Story about Cooperative ,,Satsuri”

During the Soviet period unique varieties of Georgian grapevine were being eliminated in favor of exuberant ones. Low quality wine was produced with the help of water and sugar. With the financial support of the European Union we managed to reestablish and popularize types of wine, such as Tsolikauri and Satsuri. We have also named our cooperative “Satsuri”.”

There is a small guest-house located at George V the Magnificent of Georgia Street in Batumi called “Marani” as one of the unique features is inbuilt Marani inside the bulding. Here unique variaties of Georgian grape is processed and various types of ecologically clean wine is stored. The Georgian wine is the magnet attracting numerous Georgian and European tourists to the guest-house. Vazha Davitadze is the head of the cooperative “Satsuri” and the owner of the hotel. With the financial support of the European Union through the ENPARD Programme the cooperative has received 28,700 GEL with a co-financing of their own and technical support of the UNDP Georgia.The financial contribution was utilized for the purchase of grape processing and wine bottling technical equipment.

“I had doubts about the idea of creating a cooperative. I thought it was not worth it. Also, cooperatives suffer from the Soviet legacy connected to the word. The member states of the European Union have huge experience with regard to the successful work of agricultural cooperatives and they are also sharing the practice with us. I learnt about the grant application process in the framework of the ENPARD programme through the EU’s partner organization UNDP. I have applied and won.”

Of course, gaining the grant by “Satsuri” was made possible based on certain factors. The cooperative owns 1 hectare of vineyard in Kakheti and mountainous Adjara amounting to 10 tons of grape harvest annually. Besides that, the cooperative has easy market access through the guests and tourists who know very well the taste of “Satsuri” production, thus they do a wine tour along with the beach holiday annually.

“We often are visited by the loyal customers, our guests from Poland and the Ukraine. They know the taste of our wine and each guest takes 4-5 bottles of wine to their homeland. For the first-time visitors we organize free weekly wine degustation in order to introduce to them wine produced by our cooperative. It is a very good way of attracting tourists.”

“It’s been 15 years since the opening of the guest-house. Now the competition has increased and we decided to be competitive and create our own Marani and enlarge wine production. The European Union has supported us with the provision of the pricy technical equipment which would increase wine production and improve its quality.”

“This is partially computerized wine bottling equipment which was provided to us in the framework of ENPARD and it costs 3500 GEL. This equipment makes the wine production process much easier as it makes possible bottling of several bottles simultaneously.”

,,This is an equipment for removing stalks. Wine quality depends largely on removing grape seed. This process is very tedious and time consuming, and it requires huge human resources. Thanks to this device, stalks automatically are removed from grape grain, the juice is pressed out and redirected to Qvevri. It has its own counter of the liters of wine transferred to Qvevri. “

“The pneumatic reservoirs are also purchased with the financial support of the EU. They serve the purpose of filling up automatically with wine and there is never an empty space inside which guarantees the high quality of the wine.”

“In the framework of ENPARD we were also provided with labeling equipment for the purpose of making our wine attractive on the market.”

“The European Union provided us with Qvevris as well. Besides closed Qvevris, we plan making an open ones in order for our visitors to observe the wine boiling process. One side of Qvevri will be made of glass which will ensure the transparency.”

“There is my collection in the stock which stores winners of festivals; for example this Burushauli’s wine which ended up with second place. He has no idea I have his winner wine in my collection.”

“For Georgian winemaker wine has cultural, economic and political importance. Good quality wine can make the country well-known around the world. During the Soviet times powders and various types of additives were brought to Georgia with the purpose of making wine. It’s high time now to produce our unique traditional bio wine and export it to European market as well.”

I produce Sapheravi at my Marani along wis Pino which is a French variety of grapevine. It is distinguished with sweetness and is very popular among tourists. By the way I have observed that tourists know well Kakhetian wines but when they taste wines from grapes grown in the Western Georgia such as Chkhaveri or Satsuri they are surprised as they discover news taste.”

“This is grape variety from Adjara – “Satsuri” from Merisi. It is distinguished by being very special wine for Georgian feast. I am very proud to have personally sent to Patriarch of Georgia 1 bottle of it and he was very pleased. I am very happy that Georgian and the European Union are engaged in reviving traditional Georgian varieties of grapevine.

During the Soviet period unique varieties of Georgian grape were being eliminated in favor of exuberant ones. Low quality wine was produced with the help of water and sugar. With the financial support of the European Union we managed to reestablish and popularize types of wine, such as Tsolikauri and Satsuri. We have also named our cooperative “Satsuri”.”

We wish great success to the cooperative “Satsuri” and Georgian viticulture.