Sakpatenti has Registered Appellation of Origin “Narchvi”

The National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia – “Sakpatenti” has registered “Narchvi” as an appellation of origin of Georgian cheese on the basis of the application of the Association “Svanuri Narchvi”.

“Narchvi" is a cheese made from raw, unskimmed  cow’s milk, and it is ripened in wooden boxes.  Pressed cheese takes the shape of the box wherein it is placed. Its specification is defined by the traditional methods of making the product and thespecific geographical area – Zemo Svaneti, encompassing the Southern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains, and the upper reaches of the Enguri and Tskhenistskali rivers. 

Traditionally, the production of “Narchvi” begins on August 29 (the day after the feast of  the Dormition) and ends at the end of November. However, it is permissible to start the production process in May, provided that the temperature regime in the cheese ripening room is maintained. The method of making cheese is as follows: ripened cheese is kneaded manually until obtaining of uniform dough-like mass and is placed in a previously prepared wooden box. The box is made from hardwood or coniferous wood grown in Svaneti forest. The wood must be well-dried. The box is perforated (on the sides and bottom) or spaces are left between the planks so that the cheese can drain well. After placing cheese in the box, it is covered with a wooden lid and load is placed  thereon. Ripening in the wooden box continues in a dry, cool place. The temperature shall not exceed +15°C. Matured Narchvi has the taste of hazelnuts or walnuts.

In 2020, the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Protection of Georgia granted to the tradition of making Georgian cheese “Narchvi” the status of  intangible cultural heritage.

The well-known American online publication – “Saveur” published the article “The Lost Cheeses of Georgia” (https://www.saveur.com/cheese-of-northern-georgia/), in which we read that the host called this cheese a treasure God has given them – “Calling cheese a God-given treasure did not feel even a little bit like hyperbole because this wasn’t any ordinary cheese. Narchvi is a rich, creamy cow’s-milk variety with a deeply funky aroma, buttery texture, sweet initial flavor, and lingering saline quality. It’s aged in wooden boxes for up to a year, by which time it takes on a sharp, nutty flavor.” This fragment from the above-mentioned article is given in the application materials filed with Sakpatenti by the Association “Svanuri Narchvi” for registration of the appellation of origin.

Detailed specification of “Narchvi” is available on Sakpatenti website: https://www.sakpatenti.gov.ge/ka/state_registry/

As of today, 44 appellations of origin and 32 geographical indications are registered in Georgia. Granting such a status to a product ensures protection of its identity and increasing of its competitiveness on the local as well as international markets, which in its turn plays a significant role in the development of agriculture and economic progress of the country.