Georgia is the oldest wine-producing region on Earth. Archaeological evidence from the village of Gadachrili Gora dates grape wine production in Georgia to approximately 6000 BCE — 8,000 years ago, predating any other documented winemaking by at least 2,000 years. The traditional Georgian method uses qvevri — large egg-shaped clay vessels (holding 800–3,500 litres) buried underground — to ferment and age wine. The qvevri method was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013. Georgia has over 500 indigenous grape varieties — more than any other country.
- **Whole-cluster fermentation with skins, stems, and seeds.** Unlike Western winemaking (where white wine is fermented without skins), Georgian qvevri white wine ferments with full grape contact for 5–6 months. The result is "amber" or "orange" wine — tannic, complex, and completely different from any Western white wine. - **Underground temperature regulation.** Buried qvevri maintain a natural temperature of 13–15°C — ideal for slow, gentle fermentation without mechanical cooling. - **The vessel is sealed with beeswax and clay.** After filling, the qvevri is capped with a stone lid sealed with beeswax, then covered with earth. The wine ferments and ages underground for 5–6 months with zero intervention. - **The lining is beeswax, not clay.** The interior of the qvevri is coated with beeswax to prevent the porous clay from absorbing wine.
FRENCH REGIONAL DEEP — THE STORIES ESCOFFIER NEVER WROTE