From the market town of Martvili, it’s a short drive north into the country to Nika Partsvania and Zaza Gagua’s marani, or cellar, beside Nika’s house in the small village of Targameuli.
They bottle their wines under the ‘Vino M’ARTville’ label. The young men are partners in one of the most ambitious wine projects in western Georgia. Zaza is the winemaker, Nika a traditional vine grower who also raises young vine plants in his nursery. With their other partners (Malkhaz Gabunia and Grigol Tvalodze), they began exploring the possibility of bringing native grape varieties back to Samegrelo.