SAPERAVI KVEVRI 2018

Georgia is a country that has been an important transportation hub since the Silk Road. It is also known as the birthplace of wine, as fragments of earthenware and seeds for wine have been found in ancient ruins dating back to around 6000 BC. The ancient Kvevri method of winemaking has been carefully preserved, and wines with a very rich flavor are produced. KVEVRI is an unglazed clay vessel used for vinification, aging, and preservation of wine.
Because there are only a few places where the best clay for kvevri can be mined, craftsmen pass on not only their skills in making kvevri, but also their knowledge of the location from generation to generation. The Kvevri is buried in the ground to maintain a low temperature ideal for aging and preserving wine, and its oval shape encourages the circulation of juice, skins, and stalks.

Vinification with Kvevri

The Kvevri winemaking process was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2013.
The traditional method of vinification in Kvevri varies slightly from region to region, but the traditional process involves crushing the grapes in a wooden vat called a satsnakheli, and then adding the juice and the residue (skins, stalks, seeds, etc.) left over after pressing the grapes (called chacha) to the kvevri for fermentation. The juice is then crushed, and the Chacha (skins, stalks, seeds, etc.) is fermented in the Kvevri. Fermentation takes place exclusively with natural yeasts, and once fermentation is complete, the cuvée is sealed and allowed to age.
Both white and black grapes can be vinified in the Kvevri, but the procedure is almost identical, with slight differences in soaking time.
The traditional method of vinification in Kvevri is historically the oldest in the Kakheti region, and is characterized by a longer maceration period than in other regions.