Keto Ninidze
(credit drwinkler)
The woman behind this small family winery located in village Targameuli in the municipality of Martvili is Keto Ninidze, a former journalist. [She is co-author of the book A Gently Fermenting Revolution: Women in the Georgian Wine Business.] Ten years ago, she and her husband, Zaza Gagua, decided to leave Tbilisi and return to the home of Zaza’s great-grandparents in northwest Samegrelo in the foothills of the Caucuses to grow grapes (replacing a hazelnut orchard with vines) and make wine. I visited Keto and her husband while doing a wine tour of Western Georgia. As we tasted and talked, I discovered that while seeing friends in Wisconsin, Keto had visited my small hometown (Waupaca) and had even taken a tour of the Green Bay Packers football stadium. How amazing is that…to meet someone in remote Western Georgia who even knew who the Green Bay Packers are much less visited my small hometown?
Samegrelo
(credit: Wines of Georgia)
Located in northwestern Georgia and bordering on the Black Sea, Samegrelo has a subtropical climate with high rainfall and high humidity that lessens as one moves inland and up in elevation. The village of Targameuli is located east of Zugdidi, Samegrelo’s capital, and near the Abasha River that flows through the popular Martvili Canyon National Park.
Before phylloxera and the fungal diseases of the 19th century and the Soviet collectivization of agriculture, Samegrelo had over 50 indigenous grape varieties. Today, only Ojaleshi, Chvitiluri and Tsolikouri, a thick skinned grape resistant to fungal diseases, perfect for Samegrelo’s humid climate, are widely grown. Keto’s principal focus is Tsolikouri, but her vineyard includes rare varieties like Koloshi, Dudghushi, Lakvazhi and Ashugazhi.
Outdoor Qvevri
(credit drwinkler)
Keto, who studied winemaking in Georgia and worked in Germany, is interested in the expression of terroir in wine and explores this in her wines. She purchases grapes from 12 different organic growers in Samegrelo and elsewhere. Her principal focus is Tsolikouri. She showed me three wines made from this variety grown in different terroirs: Imereti, Lechkumi and Samegrelo. She also makes rosés from different terroirs. She makes wine in both outdoor and indoor qvevri (called churi in Samegrelo).
US Importer: Roni Selects
Three Rosés
(credit drwinkler)
Oda Family Marani 2023 Irina Rosé Samegrelo Medium red with an orange tint. Revealing a red berry nose with notes of savory herbs, this rosé is full in the mouth and balanced with moderate acidity and good length. A blend of Tsolikouri and Orbeluri Ojaleshi. 13% alc. My favorite.
Oda Family Marani 2022 Naked Ojaleshi Rosé Samegrelo (Martvili, Targameuli) This 100% Ojaleshi rosé is fermented and aged in stainless steel. It has an earthy, cranberry nose and is suave on entry with medium high acidity and good weight on the palate with a medium long finish. 11.5% alc.
Oda Family Marani 2023 The Glass Wall Georgia This rosé is a blend of 50% Ojaleshi from Samegrelo and 50% Tsolikouri from Lechkumi. It reveals attractive strawberry and rose petal aromas and flavors with high acidity and a touch of earthiness, finishing with good length. Fermented in qvevri and aged in stainless steel. 11.5% alc.
Tsolikouri from Three Regions
(credit drwinkler)
Oda Family Marani 2023 Tsolikouri Imereti (Gordi) Opening with tropical citrus on the nose, this wine is made in qvevri with no skins or stems. The flavors are also tropical with notes of pineapple and lemon-lime. High in acid with light saline notes on the finish. Sourced from a vineyard of limestone soils. Somewhat lighter in body than the Tsolikouri from Lechkumi. 10.5% alc.
Oda Family Marani 2023 Tsolikouri Lechkumi (Leshkeda) Made in qvevri with 30% skins macerated for 7 months. Bouquet of lemon citrus with mandarin and melon notes. More body and better balance than the Imereti version of this wine, but the acidity is still tart. Grapefruit, lemon and sour plum show on the palate. Sourced from a 650+ m vineyard of limestone soils on a south facing slope. 11.5% alc.
Oda Family Marani 2023 Tsolikouri Samegrelo (Chaburta) Sourced from a vineyard not far from the winery with heavier clay and limestone soils. This wine is riper in style with aromas of ripe melon and cured lemon. It’s softly textured and balanced with good freshness. Fermented on about 5% skins. 13.5% alc.
Source : https://i-winereview.com/blog/index.php/2025/02/03/wines-of-samegrelo-oda-family-marani/