Gabriel is an Orthodox monk who spent twenty seven years at the Shiomghvime monastery complex, where he was responsible for the monastery's winemaking. There, he deepened his understanding of winemaking and developed a broader appreciation for traditional skills, learning, among other things, blacksmithing and cheesemaking.
His family had maintained a marani for generations, but when his father became too old to continue, winemaking at the family cellar came to a halt. For four to five years, the qvevri stood empty.
Gabriel eventually took responsibility for the marani in Gamarjveba, returning to a tradition that had been interrupted. In 2014, he began making wine there again, this time with the intention of sharing it beyond the family. As he began helping friends who wanted to make wine commercially, he realised that winemaking could also become a profession — a way to share something he loved with others.
Gabriel works with a small network of trusted growers whose vineyards are carefully maintained with respect for nature. He believes good wine begins long before the grapes arrive at the marani — the health of the vineyard, the character of the site, and the relationship with the person who farms it all matter. Although much of the fruit is purchased, these are not anonymous suppliers, but long-term partnerships built over time.
Vineyard rows of Kartlis Ghrubela
Kartlis Ghrubela vineyard
The wines themselves are made with minimal intervention. Gabriel wants to give the indigenous varieties and their terroir the space to express themselves, rather than imposing a fixed style on them.
The marani is also where Gabriel continues another of the crafts he learned at the monastery. In the smithy beside the cellar, he makes various objects by hand, including his own pét-nat openers.
In 2019, Gabriel's nephew Irakli Khomasuridze joined him. Irakli now looks after sales and management, while helping in the vineyard and marani whenever he can.
What began as a family responsibility has become a shared family craft once again — bringing together old qvevri, local varieties, trusted relationships, and skills passed down through generations.