Forbes: “Why Georgian Wines Are Among The Most Unique On The Planet”

The revival of modern winemaking in Georgia has resulted in a viticulture that is rich and diverse, with a twist that sets it apart from counterparts around the world, Forbes contributor Lana Bortolot says in a new article for the magazine’s website.

With “deep roots” in Georgian culture, winemakers in the country produce types like white wines fermented in qvevri vessels underground, a “trend that’s caught on elsewhere in the world”, the author points out.

Traditional winemaking in Georgia has always been a home endeavour, infused with history, religion and mythology [...]”

An oft-told legend relates how soldiers wove a piece of grapevine into the chain mail protecting their chests, so when they died in battle, a vine sprouted not just from their bodies, but their hearts”, Bortolot explains.

In the contributing piece, she interviews foreign producers who have settled in Georgia, including in the principal winemaking province of Kakheti, to forge ties with local traditions of the trade.

Some joining forces with locals for their endeavours, others founding their wineries from ground-up, they all share their experiences making the product so cherished in the country.

Bolstered by well-attended tasting events such as the international RAW Wine Fair, and the Zero Compromise and New Wine festivals held in Tbilisi, Georgian winemakers now range from the traditional to a new wave of ex-pats”, the article notes.

Outlining state-led efforts in promoting Georgian wine, as well as new techniques being adopted by locals in their production, Bortolot concludes her piece by offering a brief sampler of some of the most popular wines made in the country.

Read the full story here.