The “Stvely” celebration of the new grape harvest was held on September 7, 2024, in the courtyard of the King’s Erekle Palace in Telavi. It is scheduled to take place on the first Saturday of the year going forward.
The festival aimed to raise consumer culture and promote Georgian wine production in the region’s wine market. Specifically, the event’s cultural and theatrical component focused on the history of King Erekle, his winemaker, and those connected to grapes and wine, as well as the marketing of the natural product—Kakhuri wines created from Georgian grapes and their historical distinctions of local origin. – On the day of the festival, “King Erekle’s wine,” the best blend, was made with the help of visitors and sommeliers.
22 (twenty-two) small wineries from Kakheti and Georgian wine producing firms took part in the event and competed by presenting wine samples;
The companies who manufacture the four varieties of wine that are the source of the renowned “Wine of King Erekle” were declared the festival winners by the competition jury:
- “Wine of King Erekle” gold – 2024 – “Winemaking of Tika Svanidze-Venko;
- “King Erekle Wine” silver – 2024 – “Khome Vainer” company;
- “Wine of King Erekle” bronze – 2024 – Winery “Dema”.
The winners were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals with appropriate certificates.
The competition panel decided that “King Erekle’s wine” was made at the festival using two mixes that included wines from different suppliers.
The first place was taken by Blend, with wines from the following companies:
- Khikhvi – “Lionidze Zvari” company;
- Kakhuri Green – “Dato Chikhladze Winery”;
- Rkatsiteli – Shumi company;
- Kisi – “Nika Azniashvili Cellar”.
The second place was taken by Blend, with wines from the following companies:
- Kisi – “Shakhriani Estate” company;
- Rkatsiteli/Msvane – “Soso Narindoshvili Winery”;
- Khikhvi – Winery “Sevsamora”.
The best local wine:
- Manavi – Winery “Sevsamora” – first place;
- Tibaan – Winery “Akhmeteli” – second place;
“King Erekle’s best guest”:
- Kvishkhuri – “Baaduri Winery” – first place;
- Odjalche – “Klimenti Kekutia Vineyards” – second place.
The best Nugbari wine (dessert): – Khikhvi – Winery “Tegani”.
“Special guest status” of the festival was awarded to Yitzhak Shalev – the best winemaker of Israel in 2019;
Special thanks to the partners and supporters of the festival:
- Ministry of Culture and Sports;
- Georgia National Wine Agency;
- National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia – “Sakpatenti”;
- Administration of the State Trustee – Governor in the Kakheti region;
- National Tourism Administratio
- Art Palace of Georgia;
- City Hall of Telavi Municipality;
- Public broadcaster;
- TV company “Imedi”;
- TV company “Rustavi 2”.
