A Georgian Winemaker in Australia: Anano Vekua’s Wine Journey

At a time when Georgia’s wine industry was still taking its first modern steps, Anano Vekua had already set her sights on becoming a winemaker. She was among the first students to join the newly reimagined Agricultural University in 2012 – one of the bold few who believed in the future of Georgian wine long before it became the trend it is today.

Today, she’s in Australia, right in the hart of harvest season. As she tells us, it’s a particularlt challenging year in the Barossa region.

T: Anano, what led you to choose winemaking as a profession?

I’ve always been drawn to chemistry – it was my favorite subject back in school. At the time, science fields weren’t exactly the most popular choice, but I still remember how the newly reimagined Agricultural University made a real effort to get students excited about them. After just a few days of orientation, something clicked. Winemaking stood out to me as a field full of potential, and I knew I wanted to be part of it.

T: First harvest:

My first real harvest was tied to my diploma wine. I remember how emotional it was to taste the final result – when the liquid in my glass looked, smelled and tasted like real wine. That was the moment I understood: every hour of hard work had been worth it. That feeling stayed with me.

T: First job:

After graduating, I spent a year at the Jighaura Scientific-Research Centre, working under the guidance of David Chichua. We were focused on Georgian grape varieties – exploring them, studying them, collecting fresh data that could help share the future of local winemaking.

The first winery I joined was CGW. Back then, the Georgina wine industry scene was much smaller. I came across them at a wine festival, introduced myself, and – without overthinking – offered to join the team. Looking back, I’m so grateful they took a chance on me.

T: International experience:

My first international harvest took me to South Africa, and those two months shaped me more than I could have imagined - both professionally and personally. After that came Germany, where I worked in viticulture. It was there I truly grasped that winemaking doesn’t begin in the cellar - it starts in the vineyard.

Now, I’m spending my second harvest season in Australia, getting to know the Barossa region more deeply. It’s exciting to be part of such a vibrant and ambitious wine culture.

T: What advice would you give to the next generation?

Whatever path you take in winemaking, remember it’s an art form. You should always try to bring a bit of your own voice into the process.

Mistakes will happen. But each one teaches you something. Every result - whether it’s perfect or not - is still a result. That’s why you must keep going. Winemaking demands effort and discipline, but it gives back just as much.