Georgia boasts 525 indigenous (autochthonic) grape varieties, out of a total of 2500 existing in the world. It is in Georgia that the first traces of winemaking were discovered – the earliest wine was made here 8000 years ago! Georgian wine is traditionally made in a qvevri – large clay pots buried in the ground. The qvevri offers an ideal temperature for fermentation that is naturally regulated, hence this method is becoming increasingly popular with winemakers across the world. The qvevri is listed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Georgia made an immense contribution to wine classification by introducing a new color of wine – amber (known less commonly as orange or copper). Amber wine is made from white grapes. The distinct colour is achieved by keeping the squeezed grape skin immersed in the fermenting juice. In other words, amber wine is made by using the technology for making red wine on white grapes. Finally, even the word ‘wine’ or ‘vino’ (Italian) traces its origins to the Georgian ღვინო (ghvino).