#ancient winemaking

May 2026

About wine🍷

Since 2013, the traditional Georgian method of wine fermentation in large clay vessels called qvevri has been included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. It has no analogues anywhere else in the world, is recognized as one of the finest winemaking technologies, and is considered environmentally friendly. The earliest vessels with traces of wine found on the territory of Georgia date back to the 6th–5th millennia BC.

🍇The technology is distinctive in that grape juice, together with the skins, seeds, and sometimes even stems, is poured into qvevri for fermentation, aging, and storage. The vessels are then buried in the ground up to their necks.

Fermentation takes place naturally, without complex intervention, while the buried qvevri maintains a stable temperature. Once the fermentation process is complete, the wine is sealed with a lid and clay. The wine then continues aging for anywhere from six months to a year, gradually developing a deep taste, tannins, and a rich aroma. In the video, we are standing in a cellar right between the buried vessels.

🏺I have heard stories of qvevri being sealed at the birth of a child and then opened again for their wedding.

О вине🍷 С 2013 года грузинский традиционный метод настаивания вина в больших глиняных кувшинах "квеври" находится в списке нематериального культурного наследия ЮНЕСКО. Он не имеет аналогов в мире, признан одной из лучших винодельческих технологий и является экологически чистым. Самые ранние сосуды с частицами вина, найденные на территории Грузии, датируются VI–V тысячелетием до н. э. 🍇Технология отличается тем, что виноградный сок вместе с кожицей, косточками, а иногда и веточками наливают для выдержки, брожения и хранения в квеври и вкапывают в землю по самую горловину. Брожение происходит естественным образом, без сложного вмешательства, а закопанный квеври поддерживает стабильную температуру. Когда брожение завершается, вино опечатывают крышкой и глиной. Так вино настаивается от полугода до года, постепенно приобретая глубокий вкус, терпкость и насыщенный аромат. На видео мы стоим как раз в погребе между закопанными кувшинами. 🏺Слышала истории, когда квеври запечатывали при рождении ребёнка, а открывали на его свадьбу.

🌿In the video, the guide is holding a brush used for cleaning qvevri. Herbs with antiseptic properties are still used today, since clay absorbs moisture, which is why chemical cleaning products are strictly prohibited. Here are a few photographs from open sources:

🌿На видео гид держит щётку для чистки квеври. До сих пор используют травы, обладающие антисептическими веществами, так как глина впитывает влагу, из-за чего химические чистящие средства категорически запрещены. Вот немного фотографий из открытых источников:

White grape varieties are used more often, and the resulting wine is notable for its intense color, which is why it is called amber or orange wine🧡 Red grape varieties are also used, though less frequently.

✨️Personal opinion: in the morning, we tasted homemade wines in the village, and they felt more understandable to me as an ordinary person — sweet, aromatic, and fortified (at least to my taste). Qvevri wine is much less straightforward: the older it becomes, the more tannic the flavor grows, yet it remains easy to drink and leaves a lingering aftertaste. It almost feels as though the alcohol content is lower than it actually is — but it is not😌

This trip gave me an interesting experience and knowledge. We also tried stronger drinks: brandy and chacha. And I am very glad that there were no consequences the next morning🌅😄🌄

New Post has been published on http://www.mywineshopper.com/wine-one-of-historys-oldest-beverages.html

Wine: One of History's Oldest Beverages

Winemaking in Ancient Egypt

The making of wine goes back centuries, and is related to cultural and religious ceremonies as well as cuisine. In ancient Egypt, the liquid was used in ceremonies, and produced as far back as 3000 B.C., all which is depicted in scenes on the walls of tombs. The wine of choice drank by the ancient Egyptians was red wine, although some evidence exists that suggests white wine was drank on occasion too. However, among the Egyptian workers, beer was the beverage of choice. Nevertheless, among the Egyptian royals, winemaking in the Nile Delta was firmly established.

Other Ancient Winemakers

In addition, the Macedonians relished the beverage as did the Chinese in ancient times. The Romans also enjoyed the beverage, and laid the foundation for establishing plantations for wine production in Rome and the surrounding countryside. As a result, a number of varieties of grapes were cultivated and perfected for use in the making of wine.

Early Accounts of Winemaking

A good deal of wine was drunk during Medieval times as the Catholic Church used it in its rituals and ceremonies. From that moment, the production and drinking of wine slowly progressed to the point where it was regularly produced in various parts of the world. It’s no surprise then that the drink is mentioned in the Bible. One of the earliest accounts refers to Noah producing the drink in what is now Turkey. Theophrastus, who was an ancient Greek writer, supplied the earliest description available depicting the process of winemaking in Greece. Another Greek writer, Homer, referred to wine as the “nectar of the gods,” and liked to make reference to the ocean as being wine-dark in color

Making Wine in Greece and Rome

Even with all the above findings, no one still has determined when wine was initially manufactured. However, a good majority of information about viticulture points toward the wine production of ancient Greece. In fact, grapes grown in Greece today are the same or closely similar to grapes that were harvested in ancient times. Exporting the drink by way of the Mediterranean Sea, Greek winemakers made their way into the present regions of southern France, Italy and Spain. The perfection of the drink though can, in large part, be credited to the Romans as wine was a staple at meals; therefore, making wine became a craft. Most all of the prime regions that produce wine in Western Europe today were initiated by the Romans.

Terroirs

As an example – in France, several noted regions harvest grapes for wines, and maintain terroirs. A terroir can be defined as a grouping of vineyards from a region that are exposed to the same climate and soil and winemaking processes, all which give the wine its specific character and flavor. For example, in the winemaking regions of Beaujolais, the terroirs are Brouilly, Cote de Brouilly and Fleurie.

Old World Tradition