Georgia: The Cradle of Wine
INTRODUCING GEORGIA
Georgia is where Europe meets Asia, bounded on the west by the Black Sea, the north by Russia, the south by Turkey and Armenia and to the east by Azerbaijan. Georgians have been making wine since the 6th millenium BC and it is the only country in the world where winemaking methods that were developed up to 8,000 years ago have not only never been abandoned but remain, in many ways, best practice. South Caucasia is recognised to be the source of the world's first cultivated grapevines and the majority of linguists agree that the semantic of the word 'wine' is rooted in Kartvelian languages - the language of Georgia.
The above pictures show the classic Georgian qvevri.
Making wine using qvevri is one of the oldest methods known. The conical clay vessel is buried in the ground with just the opening exposed. Once the grapes have been crushed, the juice, skins and sometimes stems are put in to the open qvevri and left to ferment using wild yeasts. Once the fermentation is complete, the qvevri is then sealed with a stone lid and covered with earth, and left undisturbed for months of maturation. The wine is then racked and bottled. This is the original Orange wine.
WHY NOT TRY OUR GEORGIAN TASTING CASE...
A TASTE OF GEORGIA
We have put together this selection of 6 Georgian wines including both traditional and modern winemaking techniques, giving a great introduction to the different grapes and styles currently being used in Georgia. Normally £122.70, this selection is currently on offer at £110.
If you would like to discover more about Georgian wine and the winemaking traditions, grapes and history of this region, please take a look at our online brochure, courtesy of Georgian Wine. Just click on the link below:
GEORGIA: THE CRADLE OF WINE