Alexandre Iobidze - The Initiator Of The Revival Of Colchis Viticulture In Georgia

Abstract

Alexandre Iobidze was born in Kutaisi. While still studying at college, he decided to revive Georgian viticulture which was desolated and absolutely abandoned. His goal was to find free lands and begin cultivating the vineyards.

In 1916 he was appointed as an agronomist in the Sukhumi district of
 Kutaisi Gubernia. Soon, he moved to Tsinandali estate in the village Chumlaki of Gurjaani. Here he planted 50 acres of the basis of American vine, which has played a major role in restoring Kakheti viticulture, as the Georgian vine plants were diseased and were under the threat of extinction.

In 1926 he returned to Sukhumi district and urged the population to revive cultural vine in Abkhazia. Alexander convinced the local authorities and started cultivating Tsolikouri in Abkhazia.

For five years, since 1926 he lived alone in the forest of Bombora and was looking for the Colchian vine vigorously. He found and restored the famous Colchian “Dgundgushi”, “Pumpula”, “Makhvateli”, “Zedagi”, “Amlaxu”.

On the experimental plot of Akhalsopeli Iobidze had been studying more than 210 different kinds of vines over the years. Among them were 25 Abkhazian vines / Akhardani, Azhkhkhuata, Aghbidziand others. He studied their agrobiology, developed their agrotech. He also cultivated Tsolikouri and Krakhuna for Abkhazian soil, other Abkhazian vines-Akasirvakh, Akhardani, Amlakhu, and others, but special attention paid to Chkhaveri, which was on the verge of extinction. In their collective farm, they were preparing Chkhaveri’s one-year-old vine shoots, thus supplying them throughout Georgia.

He developed the original way for Chkhaveri winemaking, which surprised French winemakers who visited the farm in 1955 and asked him to get acquainted with the rules of his invention.

Al. Iobidze was the honorable agronomist of Georgia, participant, and winner of many soviet and international exhibitions. Al. Iobidze’s merit is great for the survival of the ancient Colchian vines and for the development of Georgian viticulture.