There’s an old, colloquial saying in Georgia: “If you had a drink and became mad, you are not a Georgian.” As we come to understand human interaction with the grapevine, we see wine move west. And along the way, it lays its roots down in Georgia.
Contrary to what historians once believed, archaeological evidence tells us that winemaking was happening in Georgia well before the country adopted Christianity in the 4th century. In fact, excavation sites around Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, near the Kura River, prove that the practice dates back nearly 8,000 years. Not only that, but these Georgians were producing wine on a relatively large scale. In the simplest terms, Georgia was a turning point in viticulture.
On this episode of “Wine 101,” Keith discusses the Georgian excavation sites and how they shed some light on when and how the country’s winemaking culture took hold. Tune in for more.
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“Wine 101” was produced, recorded, and edited by yours truly, Keith Beavers, at the VinePair headquarters in New York City. I want to give a big old shout-out to co-founders Adam Teeter and Josh Malin for creating VinePair. Big shout-out to Danielle Grinberg, the art director of VinePair, for creating the most awesome logo for this podcast. Also, Darby Cicci for the theme song. And I want to thank the entire VinePair staff for helping me learn something new every day. See you next week.
*Image retrieved from monticellllo via stock.adobe.com
