Pheasant's Tears-Kakheti-Georgia


photography pheasanttears, georgiatoday, winenous

Pheasant’s Tears is a winery in Georgia, founded in 2007 by American artist John Wurdeman and Georgian viticulturist Gela Patalishvili. Their mission: revive ancient Georgian winemaking traditions, work with indigenous grape varieties (some rare or nearly forgotten), farm organically, and use traditional vessel-styles (qvevri) with minimal intervention to let the land and the grape speak. 

Their vineyards lie mostly in Kakheti, especially in Tibaani, Kiziqi province, overlooking the Alazani Valley, with steep slopes, varied soils (clay, sand, quartz, volcanic, etc.), and a climate that sees strong diurnal shifts (hot days, cool nights). The qvevri winemaking method (huge clay pots buried underground) is central: both white and red wines are fermented and aged in these, often with skin contact, sometimes including stems, depending on the variety. 

Pheasant’s Tears doesn’t just make wine — it sees wine as part of Georgian culture: food, song, art, heritage all surround the process. There’s a restaurant at their site in Signaghi, menus grounded in local farm produce, folk song evenings, and a deep respect for time, place, memory. Because their wines are at least somewhat “natural” (organic, indigenous yeasts, minimal or no filtration or fining, use of qvevri rather than barrels) but also serious and well-made, they appeal both to lovers of tradition and lovers of curiosity.

In short: Pheasant’s Tears is a bridge between eras. Between the 8000-year plus history of Georgian wine culture and the present moment of renewed interest in natural ways. Their wines are expressive, textured, sometimes wild, always rooted in soil, story, and authenticity.