About Events – New Wine Festival 2015 in Tbilisi
Sixty wine companies, small cellars and family cellars (with wines of 72 varieties) presented their late harvest wines at the New Wine Festival 2015 held in Deda Ena Park in Tbilisi on 9 May. Georgia About was there to photograph the event. No Georgian event would be complete without a barbecue! Photos by Georgia About. CLICK on the … Continue reading
About Wine – Qvevri and Qvevri Wine Museum
The Qvevri and Qvevri Wine Museum in the historic village of Napareuli, in Georgia’s Kakheti region, is the first and only museum in Georgia dedicated to Qvevri and Qvevri wine-making. Thousands of years ago the people of the South Caucasus region discovered how to transform wild grape juice into wine by leaving it to ferment in … Continue reading
About Sights – Alaverdi Cathedral
Alaverdi Monastery (Georgian: ალავერდის მონასტერი) is a Georgian Orthodox monastery located near Telavi in the Alazani-River valley in Kakheti region. Founded by the Assyrian monk Joseph Alaverdeli, the monastery dates to the 6th century but the present day cathedral replaces a smaller church and was built in the 11th century by Kvirike III of Kakheti. … Continue reading
About Culture – Ethnic Georgians Living in Turkey
Communities of ethnic Georgians live in remote villages on the Turkish side of the Machakhela River, which is a trans-boundary river between Georgia and Turkey. Georgian traditions and customs still continue, including traditional wine-making. Photos courtesy of the President’s Administration. CLICK on the logo to visit GEORGIA ABOUT on Facebook and see photos and news about Georgia. Click LIKE on the page and … Continue reading
About Celebrations – Georgian qvevri wine-making method added to UNESCO Heritage List
In 2013, the traditional Georgian qvevri (kvevri) wine-making method was recognized by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The making of wine in qvevri is the oldest known method of wine production and it was from Georgia that wine-making in qvevri spread to Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and beyond. Qvevri are handmade from a special clay … Continue reading
About Celebrations – The Grape Harvest
This year’s grape harvest has begun in Georgia. The process of picking grapes and making wine, together with the accompanying celebrations, is called Rtveli (Georgian: რთველი) and marks the end of the agricultural cycle for the year. Rtveli involves almost everyone in Georgia. Wine is produced by thousands of small vineyard farmers (using primarily traditional techniques of wine-making), as well … Continue reading
About Events – “Wine Day” at the Wine House in Kachreti
A “Wine Day” was recently held at the Wine House in Kachreti in Georgia’s Kakheti region. The Wine House is a vocational program of “Aisi” Vocational College and provides training to students in the traditional methods of wine-making and also supports local farmers with consultations, and testing, bottling and packing of their wines. In 2011, the … Continue reading
About Georgian Chacha
Chacha (Georgian: ჭაჭა) is a strong spirit made of the grape residue (pomace) left after making wine. Chacha is often made at home in a mini still. By the American definition, it qualifies as “moonshine” but unlike the production of “moonshine” in the United States, distilling chacha is not illegal in Georgia and many families continue the tradition. To most … Continue reading
About Celebrations – Rtveli (Georgian Wine Harvest and Festivities)
Rtveli (Georgian: რთველი) is the traditional vintage (the process of picking grapes and making wine) accompanied by celebrations that mark the end of the agricultural cycle for the year. For centuries, viticulture has been of great economic importance to Georgia. Today, there are more than 175,000 acres planted with vines. The vine also has an iconic and … Continue reading
About Wine – Introduction to Traditional Wine-Making
Thousands of years ago the ancient people of the South Caucasus Region discovered how to transform wild grape juice into wine by leaving it to ferment in clay vessels called Kvevri, which they buried in the ground. It was from Georgia that the method of wine-making in Kvevri spread to Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and the rest … Continue reading
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