Chateau Mukhrani - Fully Restored Historical Palace

The historical palace of Chateau Mukhrani, after several years of restoration work, was officially opened on October 29. The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of the media, where the investor, Frederic Paulsen, the director of the company - Patrick Honnef, and the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Levan Davitashvili, spoke about the historical significance of the restoration of Chateau Mukhrani.

After the speech, the red ribbon was cut, the voice of "Mravalzhamier" was heard, and we had the opportunity to see the inner space of the palace, the interior of which was renovated by the world-renowned designer, Juan Pablo Molyneux. He told reporters that it was a great honor for him to work on this project and that he tried not just to reconstruct a historical building, but to revive the atmosphere that once reigned in this architecture and design.

"Eye of Mukhrani" - this is how the palace was known, the history of which begins in the 19th century and is associated with the name of Ivane Mukhranbaton. Its idea was born even before Mukhranbatoni's departure to France in 1871, and its construction took 12 years. Mukhranbatoni's goal to create the first strong enterprise in Georgia based on the Chateau concept was further strengthened after his trip to France. He founded his estate in the ancient territory of Mukhran, which soon became a cultural center with its cellars, unique vineyards, wonderful gardens and a palace.

The idea of ​​fully restoring the estate was born in 2002. Forgotten traditions, abandoned palaces, gardens, and cellars were the main basis of this decision. Mr. Frederic Poulsen and his associates began to restore the estates of Mukhranbaton and created the "Chateau Mukhrani" joint-stock company. Georgian and Italian specialists planted a vineyard on 100 hectares and, at the same time, started building a cellar. In 2016, work also began on the restoration of the palace. Since then, the process of renewing and improving the infrastructure of the palace was underway, the ultimate goal of which was to restore the agricultural and cultural heritage of Mukhranbatoni.

Marketer: What was the inspiration for you to start a business in Georgia and how was the idea of establishing Chateau Mukhrani born?

I came to Georgia for the first time about 20 years ago and met a group of Georgians who were working on the renovation of the chateau. It has been an interesting country for me since it broke free from the Soviet Union and became independent because I felt that it had great potential for economic development.

At first, I became a junior partner, but years later I was the only one left of the group and put all my energy into renovating the château.

M: How did the contact between you and the designer, Juan Pablo Molyneux, come about?

I think the answer is simple, because Mr. Molyneux is a world-renowned architect, everyone in the field knows him, and no other option was considered.

M: What future plans do you have in Georgia and in particular in Chateau Mukhrani?

Our goal is to make Chateau Mukhran a kind of window between Georgia and the rest of the world. I really hope that this place will not only be a place of interest for visitors or just a center of winemaking, but will also acquire more purposes. Today and the restoration of this historic site is just the beginning. We are also planning to build a visitor center and a hotel here in the near future. Accordingly, foreign visitors who come here will get to know the entire culture of Georgia, not only individual parts.

M: Based on what ambition do you lead when we talk about Georgian winemaking and hospitality?

We have an ambition to produce the best Georgian wine, which will become internationally known. Georgian wine has incredible potential and we will use it to the maximum. Every visitor to Georgia should definitely visit Chateau Mukhran, because here they will get to know both winemaking and the centuries-old history of Georgian hospitality. Our goal is for as many people as possible to learn about Georgian wine and culture.