What You Need To Know About Georgian Wine
Author: Maryam Ayres
Time for reading: ~3
minutes
Last Updated:
October 13, 2022
Interest in Georgian wine is constantly growing, and restaurants make up entire wine lists exclusively from Georgian wines.
Interest in Georgian wine is constantly growing, and restaurants make up entire wine lists exclusively from Georgian wines . In fact, Georgia can be called one of the first places where wine was produced - near Tbilisi, the remains of kvevri (dishes for making wine ) more than 6,000 years old were found.
Let's find out more about Georgian wine , how it is produced and what you need to know about its varieties.
Where they make wine
The main regions of wine production in Georgia are Kakheti, Imereti, Kartli, Racha-Lechkhumi, Samegrelo, Guria, Adjaria. Until 1998, wine production was not controlled in any way, but after the law "On Vine and Wine " was passed, protected names of places of origin appeared for wines , such as Tsinandali, Kindzmarauli and Manavi.
What is kvevri
Kvevri are clay jars of a convex, elongated shape, in which Georgian wine was traditionally made . At the end of 2011, kvevri in Georgia were recognized as an object of cultural heritage and included in the intangible cultural heritage fund of the country. A little later, the kvevri were added to the UNESCO list.
How to make wine in kvevra
Earthen vessels are buried in the ground, and grapes are placed inside , often together with vines. When the kvevri begins to ferment, the mass with juice and pulp rises to the top, and then, when the gas escapes, the pulp (berries, skin, vine) settles to the bottom, then the jar is sealed and the wine is left to mature. A separate room, called marani, is usually set aside for dishes with wine . There, the wine matures and infuses for several months. Today, Georgian wines are made mainly according to French technologies, but winemakers continue to experiment and make wine in kvevri .