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Georgia has been the home to wine production for many years. The winemaking in the regions goes back to 8000 years. Not many may know, but the famous wines of the European region come from Georgia. Regardless of your preference for wine, you may find European labels readily available across the west. If you wonder what makes the Georgian wines special, we may have some interesting facts.
The magic of Georgian wine production lies in two things. Firstly, the region has a wide variety of indigenous grapes. Secondly, wine producers use clay vessels to ferment vines. They often bury clay vessels in the ground to produce different styles of the region’s exceptional wines. A trip to Georgia may surprise you with some world-famous aging wines.
Let’s dive deeper to find out more about wine production in Georgia and the types of grapes available in the country.
One of the primary strengths of Georgia’s wine production is the large variety of grapes. The country has a minimum of 430 indigenous types of grapes used in wine production. The different types play a significant role in the fermentation process and development of the taste. While this may be correct, commercial wine production only uses a limited variety under recent developments.
Georgian wines come in a variety of styles nowadays. Primarily made in stainless steel, these wines offer a replacement for some of the famous labels, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio. The wineries responsible for producing these wines include Marani, Tbilvino, Shumi, Vaziani, and Vinoterra.
Wine producers use grape varieties like Rkatsiteli, Kisi, Saperavi, and Mtsvane to ferment some famous wines nowadays.
The notable wineries from Georgia produce an appealing texture during the fermentation process. The wines have a fruity and vibrant texture aided by sweetness and tannic freshness. Once you taste it, you may find the flavors of dark forest fruits with a touch of spice. You can identify the feel of the Georgian wine’s texture as semi-sweet.
If you want to know the food pairing options, you can pair your desired Georgian wine with spicy cuisine. Food with intense flavor may be an ideal pair to try with an original Georgian label.
Apart from the spicy meals, you may pair your Georgian wine with almost any food. The famous wine labels can make a good pair with burgers, spaghetti, pasta, sandwiches, lamb chops, beef steaks, cooked veal, and salads.
Despite the large variety of grapes in the country, the world knows only a few of them. Commercial wineries in Georgia use a few varieties to ferment most of their wine batches. You may find dry, sweet, semi-dry, semi-sweet, and sparkling wines produced in the west Asian country of Georgia.
Let’s look at some popular grape varieties used in wine production.
Saperavi is widely famous for its extended aging abilities. This type of grape produces dark red wines with favorable mixing properties. Winemakers produce mature wines using Saperavi grapes that can age up to fifty years. If you take a trip to Georgia, you may find a dominating percentage of Saperavi wines.
Another famous grape type used for wine production in Georgia is Mtsvane. The name Mtsvane means green in the English language. Winemakers often mix Mtsvane with Rkatsiteli grapes to develop a fruity taste. You may find many Mtsvane white wines available in Georgia and European regions.
Ojaleshi is a dark-skinned grape found on the mountain slopes of the Tskhenistskali River. Winemakers use Ojaleshi grapes to make red wines. Although light-bodied in structure, this grape has traces of raspberry, cherry, and white pepper flavors. You may verify it as semi-sweet in taste.
Usakhelauri is an indigenous grep varietal found in Georgia. The name translates to “Nameless” in the English language. As one of the unparalleled types of grapes, Usakhelauri finds its roots on the mountain slopes of Lechkhumi. The cultivation process for these grapes is challenging. It is the very reason why Usakhelauri wines are pretty expensive.
This grape varietal is among the oldest ones in Georgia. Alexandreuli finds its roots in the wet region of Recha-Lechkhumi. This grape type has good acidic properties and pomegranates and cherries flavor traces. Winemakers use Alexendreuli grapes to produce the famous semi-sweet red wine, Khvanchkara. The locals also call it Kabistoni and Alexsandrouli.
Rkatsiteli is another ancient grape varietal from Georgia. The country has cultivated this grapevine for several millennia. Although famous as a white-wine grape varietal in Georgian wine production, Rkatsiteli also compliments Saperavi, the most popular red-wine grape varietal. You may also find it outside of Georgia in the Soviet-aligned countries.
Chinuri translates to “Excellent” in the English language. This grape varietal grows in the Kartli region. Winemakers use Chinuri in fermenting sparkling wines, mixing it with Aligote and Goruli Mtsvane. It is highly acidic with herbal and floral aromas. You may also find hints of mint and pear in Chinuri wines.
Georgia is among the best wine-producing countries. As one of the oldest manufacturers, this region is second after Moldova regarding grape production volumes. The clay-vessel fermentation methods laid the foundation for producing famous aging wines. The locals call the egg-shaped clay jars qveris.
The technique impressed winemakers around Europe and other regions gaining significant popularity. You may find it at varying prices in the global wine market. Wine enthusiasts find qveri wines superior to the traditionally fermented types. However, others call them too harsh and intense in the first tryouts.
The Georgian wines are a class apart. Their success is mainly attributed to the large grape varieties from different regions. You may find many fresh and aging wines in the west. However, if you take a trip to Georgia, the famous white and red wines may impress you more than you imagine. You can also find some famous Georgian wine brands in the U.S.
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