Over the centuries, Georgians winemakers have found different ways to store their wine. The place of storage, the wine cellar, is called «Marani». In Eastern Georgia, the Maranis most commonly are underground systems with qvevris burried deep in the ground in order to protect the wine from the heat. In Western Georgia, a Marani may also just refer to a protective roofing built above qvevri vessels, burried at ground level. The reason for this method might be the fear of unpredictable groundwater level increases. 
  We assume that, despite this uncertainty, actual wine cellars might have existed in Western Georgia as well. But the knowledge about this and the specific geological conditions have gone lost over the years. As we are aiming to include and harmonize best practices from all regions in Georgia, we decided to create a Marani with both aspects. Our Marani now consists of a 200sqm space with burried qvevris on ground level under one big roof, with an integrated cellar in the center. The construction is built from used bricks, originating from a church which had been renovated in the 17th century. Six metres below the ground, the Marani includes a 30 metres long cellar system. This gives us more flexibility to adapt to changing climate changes, keeping our wine at the right temperature during each phase of the fermentation process. In the beginning, the wine is kept in the qvevris at ground level, where the temperatures are higher. Later on, the wine needs to be decanted multiple times and in an environment with lower temperatures, this is when the qvevris in the cellar are used. Shelves in all parts and levels of our Marani give space for our bottled red and white wines to be stored at the correct temperature. With its considerable size, the VAZIS XIDI Marani is not only a place for 40 000 litres of wine storage but also for tours for sommeliers, oenologists and other interested visitors.
  
Rahel Zoebeli
