Pheasant’s Tears

Georgia, Kakheti

Georgian winery Pheasant’s tears was founded in 2007 by an American named John Wurdeman and Gela Patalishvili. John first came to Georgia in 1996, and the following year bought a house in Sighnaghi. Later in 1998 he relocated to Georgia full time. Gela is a winegrower whose family’s connection with wine goes back eight generations. They both met in 2005 when John was painting in a vineyard, and decided to team up. Their name comes from a Georgian tale in which the hero claims that only a wine beyond measure could make a pheasant cry tears of joy.