Saba Mzareulishvili

I am Saba Mzareulishvili, winemaker by profession. Currently an active master’s student in Viticulture-Oenology and Branch manager of 8000 vintage.

How I got to where I am today?

Because of my love for natural sciences, I entered the Agricultural University, and I decided to study winemaking at the end of the first year, when I received information from senior students, which slowly “drifted into me”. My dad and I used to put wine in the house all the time, which was always a fun and sometimes challenging adventure. Since I had the experience of “making” wine, I considered that this profession should not be difficult for me. And in the second year, when we started to study professional general subjects, I realized that winemaking was not only pressing grapes and drinking wine. The advice and thought of the professional lecturers, which we received during the lectures, helped me a lot. Soon in was convinced that I had chosen the best profession and since then I try to learn as much as possible and deepen my knowledge.

Why I chose this profession:

I think that this area has a great perspective, we should make the most of our country’s history, wine-growing regions and a wide selection of grape varieties.

In Georgia, if you do not have your own land and vineyards, or something related to wine-growing, it is quite difficult to establish yourself in this field, so you need a lot of work, deep knowledge of wine production and sales, which is quite a challenge for me.

My goal is:

At this stage I am producing my own wine and conducting experiments. Also traveling to leading countries and implementing their experience in Georgia. what will ultimately develop Georgia winemaking.

What motivates me to do what I do?

Love for the work and very great interest. Winemaking is such a field where you can discover something new, every next vintage is different, it will never get boring.

What is missing in Georgian winemaking industry?

Quality and knowledge, balance is lacking in both wine and vineyard. Winemakers and winegrowers do not see this work as a profession, because it is the tradition of our country, and most of them have contact with this field from their families and use the (sometimes incorrect) methods handed down from their ancestors. The price and quality of wine should be adequate. We are on the right path, the most important thing is that better wines can be found on the market every year, the young generation, especially the representatives of Gen Z, should take care of this, and I believe that in about 20-30 years Georgia will become one of the leading wine-growing countries, we may not produce an amazing amount, but the main thing is all wine should be of the highest quality, harmonious and balanced.

Advice to those who choose this profession now:

I advise them to understand well and then choose this field, go to work in a wine factory for a month, and after this one month, if the realize that they like everything, then they should continue with winemaking, and after that, they should study the subjects of winemaking in depth, especially chemistry.