Where did wine come from? Does Tuscany or the French countryside spring to mind? Or perhaps you might think of ancient Greece .
Georgia is probably not the first country that pops in to your head! This tiny little country, in the Caucasus mountain region, squished in between Russia and Turkey, often gets confused with the US state of the same name – capital Atlanta.
Georgia is considered the birthplace of wine, and Georgians have been making wine for over 8000 years – 3000 years before the invention of writing!
Georgian wine is unique. The most common way Georgian wine is made is by the ancient Qvevri method. Enormous terracotta pots, with a conical base, are buried underground, as this regulates the temperature.
The grapes are pressed, and then the juice, pips, skins and stalks are poured in to the qvevris, which are then sealed and left to ferment.
After about 6 months, the wine is fermented enough to drink.
Red and white varieties are produced with this method. The result for the white grapes is a rich amber coloured wine, orange wine, because of it’s prolonged contact with the skins.
Wine is higher in tannins than other wines, and it doesn’t require chemical preservatives.
The remainder – the skins, pips and stalks – are distilled into an extremely strong and raw brandy – chacha. Not for the faint-hearted!
Qvevri method was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage registry in 2011.
Georgians are passionate about wine and much of the country’s tourism revolves around it! In fact, immigration officials gift a bottle of saperavi to every incoming tourist on arrival at Tbilisi airport!
Small, family-run wineries abound throughout the country, all keen to offer tourists a sample of their product, paired with delightful home-made Georgian food (a fascinating mix between Russian, Turkish and central Asian cuisine – think dumplings and cheese pizza).
One could spend a week meandering along quaint country lanes, with vineyards as far as the eye can see, and the Caucasus mountains in the background, going from cellar door to cellar door. Be sure to get a driver though – the Georgians are generous pourers!
This tiny country packs a punch, and the best way to get under its skin is to embrace their booming wine scene.
Our good friend, Lado Uzunashvili, of Mukado Wines, Georgia, sums it up perfectly when he says:
“Wine is the means of social life, the means of merrymaking, the means of getting together as families, friends, relatives, and guests,” he says. “To respect your guests you must offer your wine. To make friends with a Georgian, go and drink a bottle of wine with him, then he will open his heart to you.”
To book a wine-soaked holiday to Georgia, get in touch with Rosie on rosie@mosaictravel.com.au
To learn more about Georgian wines, check out Lado’s website at http://mukadowines.com
0
Leave a Reply