The history of wine dates back to ancient times and continues to this day. Today, wine is produced in almost every country around the world, but few know that Georgia is the birthplace of wine. Georgian wine and its traditional method of production are an inseparable part of our culture.

In Georgia, winemaking using the traditional method — fermenting wine in a clay vessel called a qvevri — began 8,000 years ago, during the early Neolithic period, and has never stopped since. This is evidenced by archaeological findings at the Neolithic sites of “Gadachrili Gora” and “Shulaveri Gora” in the Marneuli region, where recent excavations uncovered traces of organic acids (tartaric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, and citric acid) characteristic of wine on the walls of ancient clay vessels.

Before this discovery, it was believed that wine was first produced in the Zagros Mountains of Iran. However, the Georgian wine traces turned out to be 600 years older than those found in Iran.

The discovery in Georgia changed the world’s understanding of the origins of wine, shifting the focus to Georgia.

This important fact led to UNESCO including the traditional Georgian method of winemaking in a qvevri in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013.

UNESCO states:

“The tradition of qvevri winemaking defines the way of life of local communities and represents an integral part of their cultural identity and heritage.”

The famous scientific magazine National Geographic dedicated an article to Georgian wine titled “Georgia: The Cradle of Wine,” where it detailed the culture of wine in Georgia, its influence, traditions, and the importance of wine to Georgians.

In 2018, National Geographic published another article about Georgia and its wine, titled “Discover the Secret Birthplace of Wine,” where they described where and which types of wine should be tasted in Georgia.

In 2017, The Guardian journalist David Williams tasted several Georgian wines and dedicated an article titled “The Most Delicious Wines from Georgia” to them.

From the wines he tasted, David selected three favorites and introduced them to British readers.

In 2018, he wrote another article titled “Why Georgia is the Hotspot for Natural Wine,” where he told readers about Georgia’s ancient winemaking method, adding:

“They have been making wine in this country by the Black Sea for thousands of years — and now it is at the forefront of a traditional renaissance.”

Of course, the popular travelers’ site The Culture Trip didn’t miss the story of Georgian wine either.

In 2017, they published an article titled “Everything You Need to Know About Georgian Wine,” where they discussed various popular Georgian wines and grape varieties.

Many publications around the world write about Georgian wine and winemaking, and they all unanimously acknowledge that Georgia is the birthplace of wine and that Georgian wine is truly unique.

If you want to better experience Georgian wine and its winemaking traditions, join us for a wine tour and discover the magic of Georgian wine!

Discover Georgian Wine for Yourself

Today, Georgia is recognized globally as the home of wine — a place where ancient history, culture, and hospitality blend together in every glass.
If you want to truly experience Georgian wine traditions, join us for a wine tour. Let’s raise a glass and discover the magic of Georgia together!