The unique technology of making wine in special kvevri dishes dates back about 8,000 years and was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List in 2013. The antiquity of the method is evidenced by traces of tartaric acid and seeds of cultivated grape varieties found during archaeological excavations on clay fragments of kvevri dishes from the Neolithic era. Georgians are very proud of their wine and the ancient technology of its production, which has been preserved and is actively used today — but kvevri wine is as familiar to them as any other Georgian wine.
How orange wine is made
In the last few years, so-called «orange wines» have become particularly popular in the world. The very name «Orange» in Georgia may cause a smile. Josko Gravner, a winemaker from Friuli, brought the technology, to which Georgians themselves, due to habit, did not attach much commercial importance, from Georgia to Europe. In 1997, he started producing wines in northern Italy using Georgian technology, and for this purpose he imported kvevri jugs from Georgia.
British magazine The Independent published an article titled «The Future Is Orange», where it talked about centuries-old Georgian wine-making technology and listed «orange wine» as the «fourth» wine, after white, red and rosé. The top ten orange wines included Georgian «Kvevri» 2011 from «Tbilvino» (price 9 €) and «Tsolikauri» 2013 vintage from the winery of Ramaz Nikoladze (21 €).
Orange wine is a wine made from white grapes, following the recipe of red grapes. Its special color is given by the skin and seeds of the grapes, which are left to infuse and ferment with the juice. No artificial ingredients are used in the aging of such wine, it has a natural fruity aroma and bright taste. The fermentation process lasts at least 3—4 months.
Such wines are rich in tannin and contain more alcohol. If you lightly shake a «proper» orange wine in a glass, you will notice that the liquid remains on the walls for some time and slowly sinks to the bottom. This indicates a high concentration of tannin and natural sugar in the drink. The price category of such wines is slightly above average, which is due to the complexity of the preparation process.
«Kwevri.»
The boom of «orange» wines started in the early 2000s, but in Georgia these wines are as old as the drink itself. Despite this, not every Georgian will be able to tell you exactly about «orange wine». This wine is rather known here as «amber», but the product is based on white grape varieties. «Amber» or «orange» color, as well as a pronounced fruity aroma, is given to it by a special technology of preparation of the drink, using an ancient, like the wine itself, clay vessel «kvevri».
The clay vessel itself can be used in a variety of sizes, depending on the size of the vineyard and the harvest. The kvevri is buried in the ground, with only the neck remaining outside. The grapes are pressed in special containers and together with the pulp, the juice is poured into the kvevri, where it is provided with the optimal temperature for fermentation and preservation. The vessel is not filled completely — 80%. During fermentation it is necessary to stir the future wine at least 4—5 times a day. Once the fermentation process is complete, the vessel is filled with the same mixture and sealed for 5—6 months.
During this time, an amazing drink is born — a natural wine with high tannin content, grape flavor and amber hue.
Many factors are taken into account to ensure that the amber wine is perfect. For its preparation, grapes are used that ripen late, but have time to collect the right amount of natural sugar. This condition depends not only on the grape variety itself, but also on the time of year and the type of soil on which it grows. In addition, by this time the air temperature has already fallen and the natural fermentation process of the wine stops on its own.
The best amber wines
The main brands of wines made from white grapes and have amber and orange hues:
- Rkatsiteli is a dark amber-colored wine with a pronounced grape aroma, containing 11.5 to 13% alcohol. This versatile variety from the Kakheti region serves as the basis for many orange and rosé wines.
- Hichvi — created from the grape variety of the same name and has a shade from light golden to dark amber. The strength is 15%.
- Tsitska and Tsitska-Tsolikauri are lemon-colored wines of light and dark tones. The Tsitska variety is predominantly grown in western Georgia, and the wine it produces is table wine, relatively light. In the process of aging, its bouquet of flavors becomes more pronounced, and one can catch shades of chestnut honey and apricots.
- Tsolikauri is a drink of light golden color, with a rich fruity aroma. Also from the grape variety of the same name, the lemon-colored wine «Twishi» is popular.
- Tibaani — a combination of rkatsiteli and green grape varieties produces a wine of dark amber color, 11—13% alcohol, with a light aroma of raisins.
- Cardenachy is a port-type wine, 18% strength, made from a blend of green grapes with a combination of rkatsiteli and hihwi, with honey notes on the palate.
- Kisi is a wine rapidly gaining popularity, with a strength of 11—12% and a soft yellow color. Until a few years ago, the hybrid variety Kisi was on the verge of extinction, but today it is considered one of the best white varieties.
Many winemakers use a combination of several white and green blends to make «orange» wines.
Such wines are successfully combined with meat and fish dishes, as well as exotic spicy cuisine of Iran, India, Morocco and other eastern countries.
In Georgia, kvevri wine is closely associated with centuries-old traditions of feasting, and even locals consider it one of the best gifts for holidays. And kvevri is an integral part of Georgian feast in particular and culture in general.
