Introduction
Georgia is situated at the strategically important crossroads where Europe meets Asia. The country has a unique and ancient cultural heritage, and is famed for its traditions of hospitality and cuisine.
History
The recorded history of Georgia dates back more than 4,000 years. The country is proud of the unique Georgian alphabet introduced in 5th century BC. Georgia is also one of the first world countries that adopted Christianity as the state religion in the first half of the 4th century.
Over the centuries, Georgia has been a home for people of different cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds.
Throughout its long and eventful history Georgia was the object of rivalry between Persia, Turkey and Russia, before being eventually annexed by Russia in the 19th century.
Since emerging from the collapsing Soviet Union as an independent state in 1991, Georgia has gone through the armed conflicts with the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in 1992-1993, a peaceful Rose Revolution in 2003, and an armed conflict with Russia in 2008.
Successes
Georgia has made a notable progress since 2004 in accelerating democratic reforms in different areas, including: public service, elections, judiciary, local governance and economic development. The 2012 parliamentary polls demonstrated Georgia’s maturity as a state for the conduct of democratic election and a peaceful transfer of power.
In June 2014, Georgia signed the Association Agreement with the Euroepan Union which entered into force in July 2016.
The visa-free travel to the Schengen zone was granted to Georgia in 2017, after the successful implemetation of the Visa Liberalization Action Plan (VLAP) with the European Union.
WINEMAKING REGION
Kakheti is the most important Georgian winemaking region. The vineyards giving the best quality wines are located in the Alazani and Iori basins, at 400-700 m asl, on humus-carbonate, black and alluvial soils. Of 20 aboriginal wines registered in Georgia 15 belong to Kakheti, such as Tsinandali, Gurjaani, Vazisubani, Manavi, Kardanakhi, Tibaani, Kakheti, Kotekhi, Napareuli, Mukuzani, Teliani, Kindzmarauli, Akhasheni, Kvareli and Khashmi. Among grape varieties there should be noted: Rkatsiteli, Kakhuri Mtsvane (Kakhetian Green), Qisi, Khikhvi, Budeshuri, Mtsvivana, Sapena, Kunsi, Saperavi, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Tavkveri, Ikalto Red, etc. Among Georgian wines Kakhetian wine expresses soil properties most of all. High quality wines are made Kakhetian grape varieties using both European and traditional wine making technology. Kakhetian traditional wine technology has no analogy in the world. The basic technological process consists in pressing grape in a Satsnakheli (winepress) and pouring the grape must (badagi) in the qvevri. After completion of alcoholic fermentation the “chacha” (grape skins, stalks and pips) sinks to the bottom and the qvevris are closed and after malolactic fermentation the qvevris are closed hermetically. In March the first racking occurs. After that wine is aged for about a year and systematically controlled. In addition to traditional Kakhetian wine, a very good European-style wine can be also made Kakheti grape varieties. For example, Rkatsiteli and Kakhetian Mstvane classical Georgian Tsinandali can be made. The most wide-spread grape variety in Kakheti is Saperavi. Saperavi is made both qvevri and European-style wines. Saperavi is used to produce wonderful pink and sparkling wines. For centuries Kakheti has created and formed an original type of table wine which is rather distinct the wine of this type around the world. It is characterized by high extraction, a high content of phenolic compounds and tannins, pleasant bouquet, sort-specific aroma and taste.