In the last blog, we covered the romantic towns of Sighnaghi and Telavi in the wine region of Georgia. We were traveling to Kvareli with our driver for the day, Rezo. It was Georgian wine day!

Rezo kept explaining about the region as he drove – how Telavi and Alazani valley lies between the Caucasus and the Gombori range, about the history of grapes, Georgian wine and a lot more. Here’s a quick run-through for you.

Birthplace of wine

Georgia is widely considered to be the birthplace of wine in the world. Even the status of “Mother of Georgia” that we saw in Tbilisi was holding a cup of wine in her hand. Remains of a clay qvevri – the traditional pot used for making grapes and fossilized grape seeds were found in this region which have been dated back to 8000 years ago. Yes, you read that right – EIGHT THOUSAND! The amazing part is that the traditional method of winemaking in qvevris is still practiced to this date.

Over 520 varieties of grapes call the Alazani valley their home. The unique climate of the region housed between the Caucasian mountain ranges along with the extremely fertile soil on the banks of the river make the perfect combination for grapes to flourish. The harvest season is between September-October and almost everyone we met told us to come back again to enjoy the grapes and the harvest related activities. 

Continue reading A deep-dive into the Georgian Wine Culture →