Georgia's 8,000-year-old wine tradition — the world's oldest winemaking method
Qvevri Wine
Made in large clay vessels buried in the ground, qvevri wines are the world's oldest continuously practised winemaking tradition — UNESCO-protected, deeply Georgian, and increasingly influential globally.
The Grape
Qvevri (or kvevri) are large, egg-shaped clay vessels traditionally lined with beeswax and buried up to their necks in the earth, where the cool, stable temperature provides natural climate control. Whole bunches of grapes — including stems, skins, and seeds — are crushed and fermented in the vessels for weeks or months before being sealed for ageing.
The technique is uniquely Georgian and dates back at least 8,000 years — making it the oldest continuously practised winemaking method on earth. UNESCO added qvevri winemaking to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013. While Georgia is the spiritual home, qvevri (and qvevri-style) wines are now made across the world, particularly in Friuli, Slovenia, and increasingly in California and Australia.
History & Origins
Archaeological evidence from Georgia's Shulaveri-Shomu sites pushes the history of wine to around 6,000 BC — making the South Caucasus the oldest wine-producing region in the world. Qvevri winemaking has been practised continuously across the country, particularly in Kakheti, ever since.
The Soviet era saw qvevri tradition pushed to the margins, with state production focused on industrial methods. Independence in 1991 sparked a renaissance — small family producers reclaimed ancestral vessels and grape varieties, and international interest exploded after Josko Gravner's pilgrimage to Georgia in the late 1990s. Today, Georgian qvevri wines are at the heart of the global natural wine movement.
Flavour Profile
Qvevri wines are unmistakable — long skin contact, no temperature control, and clay vessels create a flavour profile unlike anything else.
Qvevri White (Skin-Contact)
Dried apricot, orange peel, walnut, tea, beeswax, autumn leaf
Whites made in qvevri are inevitably skin-contact wines — amber-coloured, textured, and complex. Made primarily from Rkatsiteli, Mtsvane, and Kisi in Georgia.
Qvevri Red
Dried cherry, pomegranate, leather, dried herbs, gentle smoke, mineral
Reds in qvevri (often Saperavi in Georgia) develop a savoury, structured character — gentle tannins, bright acidity, and signature earthen-vessel complexity.
Stems-Included & Ancestral
Tea, dried fruit, tobacco, gentle phenolic grip, mineral
Whole-bunch fermentation including stems — common in qvevri winemaking — adds tannic structure and a distinctive savoury complexity to both whites and reds.
What to Pair It With
Qvevri wines were made for traditional Georgian feasts — but their structure and complexity work with food cultures across the world.
Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread)
The textbook regional pairing — rich, melted cheese in bread meets qvevri white's structure and acidity in pure local harmony.
Khinkali (Georgian Dumplings)
Spiced, juicy dumplings served at every Georgian table — particularly brilliant with a structured qvevri red made from Saperavi.
Walnut-Based Dishes (Pkhali, Satsivi)
Georgia's signature walnut sauces echo qvevri wine's nutty, savoury character — flavours born from the same landscape.
Roast Pork or Lamb with Herbs
Qvevri reds' structure and savoury depth make them brilliant partners to slow-roasted meats — particularly with rosemary, garlic, and earthy spices.
Aged Cheeses & Charcuterie
Qvevri whites' tannin and complexity handle cured meats and aged cheeses better than most whites — often a more interesting pairing than red wine.
Where the Best Comes From
Georgia is the spiritual home of qvevri wines, but the technique is increasingly practised globally.
Kakheti, Georgia
Explore Region →Ancient, traditional, deeply place-rooted
The historic heartland of Georgian winemaking and qvevri production. Hundreds of indigenous grape varieties, deep tradition, and a renaissance of ambitious small producers.
Imereti, Georgia
Explore Region →Lighter qvevri style, accessible, distinctive
Western Georgia's wine region uses a slightly different qvevri style — shorter skin contact, fewer stems, producing more accessible wines than Kakheti's full-blooded examples.
Friuli & Slovenia
Explore Region →Italian/Slovenian qvevri, increasingly recognised
Following Josko Gravner's pioneering use of Georgian qvevri in Friuli, producers across the cross-border region have adopted the vessels — producing some of Europe's most acclaimed orange wines.
California & Australia
Explore Region →Emerging, experimental, increasingly serious
A small but growing number of New World producers are working with qvevri (or qvevri-inspired) clay vessels — particularly in California's natural wine scene and South Australia's Adelaide Hills.
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