Read more
Georgian wines have been produced for 8,000 years and are among the world’s most distinctive. This is the first definitive book on Georgian wine. The heart of the book resides in a detailed examination of Georgian grape varieties, key vineyard areas, and wine styles, followed by profiles of contemporary Georgian producers.Georgia has for the last 25 years been resurrecting its unique winemaking tradition and rediscovering the distinctiveness of its native varieties. A handful of producers in 1997 has now exploded to more than 1,300. Wine is arguably more important to Georgia than to any other country and its people firmly believe their country to be the birthplace of wine. Yet Georgian wines are still largely unknown in the West.
Lisa Granik, who began visiting Georgia 30 years ago, starts
The Wines of Georgia with a brisk tour through the history of the country and analysis of its complex geology, before moving on to consider Georgian wine culture. She explains not only winemaking methods and viticulture but also the centrality of wine to Georgian culture. Georgia can claim more than 400 native
Vitis vinifera varieties; here Granik profiles the most commonly planted grapes, as well as the many 'lost' varieties being revived. The second half of the book details each of the major regions. Of Georgia's 20 PDOs, 15 are in the east, in Kakheti. With a history of wine education dating back 900 years, this prolific winemaking region is home to the
qvevri, the conical clay vessel that for many represents Georgian winemaking. Stretching west, the regions become more sparsely populated; some places are still pioneer wine territory, with more amateur and self-taught winemakers. Granik provides details on the most significant producers, along with tips on sites of interest and places to eat and stay, for those visiting the country. This definitive book on Georgian wine is an essential text for anybody studying or making wine today.
List of contents
Acknowledgements ix Note on transliteration xiii Introduction 1 Part 1: The background 7 1. Geology 9 2. History: a romp through 8,000 years 15 3. Georgian wine culture 39 4. Grape varieties 67 Part 2: Wine growing regions of eastern Georgia 123 5. Kakheti 125 6. Kartli 193 Part 3: Wine growing regions of western Georgia 223 7. Imereti 229 8. Racha-Lechkhumi 245 9. Samegrelo 261 10. Guria 267 11. Adjara 277 12. Samstkhe-Javakheti 283 13. Last words 289 Appendix: Administration and protected designations of origin (PDO) 293 Glossary 297 Bibliography 303 Index 313
About the author
Lisa Granik practised law in Washington DC and taught law at Georgetown University and then at Moscow State University and the Institute of State and Law (Tbilisi, Georgia). Following various positions in wine importing and distribution, in 2010 she established Tastingworks, a professional strategic management consultancy for wineries keen to establish or improve their penetration in the US market. She has been a member of the Council of the IMW since 2015.
