Georgian Wine

Georgia is a very important country when it comes to Wine history, it is currently considered to be the Birthplace of Wine, or to some people the ‘Cradle of Wine’.

It was originally thought to date back to 6,000 BC with the people of South Caucasus, but our history books have since been updated to go back another 2,000 years.

In 2017 an archeological excavation unearthed a Georgian Qvevri dating back 8,000 years.

Referred to as either, Qvevri, Kvevri, or Tchuri, is a large egg-shaped vessel that is used for the fermentation, storage and ageing of traditional Georgian wine, they discovered that if they stored grape juice underground during the winter, it would turn into Wine.

The use of a Qvevri is still sort after when making Wine in Georgia, storing them underground, or even setting it into the floor of their cellars, it is currently the oldest known tradition for making Wine and you can still appreciate some Wines that come from this technique.

Over 1,000 Georgian wine companies were registered in 2019 to sell wine commercially, the country has 24 Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) wine appellations.

The regions of Georgia that make great wines:

• Kakheti
• Telavi
• Kvareli
• Kartli
• Imereti
• Racha-Lechkhumi
• Kvemo Svaneti
• Adjara

The Grape grown in Georgia:

• Aladasturi
• Alexandrouli (Alexandreuli, Alexsandrouli)
• Arabeuli Shavi
• Arabeuli Tsiteli
• Asuretuli Shavi (Shala)
• Berbesho
• Chkhaveri
• Chumuta
• Danakharuli
• Dzvelshava
• Gabekhauri Shavi
• Kachichi
• Kakhis Tsiteli
• Kapistoni Shavi
• Meskhuri Shavi
• Mtevandidi
• Mujuretuli
• Otskhanuri Sapere
• Ojaleshi
• Paneshi
• Saperavi
• Skhilatubani
• Shavkapito
• Tamaris Vazi
• Tavkveri
• Usakhelauri
• Zakatalis Tsiteli
• Rkatsiteli grape
• Arabeuli Tetri
• Brola
• Budeshuri Tetri
• Buera
• Chinuri (Chinebuli)
• Chvitiluri
• Dondghlabi Tetri
• Gorula
• Ingilouri
• Kakhis Tetri
• Kapistoni Tetri
• Khikhvi
• Krakhuna
• Kundza Tetri
• Melikuda
• Mtsvane
• Mtsvivani kakhuri
• Mtsvivani Rachuli
• Qisi
• Rkatsiteli
• Sakmiela
• Tsitska
• Tsolikauri
• Tsulukidzis Tetra
• Zakatalis Tetri