Georgian Wine

This Month, so far has been filled with all things wine. We have been on winery tours and to wine and harvest festivals. There has been a little bit of wine drunk by some and a lot by others. Wine is a very important part of the Georgian culture and during the months of September and October most families will make their own wine, using grapes they have grown themselves or bought from local farmers.
Georgia is one of the oldest wine producing regions of the world. Not only has it the earliest record of wine making, dating as far back as 5000 BC but it also has some very unique wine making traditions and techniques, as well as grape varieties unknown to the rest of the world.
The traditional technique of making the wine in a huge clay vessel called a Qvevri and then burying it to store, fascinates me. This ancient technique is something that I hope will never be changed or forgotten as Georgia tries to convince the rest of the wine drinking world to try the unique flavour of their wines.
Next time you are in the supermarket see if there are any bottles of Georgian wine on the shelves, I doubt you will find one. Maybe I will try to travel light this trip home and put a few in my suitcase for a tasting. Let's be the first in NZ to broaden our wine liking horizons and maybe let go of our French ideals of how wine should be made and stored. (barrel or Qvevri). Believe me I am no expert on the subject of wine. Many who know me will be thinking, she doesn't even drink the stuff, but I do like to taste the different types of wines, so I figure I can make little comments.
In this utube clip of the Crazy French Women, she travels Georgia to find out about their wines, how and where they are made. If you have time watch it. There is a really interesting part about the making of the Qvevri and the wine. You will see her in some really remote parts of Georgia helping make wine and unearthing ancient Qvevri.