Long before Bordeaux had a single vine, the ancient winemakers of Georgia—yes, that Georgia, nestled between the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea—were already fermenting grapes like pros. Archaeological evidence suggests wine has been made here for more than 8,000 years, making Georgia the cradle of viticulture. The country didn’t just invent wine culture; it is wine culture.
What sets Georgian wine apart isn’t just its age—it’s the method. Many wines are still made in qvevri, massive clay vessels; the method involves pouring pressed grape juice, skins, stalks and pips into the large clay amphorae, before burying the vessels for three to six months of fermentation underground. Producing wine this way allows winemakers to craft wines with more defined tannins, complexity, and body. In white wines, this results in skin-contact amber wines (or "orange", as they are frequently called), and gutsy reds that taste like history.
Within its 30 defined wine PDOs (Protected Designation of Origin), Georgia boasts more than 500 indigenous grape varieties, most of which you’re probably unfamiliar. Saperavi is the leading red variety in Georgia, indigenous to the country and accounting for 41% of its wine production. A rare teinturier grape variety with both red flesh and skin, Saperavi means “to paint or dye” in English. It produces deep-colored wines that boast bold, concentrated flavor, crisp acidity, firm tannins, and are celebrated for their age-worthiness. Created in a variety of different styles, dry red Saperavi wines are commonly produced in two different ways, in qvevri, or European/classical in stainless steel tanks or oak barrels.
The top native white variety, and overall variety, in Georgia (42% of all production) is Rkatsiteli. The name translates to “red stem” in English. The grape is most often vinified in traditional qvevri, resulting in a wine that is more powerful, showcasing moderate tannins and crisp acidity. Restrained and refreshing, Rkatsiteli wines often offer crisp green-apple flavors and hints of quince and white peach.
A majority of the country's PDOs are located in the eastern region of Kakheti that accounts for 77% of the country’s vineyards and 92% of total wine production. The region benefits from a continental climate, with most vineyards located in fertile river basins, and soils that are mostly alluvial and loamy with pockets of limestone, shale and slate.
And while the world finally starts catching on, Georgian winemakers have kept things gloriously unpolished: family-run vineyards, minimal intervention, and a deep respect for tradition over trend. So if your wine rack is looking a little too Bordeaux-blah or Napa-nice, consider a bottle from the birthplace of the buzz and try these:
Teliani Vineyards Glekhuri Saperavi Qvevri 2021 (SRP $25.99) (Kakheti) - A deep ruby color, the wine has dried black fig, blackcurrant and blackberry aromas. On the palate the Glekhuri Saperavi expresses dark chocolate notes complemented by velvety tannins and a round structure. Following fermentation the wine matures on skins in qvevri for six months, followed by four additional months aging in qvevri after the removal of the skins. The wine then is aged in French oak barrels for a year. Shop here
Schuchmann Saperavi 2022 (SRP $13.99) (Kakheti) - Inky in color, the wine has aromas and expressive notes of fresh red and black fruit and a hint of spice. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, this wine has softer tannins that are balanced by the wine's refreshing acidity. Shop here
Dugladze Wine Rkatsiteli Qvevri 2018 (SRP $15) (Kakheti) - Produced in the traditional qvevri method, this skin-contact amber wine shows honey and tobacco notes joined by spicy aromas with pronounced tannins and a long finish. Shop a similar wine here
