cellar offering tastings of dry and semi-dry wines crafted using various techniques to suit diverse palates. Visitors are treated to a fascinating journey through the cellar-museum, where artifacts from the Eneolithic era are preserved. Hosted by the knowledgeable proprietor, this experience unveils the intriguing historical narratives of Rion Valley's prehistoric culture.

A visit to the "Family Winery of Iliaseuli" is a must-see experience! You simply have to try it and feel the essence of Racha's winemaking heritage firsthand.