The Essence
AI IA White
It has a light straw color with a pronounced bouquet of yellow fruits & a hint of exotic citrus. This is a very easy drinking & joyful wine with medium length finish.
“აი ია, “this is violet,” the first lesson of the Georgian language, and our introduction to the wines of the country.”
David Lanchava
Yellow Fruits
Citrus
Citrus
Medium Bodied.
This is violet.
The Georgian sentence, "აი ია" (AI IA) translated as "this is violet", is the first lesson when learning the Georgian language, and is our introduction wines of the country. The letter "ა" (pronounced a) and "ი" (pronounced i) creates the words making one sentence, AI (this is) and IA (Violet).
- Style
- Dry white
- Alcohol
- 12.5%
- Serve at
- 8 to 10°C
- 01Yellow Fruits
- 02Citrus
- 03Medium Bodied
Dry white wine made from 100% Rkatsiteli grapes & harvested in the viticultural region of Kakheti, Georgia.
Georgia's most widely planted white grape and one of its oldest, with archaeological links to Georgian winemaking going back more than 3,000 years.
Pinot Grigio, for the clean, unoaked style. This is not Pinot Grigio. It is Rkatsiteli, a Georgian variety whose lineage never left the country, and it keeps that old world mineral backbone. AI IA comes from younger vineyards, so this is the lighter and fruitier side of the grape: yellow fruit and exotic citrus, easy drinking.
- Hard Cheese
- Soft Cheese
- Roasted Veggies
- Fish
- Pasta
Everything on the label, and a little more.
Specifications change with each release. These are current.
- Grape variety
- 100% Rkatsiteli
- Style
- Dry
- Alcohol
- 12.5%
- Serve at
- 8 to 10°C46 to 50°F
- Color
- Light straw with golden reflections
- Region
- Kakheti
Kakheti
Georgia's principal wine region, in the east, holding roughly 60 to 70 percent of the country's vineyard area and most of its appellations. The Likhi Ridge shields it from Black Sea moisture, giving warm, dry summers and cold winters, while the Alazani and Iori valleys temper vineyards planted between about 250 and 800 meters. It is the heartland of the Kakhetian qvevri method, which ferments white grapes on their skins, seeds and stems to produce Georgia's classic amber wines.
Asked often.
A pronounced bouquet of yellow fruits with a hint of exotic citrus, light straw in color with golden reflections. It is easy drinking and medium-bodied, with a medium-length finish.
Yes. AI IA White is a dry white wine made from 100% Rkatsiteli grapes harvested in Kakheti, Georgia, at 12.5% alcohol.
Rkatsiteli, Georgia's most widely planted white grape and one of its oldest. Its name means red stem, after the color of the vine's shoots, and it holds bright acidity even in warm years. AI IA White is 100% Rkatsiteli, made in a light, easy-drinking style as an introduction to the variety.
Both are dry Rkatsiteli wines from Kakheti. The difference starts in the vineyard: AI IA White comes from younger vines, which gives a lighter and fruitier wine, led by yellow fruit and exotic citrus. George is the smoother, fuller expression, with peach, citrus and honey.
Hard and soft cheeses, roasted vegetables, fish, and pasta.
Serve AI IA White at 8 to 10°C (46 to 50°F). Straight from the fridge is a little too cold. Give it ten minutes in the glass and the aromatics open up.
Closest familiar reference: Pinot Grigio, for the clean, unoaked style. This is not Pinot Grigio. It is Rkatsiteli, a Georgian variety whose lineage never left the country, and it keeps that old world mineral backbone. AI IA comes from younger vineyards, so this is the lighter and fruitier side of the grape: yellow fruit and exotic citrus, easy drinking.
AI IA White is sold in the United States through Total Wine & More, typically around $13.99 for a 750ml bottle. Retail price varies by state and store.
Continue the Journey
Discover the Tradition Behind the Wine
Every bottle in our collection carries an 8,000-year story. From the ancient Qvevri vessels to the Tamada's table, explore the heritage that shaped this wine.
Reading for Rkatsiteli drinkers
Rkatsiteli: Georgia's Leading White Grape, Fresh or Amber
Rkatsiteli is Georgia's leading white grape, native to Kakheti. Made fresh it is crisp and citrusy; fermented on its skins in qvevri it becomes amber wine.
Is Georgian Wine Sweet or Dry? The Full Range Explained
Georgian wine is not one style. It spans dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet, sparkling, and fortified wines, often from the same grape.
What Makes Georgian Wine Taste the Way It Does
Georgian wine is not one flavor profile. It is a spectrum shaped by ancient grape varieties, fermentation vessels, and regional climates that have no real parallel elsewhere.
