Soft autumn light filters through the vine leaves of eastern Georgia, brushing over clusters of golden and indigo grapes. The air is alive with the hum of laughter and song — it is Rtveli, the ancient Georgian grape harvest, a celebration that has bound land and people together for thousands of years.
In the foothills of Kakheti, among the rows of organically tended vines, the Chito’s Gvino team gathers once again. This year’s harvest glows with promise — ripe berries, perfect skies, and the timeless rhythm of hands, buckets, and stories shared under the sun.
Nino, Vano, and a Family of Wine
At the heart of it all is Nino Chitoshvili, founder of Chito’s Gvino, a former pianist who turned her creative energy toward natural winemaking. Together with her partner and winemaker Vano, she tends the small, biodynamic estate where every vine is cared for by hand and every wine tells a personal story.
“Each grape is a note,” Nino says with a smile. “Together they make a composition — a vintage that captures the feeling of the year.”
This year, her son Ivan joined the harvest, bringing new energy and youthful joy to the vineyards. Alongside family and friends, he helped pick grapes under the brilliant Georgian sun — a reminder that Rtveli is as much about people as it is about wine.
The Spirit of Rtveli
At Chito’s Gvino, harvest is never work — it’s a celebration. The day begins early, with laughter echoing through the vines as baskets fill with Ojaleshi and other native varieties. By midday, the team gathers for a shared meal — bread, cheese, tomatoes, and of course, wine from the previous year. Songs rise above the vineyard, blending with the sound of shears and the scent of crushed fruit.
The grapes are then gently pressed and transferred to qvevri, the traditional clay vessels buried in the earth — where fermentation happens naturally, without filtration or intervention. This ancient method, recognised by UNESCO as part of the world’s intangible heritage, gives the wines their soul: pure, alive, and true to the land.
Quality Over Quantity
While Georgia’s 2025 harvest reached impressive national volumes — over 280,000 tons of grapes processed in Kakheti — for Nino and Vano, what matters is not quantity, but character.
Their three-hectare vineyard produces only small batches, each one reflecting the season’s balance between sun, rain, and patience.
“Every cluster matters,” says Nino. “Each one carries a piece of the year — its joys, its struggles, its heartbeat.”
A Harvest of Connection
The photos tell the story best: deep blue grapes heavy on the vine, golden clusters glowing in the light, and the smiling faces of those who harvested them. Vano, with his calm focus, oversees the work; Nino moves between the rows, her colourful cap bright against the green; Ivan laughs, holding a full bucket in one hand — the image of youthful pride and tradition meeting.
When the final baskets are emptied and the sun begins to set, there is a quiet satisfaction in the air. The qvevri are sealed, the must begins to breathe, and another chapter of Georgian winemaking is underway.
Rtveli 2025 at Chito’s Gvino
A celebration of land, craftsmanship, and family.
Here, every harvest is not just an agricultural act — it’s a living song of Georgia’s soul, written in sunlight, soil, and friendship.
