Discover the cradle of wine making - Georgia
Georgia is recognized as the homeland of wine with an 8,000-year-old winemaking tradition. Thus of course it comes as no surprise that wine plays a key role in the every day life and religious and family celebrations throughout the country. Wine cellars are still considered the holiest place in the family home.
Georgia boasts at least 500 native grape varieties, but most were almost wiped out during Soviet times. Today around 80 grape varietals are most widely grown with the two most prominent being Rkatsiteli (white) and Saperavi (red). The country has today four main wine producing regions: Kakheti in the East, Kartli in the South East, Imereti in the Central-Western part and Racha-Lechkhumi in the North-West.
Ancient Tradition of Qvevri Winemaking
Not only being the oldest area to produce wine, Georgia is also home to a unique and fascinating process: the qvevri wine making method. The qvevri is an egg-shaped terracotta vessel with an average volume of between 500 and 2,000 liters that is used for making, fermenting, aging and storing wine. The process of qvevri wine making is handed down from generation to generation within the families and communities. The tradition defines the lifestyle of communities and forms an inseparable part of the Georgian cultural identity and inheritance, with wine and vines frequently evoked in Georgian oral traditions and songs. Since 2013 the ancient Georgian tradition of Qvevri winemaking in recognized in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.
In autumn after harvesting, the grapes are pressed and then the juice, grape skins, stalks and pips are all poured into the qvevri. Depending on the desired style of the wine, different approaches regarding including or excluding seeds or skins for instance may be followed by the winemaker.
In the marani, the traditional Georgian wine cellar, the qvevri is buried in the ground for fermentation and aging. Natural fermentation occurs in the consistent temperature of the marani (between 12-15°C / 53-59°F). After the initial fermentation, the qvevri is topped off with wine from another vessel, ensuring that no air remains within.
The qvevri is sealed with a stone or wooden lid, and a layer of wet clay is applied to create an airtight seal. The wine is then left to age for several months to a year or more. When the fermentation has run its course, the solids drop naturally into the qvevri’s pointed bottom.
The final significant step is the qvevri opening, which is usually celebrated as part of a momentous ceremony. The clay seal is removed, and the stone or wooden lid is lifted to reveal the richness of flavors and aromas of the wine that have developed over the past months.Following the emptying of the vessel, the qvevri will undergo a meticulous cleaning process that will prepare it for the next use. A mixture of water, crushed stones, and the ash of grapevine branches is used for scrubbing the interior to remove any residues from the fermentation.
Each step of this time-honoring process is deeply routed in the traditions of the Georgian winemaking and a deep reverence for the land.