Georgia
Georgia - Not a state, but the birthplace of wine
Mostly, when people hear "Georgia," they usually think about the state in the USA. Did you know that there is a country in Eastern Europe called Georgia?
Georgia is a country in Eastern Europe, bordered on the west by the Black Sea, on the north by the Caucasus Mountains, and on the south by Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.
If you visit Georgia, you will meet very hospitable and proud-spirited people. The reasons for their pride are the Country's rich history, beautiful nature, and its status as the birthplace of wine.
The birthplace of wine
Georgians are rightly proud of their winemaking culture: The country is known as the "cradle of wine," as in 2017 archaeologists traced the world's first known winemaking to Georgia. The estimated age of the winemaking culture in Georgia is 8000 years. Early Georgians were making wine at least 6000 BC, when they discovered grape juice could be turned into wine after burying Kvevris underground.
What is Kvevri?
The kvevri is an egg-shaped earthenware vessel used for making, aging, and storing wine. It is the oldest way of making wine, and because of its history and uniqueness, the kvevri wine-making method was recognized by UNESCO as non-material cultural heritage. The Kvevri wine has a unique aroma and flavor that is characteristic only of this type of wine.
Georgian wine making today
Wine remained an essential part of Georgians' lives. Before the 1990s, Georgia was part of the Soviet Union, and under communism, the country and its winemaking industry struggled to develop. All the Soviets wanted was falsified wine, neither quality nor taste.
After Georgia restored independence from the Soviet Union, the Georgian winemaking industry developed rapidly. Georgia is now making a name for itself in the natural wine market. Even though it’s a small country with limited production, the country's traditional methods and the use of clay for storage and fermentation have put it back at the forefront of wine production.