Georgia is one of the oldest wine-growing countries in the world, perhaps even the country of original wine provenance. It is considered certain that vineyards were planted in Georgia as early as 8000 BC. Today, there is viticulture spread over five regions, from the Black Sea coast to the southeast of the country. Georgia mainly processes many indigenous grape varieties that are unknown in our latitudes.
The most important of these regions are Kakheti, with a moderately warm climate and calcareous soils and alluvial soils, as well as Kartlia and Imeretia, on whose alluvial soils viticulture can also be practiced with ambition. The main grape variety is mostly Rkatsiteli, but there are numerous other varieties. A not inconsiderable part of the wine production also goes into the production of sparkling wines and brandies.
The market for wine from Georgia is difficult; it is very hard to get it in Western Europe. A large part of the production has been sold to Russia, but due to difficult political relations, trade has also stalled.
However, one wine-making method is causing a sensation in Western Europe, which has a long tradition in Georgia, the so-called "amphora wine". In this method, after fermentation the wine is poured into clay vessels and buried in the ground to age for several months. Another regional method is macerating white wine, which is then buried in clay pots for fermentation on the skins for about three weeks. In Western Europe, these cases are referred to as "orange wine" because of the dark, oxidative colouring. These wines are causing a sensation right now, even if the flavour is not to everyone's taste.
