It’s All about Georgian Wine

Forget about France, Italy and other great wine nations – just for a moment. Georgian wine is on everyone’s lips, when is comes to natural wine. And no, it’s not the American state, but the country far east in Europe.

On the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia lies the somewhat small country of Georgia, as a sort of eastern balcony of Europe.

With the Black Sea on the west side and bordering Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan lies the 69,700 square kilometer country (26,911 sq mi), with a population of approximately 3.7 million.

The location between Europe and Asia, has given Georgia an intriguing kitchen, nourished by the excellent and almost perfect condition for agriculture and – of course – growing vines.

Lying between 41° and 44° north of equator and influenced by the Black Sea, Georgia’s moderate climate and moist air provide perfect conditions for winemaking.

With fertile valleys and protective slopes from mountains, the territorial and climate conditions are optimal for the vines. Luckely, the Georgians know that and have known it for thousands of years.

It is said that almost all households in Georgia have their own small wine production making wine for the family’s own consumption. With the outstanding hospitality of the Georgian people, where guests are seen as ‘a gift from god’ – travelling in Georgia is a heaven for wine lovers.

It is believed that Georgia is one of the oldest wine producing countries in the world, making wine for more than 8000 years.

The roots of Georgian winemaking have been traced back by archeologists to 6000 BC, when the ancient Georgians discovered that wild grape juice turned into wine when it was left buried through the winter in clay vessels, the so-called qvevris.

The Georgians has had a continuous and uninterrupted tradition of viticulture and winemaking ever since, making them unique and a leading country with respect to traditional winemaking with minimal interventions. That’s why, Georgia is the place to look when it comes to natural wine.

Natural wine making is about minimal intervention in both the fields and the cellar.

The taste of the wine should represent the grapes, the terroir and the winemakers touch without manipulating the wine to taste in a certain way with help from additives, fining agents and the like.

You could say that natural wine is wine with “Nothing added – nothing removed” or as Alice Feiring states: “Natural wine is wine without crap in it”.

This traditional way of making wine is being rediscovered around the world and natural wine are becoming more and more popular. But in Georgia they have never left the natural way of making wine. They do not have to convert their production to natural wine, but have always produced it, and therefore has a huge advantage.

Therefore, many winemakers look to Georgia to find inspiration for making natural wine and many sommeliers and wineshop owners have Georgian wine on the menu. Georgian wine is in many ways “the real thing” when it comes to natural wine.

A very important characteristic of Georgian wine is the use of the ancient clay vessels, qvevris or kvevris.

The special egg-shaped terra cotta clay vessels are used for both fermentation, storage and aging of wine in Georgia. They get a layer of beeswax on the inside to help seal and sterilize the vessels and can last for hundreds of years.

Clay vessels are also used in e.g. France, the so-called amphora, but they differ primarily in the fact that qvevris are buried underground or set into the floors of wine cellars.

The underground temperature is cooler, and the fermentation process thus becomes longer, which gives a different and stronger aroma and flavor development in the qvevris. Furthermore, the temperature underground is more stable, making it perfect for both fermentation and storage.

The ancient traditional Georgian winemaking method using the qvevri is even on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.

Another characteristic of the Georgian winemaking is the extended skin maceration for white grapes creating complex and powerful amber or orange wines.

The slightly pressed grapes with juice, skins, seeds and sometimes also stems are poured into the quevri, where it is left to ferment for at least five to six months before decanted and bottled. Often longer.

The long maceration period creates intense wines with complex aromas and higher levels of tannins. When the wine additionally is made in qvevris, the result is powerful wines with complex aroma profiles. Therefore, expect different, rich and bold taste experiences when tasting natural wine from Georgia.

Are you into natural wine and up for a wine travel, you should definitely consider going to Georgia.

Georgian wine is unquestionably worth diving into and a trip to the Georgian vineyards and small producers is a unique experience and an absolute must for natural wine lovers.

Be prepared for mind-blowing taste experiences which are heaps from the classical wine as we know it.

The Georgian winemakers are in many ways the essence of Taste Rebels.

Read about our exclusive wine travel to Georgia here