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, bounded on the west by the Black Sea, on the north by the Caucasus mountain range, 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 being 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 have traced the world's first known wine creation in Georgia. The estimated age of the winemaking culture in Georgia is 8000 years. Early Georgians were making wine at least 6000BC, 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, kvevri wine-making method was given UNESCO status of non-material cultural heritage. The Kvevri wine has a unique aroma and flavor which is characteristic only for this type of wine.
Georgian wine making today
Wine continued to be an important part of Georgians lives. Before the 1990s, Georgia was in the Soviet Union, and because of communism, the country itself and its winemaking industry were struggling to develop. All the Soviets wanted was falsified wine, neither quality nor taste.
After Georgia restored independence from the Soviet Union, 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 small production, the traditional methods and using clay for storage and fermentation has put the country back at the forefront of wine production.