Georgia

Wine & cuisine in Georgia: Ancient traditions, Qvevri & hospitality

Georgia – The cradle of wine & the heritage of the ancestors

Georgia is not just a wine region, it is the country of origin of viticulture. Wine has been cultivated here for over 8,000 years – a tradition so deeply rooted in the country’s identity that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Characterized by the majestic Caucasus Mountains and the fertile valleys of Kakheti, Georgia offers an oenological journey through time. Here, archaic methods meet a hospitality that elevates eating and drinking to a spiritual experience.

Wine culture in Georgia: The secret of the Qvevri

The heart of Georgian wine production is the Qvevri method. These are huge clay amphorae that are buried in the ground. The wine ferments in them together with the skins, seeds and often also the crests (stems).

Amber Wine (Orange Wine): Long contact with the berry skins gives white wines a deep amber-like color and a fascinating tannin structure.
Naturalness: The constant earth temperature in the soil enables slow, natural ripening without modern additives.

The Supra: more than just dinner

Culinary delights in Georgia culminate in the supra, the traditional feast. It is a ritual event that can last for hours and the table is often covered with several layers of plates.

The tamada: No supra takes place without the table master. He is the poet and director of the evening, who guides you through the meal with profound toasts to God, the fatherland, the ancestors and love. Wine is not simply drunk here – it is celebrated.

Grape varieties & stylistics

With over 500 indigenous grape varieties, Georgia offers a diversity that is unrivaled anywhere in the world:

Saperavi: The “queen of red grapes”. An intensely colored, powerful red wine with aromas of dark berries, liquorice and an impressive ageing potential.
Rkatsiteli: The most common white variety, which matures in Qvevri into complex, honey-colored wines with aromas of dried fruit and nuts.
Mtsvane: Makes elegant, floral white wines with citrus notes.
Kindzmarauli & Khvanchkara: Famous naturally sweet red wines that go perfectly with spicy meat dishes or desserts.

The cuisine of Georgia: Spicy, nutty, hearty

Georgian cuisine is a bridge between the Occident and the Orient. It is characterized by the generous use of walnuts, fresh coriander, pomegranate seeds and the famous walnut paste Nigvzi.

Typical dishes from Georgia:

Khachapuri: The legendary cheese bread, which is interpreted differently in every region (e.g. the boat shape with egg in Adjara).
Khinkali: artfully folded dumplings filled with meat and spicy broth.
Badrijani Nigvzit: Fried eggplant rolls with a spicy walnut filling.
Satsivi: A festive dish of poultry in a creamy, cold walnut sauce.
Chakapuli: A spring stew made from lamb, lots of tarragon and sour mirabelle plums (tkemali).

Wine & Food: Georgia on the plate & in the glass

The strong, often tannic Qvevri wines call for dishes with character. An amber-colored Rkatsiteli is the ideal partner for the fatty walnut sauces, while a deep red Saperavi perfectly complements the smoky aroma of mtsvadi (shashlik) grilled over vines. Georgian wines and food are made for each other – they share the same wild elegance and archaic power.