Georgian Wine_ An 8,000-Year-Old Tradition Recognized by UNESCO as the World's Oldest Winemaking Method

 Georgian Wine_ An 8,000-Year-Old Tradition

Recognized by UNESCO as the World's

Oldest Winemaking Method

Georgian Wine: An 8,000-Year-Old Tradition Recognized by UNESCO as the World's Oldest Winemaking Method

Rtveli or Grape Harvesting is one of Georgia's most ancient and significant traditions. It holds the essence of a celebration and is deeply rooted in Georgian culture.

The harvest represents the final phase of the vineyard worker's labor. Afterward, the baton passes to the winemaker, and the responsibility for the wine's quality rests entirely with them. In Georgia, it's commonly said that "the foundation of quality wine is laid in the vineyard."

So, if you're planning to spend the autumn in Ajara, participating in the harvest is a must. Georgia is recognized as the birthplace of wine, and Ajara is renowned for its unique and ancient grape varieties. Highland Adjara belongs to a cultural-historical area where signs of wild vines can be traced back to the distant geological past. Near the Goderdzi pass, in the village of Dzindze abandoned village (Adigeni municipality), fossilized remains of a massive wild grapevine trunk were found embedded in volcanic rocks. According to geologists, these remnants are estimated to be 10-15 million years old.

In Ajara, the harvest also stands out as a celebration of the season's bounty. Interestingly, in Ajara, vines were traditionally allowed to grow on tall trees. For instance, the Norway Maple tree was deemed ideal for the Chkhaveri grape, one of the oldest vine varieties, as it facilitated good ripening and bountiful yields. Ampelographic and ethnographic data suggest that up to 70 varieties of local and imported black-red and white vines have been identified in Ajara.

With the existence of old vine varieties, whitewashed cellars in Lower and Highland Ajara that have survived to this day, rock-carved plots and presses, an abundance of pitchers of varying capacities buried in the ground, preserved oral histories among locals, and a rich vocabulary related to viticulture and winemaking, the leading agricultural practice of winemaking has been extensively developed in Adjara. All these will further convince you of the region's deep-rooted viticulture tradition.

Machakhali Valley's Rich Wine Tradition: Abundant Cellars and Wine Presses 

The Machakhela valley is particularly renowned for its multitude of cellars and winepresses, either nestled in the ground as single units or in compact groups. In just one village in the valley, Upper Chkhutuneti, there are currently five winepresses constructed using white lime. Alongside these stone presses, there were also wooden ones traditionally made from,linden, elm and cypress wood.

Today, there is a robust commitment in Ajara to the rejuvenation and cultivation of ancient grape varieties. The Chkhaveri variety holds a special appeal, setting the Kedi municipality apart. Wines produced from Chkhaveri and Kedi Tsolikauri grapes are highly sought-after by both Georgian and international consumers, as well as tourists visiting Ajara in large numbers. 

The "Adjarian Wine House" stands on the boundary of Khelvachauri and Kedi municipalities, serving this purpose. Here, several thousand bottles of "Chkhaveri" are filled annually. The facility houses a wine factory, a wine shop, a cellar filled with pitchers, and wine tasting rooms. This location offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in ancient Georgian traditions, relish exquisite wine and Georgian cuisine amidst the stunning highland nature and picturesque landscapes of Ajara. You can visit the vineyard, learn about the unique Georgian winemaking methods, taste locally produced wines utilizing traditional techniques, and even purchase bottles to take home.

Family-run wine cellars in the villages of the Kedi municipality (Saghoreti, Vaio, Varjanisi, Gogelidzeebi) also engage in winemaking, bottling and selling Tsolikauri alongside Chkhaveri. These wine houses are frequented by a multitude of international and local visitors.

Georgia began making wine in kvevri 8,000 years ago, a tradition preserved to this day. In 2013, the traditional Georgian method of making kvevri wine was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. Kvevri is a unique clay vessel used for making and storing wine, the oldest examples of which date back to the 6th-5th millennium BC. (source: https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/ancient-georgian-traditional-qvevri-wine-making-method-00870 )

The process of making kvevri wine generally involves fermenting grape juice with chacha, which is a grape marc spirit. An essential rule of making wine in a kvevri is to allow the wine to rest on its own chacha, both during and after alcoholic fermentation. 

The temperature in the kvevri, buried in the ground, remains constant, maintaining the 13-15 degrees required for wine fermentation. Chemical processes that require special equipment and additives in factory production occur naturally and sequentially in the kvevri. During fermentation, the wine needs frequent stirring, typically 4-5 times a day. Once fermentation ends, grape seeds, chacha, and grape must start to sink and gather at the bottom of the kvevri. Under pressure, the grape skins form a cap, effectively separating the skins and the wine.