The keepers of a century-old craft

For more than a century, one family has guarded a secret. It is not written in any manual, nor sold to any competitor. It lives in the hands and memory of the Danelia family — a way of making wine with honey and honeycomb that has survived empire, occupation and exile.

A trademark born in 1907

When Vladimer Danelia founded "Danelia & Co." in Batumi in 1907, he chose a symbol that said everything about his wine: a bee beside a cluster of grapes. It was a declaration of the family's centuries-old technology — treating wine with natural honey and beeswax to grant it exceptional stability and an unrepeatable bouquet.

The brand quickly found admirers and began exporting to Europe, carrying a piece of Georgian craft to new tables across the continent.

"Our wine is our history, and our history is our dignity."

Surviving the 20th century

The Soviet occupation of 1921 brought confiscation: vineyards, winery and shops were taken. Yet Vladimer's son, Shalva Danelia, risked everything to preserve two things — the secret technology, and the family's historical archive. Without his courage, the brand would have ended there.

Revival and recognition

After Georgia regained independence in 1991, Shalva's son Gela Danelia patented the ancestral technology and trademark, reviving production. In 2019 the Government of Georgia granted the family method the status of a Monument of Intangible Cultural Heritage — official recognition of a living tradition.

Today the sixth and seventh generations carry the work forward, blending heritage with modern standards. The craft endures, exactly as Vladimer intended: a legend in every drop.