Our Story
In the heart of the Georgian countryside, in Imereti, winemaking has been a sacred tradition for centuries. Inspired by the memory of our forefathers, who once grew vineyards on these very slopes, our family set out to create our own winery.
Everything began with qvevris beneath a sprawling walnut tree, whose shade provided a welcoming refuge for neighbours and guests to gather after a long, tiring day. Over time, this place became more than a place of winemaking — it grew into the heart of our home.
People would gather under the tree, sharing stories, laughter and glasses of rich, golden wine. Conversations flowed as easily as the wine itself, weaving together memories, traditions and dreams for the future. As time passed, the walnut tree grew older, and those who once enjoyed its shade were gone. Yet we always remembered that the Nikoladze family winery story must continue for generations to come.
We built a new winery and revived the vineyard, carefully nurturing native Georgian grape varieties such as Tsolikouri, Tsitska and Sapere. We buried new qvevris and began creating new wines for our family.
Today, friends and visitors are welcomed to our home to share in this experience — enjoying our wines alongside family stories, legends and the myths of our homeland.
Our Philosophy
For us, wine is a connection between family, land and tradition. We work with native Georgian grape varieties and make our wines in small quantities, allowing each vintage to express its own character. Our goal is not simply to make wine, but to preserve and continue a family tradition and share it with those who visit our home.
Giorgi Nikoladze
From my childhood, wine was always part of my life.
My grandfather taught me how to make wine, how to take care of it, and even how to clean the qvevri. Those early experiences stayed with me, and from a young age, I dreamed of one day having a winery of my own.
But as I grew older, circumstances changed. During my student years, Georgia was going through a period of political and economic collapse. The wine industry was struggling, and there seemed to be little opportunity to build a successful business around traditional winemaking. Many people, simply trying to survive, were producing wine using sugar and water. At that time, I could not see a realistic future for my dream.
I also had very limited opportunities to continue my education. Almost by chance, I found the opportunity to study Financial Management through distance learning. This became my main career for more than 15 years.
But I never left winemaking behind.
At home, I continued making wine on a small scale. I had my own little cellar where I experimented, learned, and made wine—not primarily for business, but because winemaking was something I genuinely loved.
Then, as I approached the age of 35, I began to feel an even stronger connection to my roots. I returned to the place in Imereti where six or seven generations of my family had lived. I planted my first vines.
And slowly, I began building the Nikoladze Winery I had dreamed about since childhood.
Today, winemaking is no longer simply a childhood memory or a side project. It is my way of returning to my roots, preserving what I learned from my grandfather, and continuing a family connection with the land and with Georgian wine.
Temuri Nikoladze
My father was the one who laid the foundations of what we have today at the Nikoladze Estate. He was very young when he began building and developing the estate, creating a foundation that would become an important part of our family’s future.
Although his career later took him to several large companies, he never stopped caring for the estate. This became especially important during the difficult years following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the 1990s, Georgia faced severe economic and political hardship, followed by civil war, and the estate was far from being in good condition.
Throughout those years of great uncertainty, my father continued to preserve and care for what our family had built.
His dedication and resilience kept our family heritage intact and gave the next generation the foundation to revive the winery and give new life to our winemaking tradition. What we have today would not have been possible without his decision to preserve what we had and carry it forward.
Temuri Nikoladze
From an early age, our eldest son grew up closely connected to the winery and the life of our estate. He was always around during important moments, helping with different tasks and gradually becoming part of our family’s winemaking journey.
While studying Business Administration in Tbilisi, he continued to stay actively involved with the estate. He took part in family gatherings and worked alongside us during the harvest, caring for the qvevri and helping with the winemaking process.
Over the years, his involvement grew beyond the practical work in the cellar and vineyard. He began taking part in business discussions, meetings, and important decisions, gaining an understanding of both the traditions behind our wine and the challenges of developing a modern family winery.
Today, he represents the next generation of our family — bringing new ideas and knowledge while remaining deeply connected to the traditions and values that have shaped the Nikoladze Estate.
Niko Nikoladze
From a very early age, our youngest son showed a natural love for the vineyard, the winery, and the hands-on work of winemaking. He has always been happiest spending hours outdoors, working in the vineyard, cleaning qvevri, and helping with the many tasks that come with caring for the estate.
Today, he is studying winemaking at an Agricultural University, developing his knowledge while continuing to learn through practical experience at our family winery. His education gives him a deeper understanding of winemaking, while the estate gives him the opportunity to learn from the traditions and experience passed down through our family.
His connection to the land feels natural and deeply rooted. We are happy to see him already building his own relationship with the estate, and we hope that one day he will choose to put down even deeper roots here.
For us, this is what makes our family story continue — knowing that the next generation will carry forward not only our land and winery, but also the spirit and traditions that have been part of our family for generations.