Sunny Georgia ... A country where, under the gentle rustle of sea waves, juicy grapes brush ripen. It seems that they have been making wine in this country since the time of Adam, so everything here is saturated with love and respect for this noble drink.
It is not surprising that in every village hospitable mountaineers will offer guests homemade Georgian wine, made using technology that is many hundreds of years old.
Wine Regions of Georgia
In the territory of Kakheti, in the fertile Alazani Valley and on the slopes of the majestic Caucasus Mountains, most of the country's vineyards are concentrated. Locals claim that wine has been made here for more than 8,000 years. And, if you listen to reviews of Georgian homemade wine, it’s easy to believe on this date: the wine here is really amazing!
The unique climate allows the ripening of Saperavi, Mtsvane Kahuri and Rkatsiteli grapes. The best vineyards are laid at an altitude of 400-700 meters above sea level. It is here, on carbonate soils with an abundance of humus, that a surprisingly juicy, sunny grape ripens.
In the special wine region of Kartli, on the banks of the Kura River and its tributaries, craftsmen grow unique grape varieties. Thanks to this, the indigenous wines of this region have their own complex character and surprisingly rich taste.
The Racha-Lechkhumi region is also famous for its rare varieties, characterized by high sugar content and unusual fruit acidity. It has developed the production of natural semisweet wine, known far beyond the borders of Georgia.
Technology features
The production process of domestic Georgian wine is quite different from the recognized European technology. The differences begin already with the grape harvest: in Georgia, grapes are crushed with seeds and twigs for a juicy drink, and only berries are used in world wine making.
Each region of Georgia has its own wine production technologies:
- In Kakheti, the wine mass with branches and leaves is left to ferment for 3-4 months, and only then the resulting juice is filtered. This gives the Kakheti wines a more astringent, rich taste.
- In Imereti, grapes are crushed together with branches, then the branches are removed, and the resulting raw materials are left for fermentation. Drinks in this region are famous for their smooth, fruity taste with a special acidity.
- Many winemakers practice a unique way to get natural red home Georgian wines. The fermentation process of raw materials from grapes with high sugar content is not brought to an end, this allows you to save natural sugar in the drink. Moreover, the fermentation is stopped not by adding alcohol, but by strong cooling of the raw material, to 0 degrees and sometimes lower. The result is healthy and incredibly tasty homemade wine.
Wine ripening
In small local wineries, the old custom is preserved, when huge ceramic jugs are used to ripen the wine. Wine ripening in them occurs while naturally maintaining the required temperature. Of course, in modern factories they use steel containers or wooden barrels (for expensive varieties of wine), but this affects the taste.
To make homemade Georgian wine you need stucco jugs about the size of a person. They are dug into the ground, leaving only the neck through which the grapes fall asleep. Then it is crushed and left to roam, closing the neck with a lid. Fermentation lasts about a month, at which time the raw materials need to be mixed occasionally.
Then the winemakers clean up all the pulp that has surfaced and seal the jug tightly. All winter the process of passive fermentation of grapes will go on in it and in early spring you can taste real Georgian homemade wine: open the lid, scoop up a jug and enjoy the astringent taste and fruity aroma!
White wines
Georgian wines made from white grapes are known far beyond the borders of the country. They are distinguished by a rich amber color, a complex bouquet and a delicate fruity aftertaste.
Many small wineries make homemade wine from local grapes, but the taste of the drink for each master is different. Perhaps this is precisely what the pleasure of the taste of Georgian home wine consists in, because it is never the same.
For most residents who make wine at home, their product is a matter of sincere pride, the master literally puts a piece of the soul in his drink. Of course, such wines are far from uniform standards accepted in the world, but young wine from local grape varieties is not inferior to drinks made in factories.
Red wines
Juicy rich drink made from Saperavi and Alexandrouli grapes, with hints of cornel and ripe blackberries, this wine goes well with spicy meat and ripe fruits. And from the famous grapes of the Kindzmarauli variety they make home-made red semisweet wine of the same name. Georgian recipes for grape drinks are striking in their simplicity, but in many villages craftsmen make wines with an amazing bouquet and aroma.
Red grape varieties in Georgia do not differ in high sugar content, therefore red dry wine prevails here, although some winemakers successfully make semi-sweet varieties.
Where to look for Georgian wines?
To get real pleasure, it is better to try wine in Georgia, and do not stop at a tasting in one region, but spend a little time traveling and tasting amazing local wines. Here in each region you can find a unique wine, which together with meat will be served in a small restaurant.
And if there is no opportunity to visit Georgia, you can try wines from the line "Home Georgian Wine" in a brown bottle, styled in antique style.
Such tart and rich wines, after which, on the lips and tongue, traces of pigment remain for a long time! It seems that the wines of Georgia are nourished by the sun and created to give joy and pleasure. Maybe wine is one of the reasons why there are so many centenarians in Georgia.