For generations, Georgia has taken pride in its distinction as the birthplace of wine. It is believed by many archeologists that Georgia is source of world’s first agriculture grapevine and Neolithic wine production. The recent discovery of 8,000 year-old grape seeds and remains of vines sealed inside ancient clay vessels only reinforces Georgia’s position as the world’s cradle of viticulture and world’s longest unbroken tradition of winemaking. >>>
Georgia is divided into 6 viticulture zones, where the local vine varieties and winemaking methods are varied accordingly. Total size of vineyards – 45 000 ha. There are 20 appellations of Origin, 15 are located in Kakheti region - eastern part of Georgia, two in Kartli and in single zone for Imereti, Racha and Lechkhumi accordingly.
Wines of Appellations of Origin are the subject of strict control procedures and are regulated from vineyards till the wine sales. At OIV 18 GI (DO) regions for the wine are registered. Competent Organizations for PDO and PGI examination:
Almost 530 different varieties of grape are currently recorded in ten of Georgia’s viticultural regions. Over 425 of these are regularly grown (some in vine collections only) and the rest are being sought after. Some of the varieties are widespread, but the majority are only very rarely cultivated—usually in vine collections or in experimental vineyards.
The greatest diversity of varieties is to be found in Kakheti, where 80 different varieties are recorded as being cultivated. Imereti boasts 75 different varieties under cultivation; Kartli 72; Mingrelia 60; Abkhazia 58; Guria 53; Adjara 52; Racha-Lechkhumi 50. Besides these regions, Meskheti also used to have some unique varieties.