A number of researches carried out throughout the years lead us to one conclusion: the art of wine-making was discovered in Georgia approximately 8.000 years ago. Dating all the way back to the 2nd and 3rd millennium BC, Georgian wine-making of our days is ensured with more than 500 varieties of grapes growing all over the country. The warm climate and fresh air of the region create perfect conditions for making a superb wine with unique characteristics and properties. Traditional wine-making in Georgia is a combination of not only skills and exceptional knowledge on the process, but also history, culture, religion, and mythology. Simon J. Woolf, the author of the book Amber Revolution: How the World Learned to Love Orange Wine, says: “One of the most important things about Georgian wine is that it’s a window into a culture that most of us as Westerners simply don’t have.”

Although the unique taste and appearance of Georgian wine are becoming the subject of interest all over the world, today many Georgians produce their own wine not to sell it in the market, but rather to enjoy and share it with friends, family, and guests, by, one more time, evidencing the extraordinary hospitality that this nation has. The annual harvest taking place in the fall is a huge family occasion as well as a peak for wine tourism (learn more about Georgian festivals). Vineyards are, for the most part, passed down from generation to generation, as children learn a lot about wine-making from a very young age.

The method for wine-making in Georgia is mainly based on egg-shaped clay jars called qvevri, which is listed in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Along with traditional methods, Georgians, of course, also keep up with international trends and use European methods for wine-making as well. Just like in the case of France, Georgian wines are also named after the region or district the source of production comes from. Although it is impossible to give a full list of Georgian wines, most common ones are Tsinandali, Tvishi, Alaznis Veli, Mukuzani, Kindzmarauli, Khikhvi, etc.