HISTORY     |  HOME

Since ancient times Georgia is considered to be one of  the basic centers of grape-vine occurrence and recognized as native land of cultural wine growing, that is proved by the numerous figures of the botanical, archeological, historical and linguistic surveys conducted. The century-old history of Georgian winemaking is rather original. During the excavations, conducted in Mtskheta,were found big clay wine jags, called "Kvevri" were found, which are used  for making and storing the  wine nowadays as well. The wine seeds are found in the graves of bronze epoch. The ceramics that are found at excavations of  graves in Alazani valley  are dated by the first millennium BC, that testifies that their owners  were engaged in grape growing. There are also found gold, silver and bronze subjects for storing the wine, referring to the second and third millenniums BC and found various vessels for Feast .

The culture of grape-vine has a great importance in the history of Georgia. According to a legend, Nino, the illuminatrix of Georgia who lived in the 4th  century AD, had a cross made of vine branches tied with her  own hair.She came to the southern border of Iberia and holding the cross in her hands stepped onto the Iberian soil. No other country in the entire Christian world has ever had such an amazing symbol of vine and faith. For many centuries no power could separate Georgian peasants from their vines though that was the purpose of all enemies who had waged wars against my people through­out its tragic history. Our historians — ancient chroniclers who recorded events beginning from that distant time when the Georgian alphabet was created — wrote, their hearts aching, about the cruelty and ruthlessness of Oriental satraps and conquerors with which they wanted to destroy completely the Georgian vine. For them the destruction of the vine meant the destruction of my people's faith and hope, the destruction of the nation itself. One has every right to say that on the many-century route of its existence the Georgian vine had gone through the same hellish tortures as the entire Georgian nation in the course of its tragic history. However, this long-suffering nation had managed to protect and preserve the vine, to bring it back to life and to bequeath it to its descendants for perpetual possession. Saying it differently, the preservation of the vine meant for the Georgian people the survival of its own courageous spirit and its patriotic and noble aspira­tions.

 Probably this boundless love has also created more than 500 sorts of this blessed culture.

According to natural conditions in Georgia the certain grades of  grapes were deduced, that are characteristic to several microdistricts. So the deduced grades in Kakheti are Rkatsiteli, Saperavi and Mcvane, in Kartli - Goruli Mtsvane and Chinuri, in Imereti - TSitska and Tsolikauri, in Guria - Chkhaveri, in Samegrelo - Ojaleshi, in Racha - Aleksandrouli. The diverse natural conditions of grape areas in Georgia provided an opportunity of making local original sparkling, dry and strong - sweet  wines. The characters of different wines and technology of their preparation depend on netural conditions in defferent zones.  The essays of the ancient-Greek historians, geographers and foreign travelers, and also the numerous recognition at the international and domestic exhibitions, show, that Georgian wines always had the large success.

 

II millennium B.C

II, III millennium B.C

II millennium B.C

V millennium B.C

III millennium B.C

III-IV century

III millennium B.C

X century

   

  Home  |  Company  |  Products  |  Partners  |  AwardsHistory  |  Contact  |  White Wines  |  Red Wines |Grapes  | LabelsVineyards  |  Impressions | Gifts