A glass of Georgian red wine and an unlabelled bottle on a worn table in a stone cellar
The Journal

Notes on Georgian Wine

Articles on the grapes, regions and traditions of Georgian wine — from Saperavi and Rkatsiteli to qvevri fermentation and the world's oldest winemaking.

7 Articles
Kindzmarauli vs Khvanchkara: Choosing a Georgian Semi-Sweet Red
Wine & Varieties

Kindzmarauli vs Khvanchkara: Choosing a Georgian Semi-Sweet Red

Two PDO semi-sweet reds, two ends of Georgia. Here's how Kindzmarauli and Khvanchkara differ in grape, terroir, taste, and what to put on the table with each.

Read Entry
Amber Wine vs Orange Wine: Why the Name Matters
Winemaking & Tradition

Amber Wine vs Orange Wine: Why the Name Matters

Both terms describe skin-contact white wine, but amber wine and orange wine are not the same thing. The difference is thousands of years deep.

Read Entry
How to Host a Georgian Supra: The Tamada's Role
Culture & Rituals

How to Host a Georgian Supra: The Tamada's Role

A supra is not a dinner party. It's a structured feast led by a toastmaster, with its own order of toasts, expectations, and rhythm.

Read Entry
Rkatsiteli: The Grape That Outlasted Empires
Wine & Varieties

Rkatsiteli: The Grape That Outlasted Empires

One of the world's oldest cultivated white grapes, Rkatsiteli carries 3,000 years of Georgian viticulture in every bunch. Its range of styles and global footprint make it far more significant than its obscurity suggests.

Read Entry
The Oldest Wine in the World Was Found in Georgia
Winemaking & Tradition

The Oldest Wine in the World Was Found in Georgia

In 2017, a study confirmed grape winemaking in Georgia as early as 6,000 BC, making it the oldest known site of wine production on Earth.

Read Entry
What Makes Georgian Wine Taste the Way It Does
Wine & Varieties

What Makes Georgian Wine Taste the Way It Does

Georgian wine is not one flavor profile. It is a spectrum shaped by ancient grape varieties, fermentation vessels, and regional climates that have no real parallel elsewhere.

Read Entry
Saperavi: Georgia's Ancient Red and Its Global Reach
Wine & Varieties

Saperavi: Georgia's Ancient Red and Its Global Reach

Saperavi is one of the oldest cultivated red grape varieties on record, and one of the most distinctive. Here is what sets it apart, from its biology to its place in Georgian wine culture.

Read Entry