Georgian wine, tasting history
There’s really no other way to explain it. Blood, sweat, boundless patience and tears have gone into the cultivation and production of Georgian wine.
This is because Georgian wine is steeped in tradition. 8000 years of tradition, to be exact. The history of Georgia runs parallel to the culture of Georgian winemaking. These two factors are inseparable and inherent in one another’s identity.
Georgia is the oldest wine-making region in the world. In the middle of this fertile land sits the valleys of the South Caucasus. It’s here that scientists have discovered evidence that points to the world’s first harvesting of grapevines.
With this beautiful Georgian tradition comes another practice – the making of clay jugs and other pottery. These ancient vessels hold the key to how this country slowly became renowned for their wine – 8000-year-old grape stones nestled at the bottom.
These vessels – called Kvevri – hold more than just the key. In fact, they are an essential part of traditional Georgian winemaking. While many countries at the time were known for creating clay pottery like this, the Georgian vessels stood out as they shaped the way that wine was fermented.
Kvevri wine of Georgia is intrinsically linked with nature. The durability and resilience of these fermenting vessels enabled this wine to be made without the need for chemical preservatives. The final result is a beautifully rich wine full of tannins, superior in taste and long in life.
The Georgian’s passion for wine runs deep. Their love of grapevines and what they can create is exemplified through Georgian painting, ornaments, architecture, songs, and poetry.
Georgian wine wouldn’t be the same without the natural conditions of Georgia, making a perfect catalyst for what they produce. The Caucasian Mountains prevent cold air from entering the atmosphere, while the Black Sea also plays an essential role in the harvesting process.
The Georgian winery Batono was established in 2003. They are unique in their approach to traditional Georgian wine-making, producing some of the highest-quality Georgian wines by combining modern technology with ancient methods.
Batono maintains a full production cycle, producing an extensive variety of Georgian wines. These include Saperavi, Kisi, Rkatsiteli, Khikhvi, and Mujuretuli. The soil for the grapes of these varieties has been hand-picked for ultimate fertility.
Limestone plays an essential role in the earth that Batono grows their grapes. Limestone has an excellent drainage structure, as well as providing the quintessential levels of acidity needed for the grape vines to thrive.
When you taste a Batono wine, you’re tasting the stable climate that produced such fine grapes.
You haven’t tasted a Georgian wine until you’ve experienced Wine Man. The Wine Man factory is a one of a kind winery owned by a family in Georgia since 1998. Alexander Jorjadze takes his wine very seriously, as the generations before him did too.
Alexander Jorjadze comes from a noble Georgian family, the dynasty of Kakhetian Dukes. For generations, the Jorjadze family have poured their heart and soul into the development of Georgian wine production.
Prince Alexander Jorjadze was the grandfather of the founder of Wine Man and a well-known, reputable wine-maker. The present Alexander Jorjadze has honored the timeless traditions of his forefathers by preserving and recreating his family’s traditional winemaking methods.
Like Batono, Alexander Jorjadze has worked hard to bring Wine Man into the 21st century on the back of Georgian traditions. The result is some of the highest quality wines.
The noble traditions of Georgian winemaking have been honed in Kakheti’s most important city, Telavi. It is here that you will find Telavi Wine Cellar, established in 1915. For the past century, they have devoted their time to honoring Georgian wine-making traditions with unprecedented innovation.
This ideal marriage helps to produce the most elegant wine that would please even the most refined, discerning palate. The distinct terroir and diversity in local grape varieties are celebrated at Telavi Wine Cellar, establishing it as a reputable maker of fine Georgian wine.
Corus Imports is the authority on high-quality Georgian wine. With its headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, Corus Imports focus on importing fine Georgian wines and brandy from Batono, Wine Man and Telavi Wine Cellar, among others.