Vinismo is written by its readers -- Internet users like you -- and we need your help! Try our getting started guide to learn how.

Wines of Georgia

From Vinismo

Antique wine jug in Mtskheta, Georgia.

Georgia is one of the oldest wine-producing countries in the world. It is thought to be the birthplace of winegrapes. More than 500 different indigenous varietal species are grown in the country.

edit Facts and figures

• Planted area: 60,000 hectares (148,000 acres)
• Production average: 20 million liters
• Main varietals: Georgia holds the world record in the number of indigenous grapes used to make wine. More than 500 indigenous varietals can be found in Georgia vineyards. The most common are Mtsvaneand Rkatsiteli for white wines, and Saperavi for red wines. Almost 2/3 of all wine production in Georgia comes from the Kakheti region east of the country.

edit History

Winegrowing is a very ancient tradition in Georgia. Some of the oldest grapeseeds in the world have been found by archeologists in Georgia, dating back to 5,000 BC. Research suggests that Georgia could be the original home of Vitis Vinifera, the grapes used to make wine.

Wine is common in Georgia ever since the rise of (Orthodox) Christianity in the 4th century.

After the fall of Communism in 1991, Georgian farmers accessed to property and started to grow their own production, including wine. Most of this small-scale winegrowing is done by hand with traditional methods, mostly by women while their husbands work in factories.

Commercial wine production quickly developed after 1991, with the help of Western investors from established wine markets such as France, Italy and Switzerland.

Georgia was strongly hurt by the sudden embargo imposed by Russia in early 2006. Russia was by far the biggest importer of Georgian wine, absorbing up to 90% of the production. Georgian producers are now actively exploring other, less volatile markets.

edit Geography

Georgia lies at the eastern end of the Black Sea, with Turkey and Armenia to the south, Azerbaijan to the east, and Russia to the north, over the Caucasus Mountains.

edit Climate

edit Viticulture

edit Appellation system

There are still no formal appellation system or labelling rules in Georgia.

edit See also

edit Regions

• Abkhazeti
• Abkhazia
• Guria
• Imereti
• Kakheti
• Kartli
• Lechkhumi
• Racha
• Samegrelo