v e v i
The winemaking in Qvevri started 8000 years ago in Georgia and the tradition still remains today. In 2013, the Georgian traditional method of making Qvevri wine was granted the status of a monument of intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, which indicates the uniqueness of this method and sends a message to the whole world that wine is a constituent part of the ancient Georgian culture. This recognition is important for raising awareness of Qvevri wine and will contribute to the global promotion of Georgian wine.
Qvevri
i s t o r y f v e v r i
Qvevri is a unique clay vessel for making and storing wine. The oldest pottery of the Qvevri type found in Georgia belongs to VI-V millennia BC. Today used, egg-shaped Qvevri was formed in III-II millennium BC. Before this period, mainly small Qvevries were common, which did not exceed 1-1.5 meters in height and had a flat base and a wide belly. The capacity of the Qvevri starts from several hundred liters and reaches several tons. Kakheti stands out for its large-sized Qvevries with a capacity of 6-8 thousand liters.
Qvevri wine generally involves fermenting a certain amount of grape juice with grape pomace and skins. The first and the most important rule of making wine in Qvevri is to leave the wine in Qvevri on its own chacha (skins and pomace) both during the alcoholic fermentation later on for aging.
