What is Bolnisi wine?
Four types of dry wine from southern Kvemo Kartli.
Short answer
Bolnisi is a protected designation of origin for dry white, amber, red and rosé wines from the Bolnisi micro-zone in the south of Kvemo Kartli. It is listed under application No. 1533/06 of 19 July 2018 and has no registration number. Alcohol is at least 11% for all types and at least 12% for amber, and sugar is no more than 4 g/l.
Why
- White and amber are made from Rkatsiteli, Chinuri and Goruli Mtsvane, and red from Saperavi, Tavkveri, Shavkapito and Asuretuli Shavi.
- The micro-zone is in the south of Kvemo Kartli in the Mashavera and Khrami basins, with vineyards at 500–800 m.
- Processing and winemaking happen inside the micro-zone, and bottling is allowed anywhere in Georgia.
Details
Colours: white is light amber, red is dark red, rosé is pink, and amber runs from dark amber to black-tea colour. Extract: at least 16 g/l for white and rosé, at least 22 g/l for red and amber. Rosé is made either from white must fermented on red grape skins or from blends of white and red wines, using the red varieties of the micro-zone. On the grapes: Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Chinuri.
Ageing is described only in general terms: it enriches the bouquet with fruit tones, and no minimum period is set. The micro-zone includes the city of Bolnisi and about two dozen villages.
Tip
The label may read "Bolnisi" or "Bolnisi Wine" in Latin script, with the PDO designation shown.
What may differ
The specification sets only limits: varieties, zone, minimum alcohol, maximum sugar. Wines from different producers differ within those limits, and the specification can be updated, so check the current version on wine.gov.ge.
Common misconception
Bolnisi is only a red wine.
What actually happens
No, the specification covers four types: white, amber, red and rosé.
People also ask
- What is Bolnisi wine?
Sources
18+. This page is about alcohol and is for reference only. Drinking alcohol harms health.
Georgian wine: Madloba articlesRelated questions
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What is amber wine in Georgia?
The Georgian Law on Vine and Wine divides wines by colour into white, amber, rosé and red.
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What is the horn Georgians drink wine from called?
The drinking horn in Georgia is called a kantsi; it is made of animal horn, and the richer ones are decorated with gold and silver.
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How many Georgian wines have a protected designation of origin?
On 11 November 2026 Georgia has 33 protected designations of origin (PDO) for wine.
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What is Tsarapi wine?
Tsarapi is a protected designation of origin for dry amber wine from Rkatsiteli, from the Tsarapi micro-zone inside the Kardenakhi micro-zone in the Gurjaani region of Kakheti.