Introduction to Georgian wine

For generations, Georgia has proudly claimed the title of the birthplace of wine. In 2015, scientists studying the history of agriculture uncovered ancient clay vessels dating back 8,000 years at an archeological dig in southeastern Georgia. Researchers analyzing the residue contained within the vessels—the remains of grapes and grape seeds—dated the material to 6000 BCE. This establishes ancient Georgia as the first known location of grape winemaking. Georgian winemaking practices existed 3,000 years before the invention of writing and 5,000 years before the start of the Iron Age.

Situated at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East—and enjoying a climate and terrain perfectly suited for the cultivation of grapes—ancient Georgia supplied wines and vines to the first cities of the Fertile Crescent: Babylon and Ur. Many of the vines cultivated in Europe and Asia today are known to have Georgian origins. The Western words for wine—vin, vino, wine, and others—likely come from the Georgian word ghvino (or gvino).