Gvantsa Tsulukidze: “Our Goal is to Make Natural Wine Accessible to Everyone”

Although demand for natural wine is growing worldwide — including in Georgia — most natural wine producers still face difficulties selling their wines locally. For Georgian natural wine cellars, the primary markets remain Europe, the United States, and Japan–Korea. In Georgia, however, this type of wine can usually be found only in one or two specialized wine shops. This is why the emergence of online platforms that support the sale of natural wines from small wineries is especially important.

The recently launched and already fully operational platform 525.wine is an online store dedicated to natural wine. It offers customers Georgian natural wines at the lowest prices on the market — combined with fast delivery. Through the website, users can select the type of wine they prefer (white, red, amber, rosé, or sparkling), place an order at the best available price, and receive it at their chosen address and time.

The founders of the platform had been observing the development of Georgian wine for several years, gradually immersing themselves in the essence of natural winemaking — which, for them, meant learning to distinguish between good and bad wine. They soon realized that high-quality wine is one of Georgia’s most important calling cards, setting the country apart on the global stage. They also witnessed the rapid growth of family wineries striving to produce natural Georgian wine, characterized by minimal intervention. At the same time, they noticed a growing interest in wine among young people. All of this inspired them to create an online store focused exclusively on natural wine.

The main principle for selecting wines featured on the website is verifying whether each winery meets the standards of a natural wine producer. For the platform’s founders, the most reliable indicator is membership in the Natural Wine Association, since its members undergo regular inspections and their products consistently meet the requirements for natural wine.

At this stage, the service area of the platform is limited to Tbilisi, and the creators are in no rush to expand to other cities. They believe that the experience gained here will enable them to broaden their sales network successfully in the future.

In addition to wine, the online store also offers wine accessories, making the act of enjoying wine an even more pleasant ritual.

The author and driving force behind the project, Gvantsa Tsulukidze, explains that their initiative reflects the growing interest in natural wine. On one hand, they aim to support small wineries that devote significant effort to producing high-quality wines; on the other, they want to make natural wine more accessible to everyone.

- Where does the name “525” come from? 

Gvantsa Tsulukidze: “Many people still don’t know that Georgia is home to 525 unique grape varieties — one of the highest numbers in the world. We have great hope that one day we will be able to offer wines made from all of these Georgian grape varieties to consumers.”

- What prompted the creation of this portal — what was the main reason? 

- “Our country has a very rich history of vine cultivation, grape growing, and winemaking. Yet, just 15 years ago, it was very difficult to find Georgian wine that wasn’t saturated with chemicals or technological manipulations. Unfortunately, wine was often perceived merely as a means of drinking, where quantity mattered more than quality. We thought less about the possibility of truly enjoying wine — tasting it, experiencing its aromas, and recognizing that wine is more than just an alcoholic liquid. Our goal is to bring real wine to the consumer.”

- Why only natural wine? 

- “Because it most accurately reflects what Georgian wine truly is, and within it you can recognize the uniqueness of our winemaking tradition. Our goal is to make natural wine accessible to everyone.”

- There are already wine delivery services, including natural wine. What makes your platform unique, and why do you believe it will be more appealing and in demand than your competitors? 

- “Yes, fortunately, there are other websites, and that serves as an additional incentive for us to stay organized, remain competitive, and constantly improve our services. The difference is that we sell only natural wine — and we do so at the lowest price, because unlike others, we keep our markup very low. Natural wine requires special storage conditions and constant temperature control, which are often not maintained in stores. This can lead to a decline in quality and disappointment for consumers. We ensure that customers receive the wine in exactly the same condition as it was created by the winemaker.”

“For us, this is not simply a business from which we expect to earn significant income. First and foremost, it is an opportunity to contribute to the growth of a culture of quality wine consumption in society and to the broader popularization of natural wine.”

- What will be your specific role in managing the portal, and how many people will share the responsibilities? 

- “I was personally involved in building the portal. We want this to be more than just a store where people can buy wine for themselves or as gifts — it should also serve as a digital space for those interested in natural wine, where they can deepen their knowledge of vines and winemaking. I am fully engaged in this process, and together we are doing our best to create a platform that offers our users a truly enjoyable experience. At this stage, only a few people are involved in the project, but we are hopeful that we will be able to expand in the future.”