No need for a Delorean to travel back in time for wine lovers to experience the origins of the nectar of the gods. David Dediachvili has brought ancient winemaking techniques to Story Winery in Plymouth.

The country of Georgia is considered the “cradle of wine,” as archaeologists have traced the first evidence of winemaking to the region in 6,000BC. Dediachvili is using what he learned about winemaking in his native Georgia to create a unique California wine.

“We say that wine is in our blood,” said Dediachvili about his Georgian heritage.

The retired healthcare entrepreneur decided in 2019 that he wanted to bring a little bit of his Georgian heritage to Central California’s wine country and bought Story Winery, established in 1973 by Dr. Eugene Story, a winery that already came with a reputation for creating great wine.

The Georgian technique of winemaking involves pressing the grapes and then pouring the juice, grape skins, stalks and pips into qvevri — subterranean egg-shaped earthenware vessels — to ferment for six months and then finished in oak barrels.

Dediachvili imports all the qvevri used at Story Winery from Georgia, as the vessels are handmade.

Story Winery is using this Georgian style of winemaking with California grapes, while also importing wine from his winery in Georgia using Georgian grapes.

“Georgia grows over 500 varietals of grapes that don’t grow anywhere else,” he said.

Both wines made from California and Georgian grapes are available for tasting at Story Winery, located in the Shenandoah Valley of Amador County. The tasting room overlooks some of the best panoramic views in the Valley, amidst a 120-year-old vineyard. The winery grounds, which include picnic tables, are open daily. 

When:
Tasting room hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday and noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday

Where:
10525 Bell Rd., Plymouth

Info:
storywinery.com or (209) 245-6208