Let us talk about something worth getting excited about. Georgia and the ancient art and tradition of
winemaking and how it has crept into the Winelands of South Africa. Georgia has been making wine
for what is said to be over 8,000 years.
Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eastern Europe, with Russia bordering it to the north
and northeast and Turkey and Armenia to the south. Georgia makes its traditional wine with what
they call the qvevri, sometimes spelled kwevri. What is the Qvevri? It’s an egg-shaped earthenware
Vessels made by hand in the villages of Georgia. Clay is collected from the surrounding forests and
used to mold these ancient vessels that are baked in brick fire ovens; they are coated with lime
traditionally and lined by hand. This helps with the process of winemaking and strengthens the
Qvevri. This entire process starts and ends by hand. This is an art, and the entire tradition and
process are passed down from families, friends, and even neighbors.
The community comes together for harvest and even the making of wine. The fruit is handpicked
and manually pressed; the juice, skins, seeds, and even sometimes the stalks all together go into
this handmade vessel, the qvevri.
This large piece of pottery is then buried underground. This plays a role in maintaining the
temperature and stabilizing this egg-shaped earthenware. All that is visible is a hole or lid peeking
out of the earth. It is rather a sight. The fruit is then left to ferment and develop into these wines that
are not shy about showing off their character. It is a true celebration of craft, terroir, and a long-loved
and honored tradition. Many say that one cannot make wine more natural than this. It might remind
you of the earthenware jars that were used to produce wines in biblical times, when all they had was
fruit and ground to work with. From the ground back into it.
These wines express themselves with so much Parfum, that it is beautifully overwhelming. My first
Georgian-inspired wine, I must have spent five minutes alone on the Bouquet before I even had my
first sip. Now, when it comes to texture, it braces itself with volume and backbone and is lush without
being overly heavy. The flavor and texture of these wines are so different and worthy of praise. The
white wines produced in this way come out looking like liquid gold and, I might add, taste much like it
too. They are better known as amber wines. From the visuals to the proud bouquet and rich layers
that roll around in your glass to the feel in your mouth down to the taste, it is truly an experience one
will not forget easily or deny yourself of again.
So we made our way to Avondale, a gem nestled in Paarl, to try out the first farm in South Africa to
grace their cellar with A Qvevri back in 2018.
Avondale has celebrated Georgia by making a red qvevri blend with Rhone varietals. Please do not
walk but run to try their wines. Not only do they make use of the Qvevri but they also honour the
terroir by practicing biodynamic principles and are certified organic. They produce an incredible
range of wines. Avondale is only one of the farms in South Africa that has made this bold move to
celebrate Georgia’s art of winemaking. It is easy to understand how our winemakers would value a
method that has not failed the Georgians yet. Do not fix something that is not broken
