From the Cradle of Wine

Vardzia Adventure Race

2009-04-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

So it's not exactly wine, but those interested in running, biking and rafting, or just in seeing some of Georgia's rugged landscape, might find this race a lot of fun.

A NOTE FROM THE BLOGGER: Yes, I realize postings have become woefully infrequent. Mostly I blame the PhD program I entered in August. However, this blog has not been totally forgotten and I hope to have some sporadic postings this summer.

Buy Georgian Wine!

2008-08-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

BUY GEORGIAN WINE!
Russian forces battle Georgians

Georgian Recipes Online

2008-06-18T15:40:00.000-07:00

Today I discovered a wonderful blog of Georgian recipes, aptly titled Delicious Georgian Cuisine. I only regret that the blog had a rather short life and is no longer posting recipes. However, there are 48 on the website, and I'm looking forward to trying some. They run the gamut from soups and breads to meats and salads.

You'll notice from many of the pictures that Georgian cuisine, not surprisingly, pairs very well with wine.

Teliani Valley Tsinandali

2008-06-08T15:56:00.000-07:00

The first two-story winery in recent Georgian history was built in Kakheti's Teliani valley in 1886; today, Teliani Valley PLC is heir to that tradition.

Teliani Valley describes their 2004 Tsinandali as a "white dry wine." Though not sweet, the wine lacks the crispness that most people associate with a dry white. To some palates this is a deficiency, but this simplicity of taste can also be seen as the wine's great virtue. When drinking this Tsinandali you are, quite simply, tasting grapes - 80% Rkatsiteli and 20% Mtsvane, harvested in late October - in a very balanced and smooth wine, with a gentle finish.

The makers suggest pairing this wine with white meats, vegetables or mushrooms, the last of which would work particularly well.

David the Builder Defeats Turks, Ushers in Golden Age

2008-06-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

Since the 1080s the Kingdom of Georgia had been a tributary of the empire of the Seljuq Turks. In this dark time, known as the Great Turkish Onslaught (didi turkoba), young King David IV (left and below) decided he had had enough. He determined to bring order to the lawless land, reign in the unsubmissive feudal lords, centralize the state administration and build an army which could drive the Turks from Georgia and indeed the whole Caucasus.

While the Turks were dealing with the First Crusade, King David gathered his forces, consisting not only of ethnic Georgians but also Kipchak and Alan nomads and "Franks" from Western Europe. Between 1089 and 1100, King David organized cadres of loyal troops to restore order and destroy isolated enemy outposts. He resettled devastated regions, revived the major cities, ceased paying the annual tribute to the Seljuqs and stopped their seasonal migration into Georgia. (At the same time he rejected the Byzantine title of panhypersebastos, roughly translated "prince," indicating his refusal to be the vassal of any nation.)

In 1101 King David pushed further, capturing the fortress of Zedazeni, a strategic point for control of Kakheti and Hereti. David began to penetrate deeply into Seljuq territory, as far as the Araxes Basin and the Caspian littoral, disrupting Turkish trade throughout the region. In June of 1121 he began laying siege to Tbilisi, an ancient Georgian city which had been under foreign rule for centuries.

Sultan Mahmud II of the Seljuqs did not look kindly upon King David's attempts to liberate his country and the sultan launched a major counteroffensive, lead by his brother and several leading officials of the empire. Islamic, Georgian, Armenian and Western European sources vary in their accounts, but all agree that the Seljuq army numbered somewhere between 200,000 and 600,000. King David’s had a mere 40,000 Georgians, 15,000 Kipchaks, 500 Alans and 100 Western "Franks." For every one man in his camp there was somewhere between three and ten in the enemy camp.

On August 12, 1121, an advanced party of 200 of David's men surprised the Turks and the king then fell with the bulk of his forces upon the flanks of the sultan's army. In a three hour battle at Didgori, the Seljuq forces were defeated, leaving behind large amounts of booty as they fled.

The victory at the Battle of Didgori broke the enemy's back and the next year King David captured the city of Tbilisi. According to one Georgian chronicler, it became "forever an arsenal and capital for his sons." Though David at first dealt harshly with the Muslims of Tbilisi, the Arab historian al-'Ayni records that he eventually relented and "respected the feelings of the Muslims more than Muslim rulers had done."

When he later went on to liberate Armenian lands from the Turks as well, he was given the title "Sword of the Messiah." In addition to his political and military skills, King David was also a writer, penning the Galobani sinanulisani ("Hymns of Repentance"), free-verse poetry.

King David died on January 24, 1125, and was buried at the Gelati Monastery (whose ceiling is pictured above). As he requested, he was buried under the stones of the gatehouse, so anyone coming to visit would first step on his tomb, an act of great humility from such an accomplished man.

A friend of the church and a promoter of Christian culture, David the Builder was canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church.

The modern flag of Georgia began as the standard of King David and the Order of David the Builder is one of the most prestigious decorations awarded by Georgia. President Mikheil Saakashvili took his oath of office at the tomb of King David.

Memorial at Didgori

Akhasheni Red Wine

2008-05-15T13:07:00.000-07:00

Like many of Georgia's finest wines, Akhasheni red wine comes from the Kakheti region (whose David Gareja monastery is pictured above). This wine is made from Saperavi grapes from the Akhasheni vineyards of the Gurdzhaani district.

The wine is naturally semi-sweet and has a dark pomegranate color and a velvety taste with undertones of chocolate. It has 10.5-12.0% alcohol, 3-5% sugar and 5-7% titrated acidity. Akhasheni red wine has been manufactured since 1958.

Marjory Wardrop: A Friend of Georgia

2008-05-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

Born in London on November 26, 1869, Marjory Scott Wardrop was a life-long friend of Georgia, its people and its literature.

She began her study of Georgian with nothing more than an alphabet and a Gospel. By the age of twenty she had chosen to devote herself to the study of Georgian. She would eventually master a total of seven languages, the others being French, German, Italian, Russian and Romanian. She not only learned to speak them, but studied the literature of each as well. He travels took her across Europe, to North Africa and to Haiti; she spent three years living in Romania and a decade in various parts of the Russian empire.

Her command of the Georgian language was so excellent that when she wrote to Ilia Chavchavadze (pictured right) requesting permission to translate The Hermit, a copy of her letter was published in his newspaper, Iveria, as a model of style. When she arrived in Transcaucasia in December, 1894, she was received with great enthusiasm. On this and subsequent travels she met a wide variety of Georgians from every class and formed a number of lasting friendships which resulted in a regular and extensive correspondence in Georgian. “There is hardly a household in the Western Caucasus,” one commentator writes, “where her name is unknown. Others, have studied the language, literature, and history, of Georgia; she in addition felt an affection for the nation, kept herself informed of all that concerned its welfare, and was sometimes able unobtrusively to do good work for it.”

Though fragile and weak of body, Wardrop was known for her “subtle humor, strength of mind and warmth of heart.” On three successive occasions – in Port-au-Prince (1902), in St. Petersburg (1905), and in Bucharest (1907) – she found herself in the midst of war, but faced violence and pestilence with calm resolve, always sharing in the perils of those around her.

She translated and published Georgian Folk Tales (London, 1894 - cover piece left), The Hermit by Ilia Chavchavadze (London, 1895), The Life of St. Nino (Oxford, 1900) and The Knight in the Panther's Skin by Shota Rustaveli (London, 1912).

She died at Bucharest on December 7, 1909 and was buried at Sevenoaks. Her brother, the British diplomat and scholar of Georgia, Sir Oliver Wardrop, created the Marjory Wardrop Fund at Oxford University “for the encouragement of the study of the language, literature, and history of Georgia, in Transcaucasia.” Her books and manuscripts now reside in Oxford’s Bodleian Library.

Barakoni Red Wine

2008-04-30T10:31:00.000-07:00

Barakoni red wine is grown on the steep slopes of the Rioni gorge in the mountainous western region of Racha (modern-day Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti). This wine, made from Alexandreuli and Mudzhuretuli grapes (the same grapes from which Khvanchkara is made), is naturally semi-dry. Barakoni is known for its light-ruby color, fragrance of violets, natural pleasant sweetness and a tender harmonious taste. After breathing for a bit, Barakoni contains 10-12% alcohol, 1.5-2.5% sugar and has 5-7% titrated acidity.

Produced since 1981, Barakoni wine is named after the Georgian Orthodox Barakoni Church of the Mother of God (Georgian: ბარაკონის ღვთისმშობლის ტაძარი), commonly known as Barakoni (ბარაკონი). It is an important surviving example of the medieval tradition of Georgian architecture.

New Edition of Georgian National Epic Published

2008-04-25T11:48:00.000-07:00

A new edition of the Wardrop translation of the Georgian national epic, The Man in the Panther's Skin, by Shota Rustaveli (pictured left in a 1937 painting by Sergo Kobuladze) was released late last year in paperback form by Forgotten Books.

A brief passage from the Preface explains some of the appeal of the text:

The history of the poem makes it worthy of perusal, for it has been in a unique manner the book of a nation for seven hundred years; down to our own days the young people learned it by heart; every woman was expected to know every word of it, and on her marriage to carry a copy of it to her new home. Such veneration shown for so long a period proves that the story of the Panther-clad Knight presents an image of the Georgian outlook on life, and justifies the presumption that merits tested by the experience of a quarter of a million days, most of them troublous, may be apparent to other races, that such a book may be of value to mankind, and chiefly to those peoples which, like the Georgian, came under the influence of Greek and Christian ideals.

Shota Rustaveli presents his poem to Queen Tamar, Mihály Zichy, 1880s

Uplistsikhe: Ancient Center of Georgian Culture

2008-04-09T06:59:00.000-07:00

The name 'Uplistsikhe' (უფლისციხე) literally means 'the lord's fortress'; this ancient city on the Mtkvari River - complete with streets, churches, palaces, concert halls and living quarters - was carved out of the rock, beginning in the 5th century BC. Over the centuries, a unique combination of various architectural styles from Anatolia and Iran would emerge, with pagan and Christian structures eventually standing side by side.

Located just 10km east of modern-day Gori, Uplistsikhe is one of the oldest urban centers in Georgia and grew to be a key religious, political and cultural center in the Hellenistic period, in part due to its strategic location in the heartland of the Kingdom of Kartli (known as Iberia to the ancient writers).

With the establishment of Christianity in Georgia in 337, the city's importance declined, with Mtskheta and later Tbilisi emerging as the centers of Christian culture. However, due to its ancient greatness, medieval Georgian writers ascribed its foundation to the mythical Uplos, son of Mtskhetos, and grandson of Kartlos.

The city rose to prominence again in the 9th century and became a stronghold during the Muslim conquests, until Genghis Khan destroyed the city in 1240. By the 14th century it was deserted.

Several of the most vulnerable parts of the ruins were completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1920. Stability remains a key concern, prompting the Fund of Cultural Heritage of Georgia (a joint project of the World Bank and Government of Georgia) to launch a conservation program in 2000. Of the original 700 caves, only about 150 remain, though they are well known for their breathtaking beauty.

Georgian Dance Sensation Is Back

2008-04-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

On April 29th the famed Erisioni dance company will premier its latest show, Samaia, in Bucharest. (As of this writing, tickets were still avaliable.) The performance takes its name from a traditional dance associated with Queen Tamar of Georgia, who is celebrated in the Georgian epic poem, The Knight in the Panther's Skin.

If this latest show from producer Pascal Jourdan is anything like the last two, it will be well worth seeing. In addition, award-winning singer Marika Tkhelidze (pictured) will be performing with the troupe.

The tour will also include a stop at the Festival de Cornouaille, where traditional Georgian and Celtic dance will collide on July 21st.

And if you need just a little more Erisioni in your life, check out this excellent video, which includes performance clips and interviews with a variety of people involved in the last tour.

Lelo Fortified Wine

2008-04-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

Made from Tsitska and Tsolikauri grapes, grown in the Imereti region, Lelo has a golden color, a fruity aroma and a well-balanced taste. (Incidentally, these are the same grapes used to make Kolkheti wine.)

Similar in many ways to the port wines better known in the West, Lelo is a fortified wine, meaning that additional alcohol has been added. Originally this was done to presever the wine, though now it has become a matter of taste. Due to the added sweetness, such wines are sometimes referred to as "dessert wines."

The alcohol content is 19%, sugar content 5 %, and an acidity of 6 g/l.

Badagoni Opens New Wine Factory

2008-01-25T05:21:00.000-08:00

This video tells the story of the opening of the Badogoni wine factory and provides some interesting background on the importance of the Alaverdi cathedral (pictured below) in the history of Georgian wine.

Special thanks go out to Nadia Nijaradze for bringing this video to our attention.

Drinking Malice

2007-07-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

During his recent visit to Sweden, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (pictured), was obliged to drink a cup of malice - both literally and in terms of Russian foreign policy. At a state dinner for the foreign ministers of the Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS), the wine on the menu was Georgian. It seems that Lavrov took this opportunity to enjoy this world-renouned product, which is banned in Russia.

Skeptical? The story comes from the Swedish Foreign Minister himself, Carl Bildt, who wrote about it on his blog. The Swedish state wine monopoly, Systembolaget, recently introduced its first Georgian wine - a 2005 Teliani Valley Saperavi.

Special thanks to the keen eyes of Vilhelm Konnander for catching this story.

Rkatsiteli Grapes

2007-06-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

Rkaksiteli (pronounced "rkah-tsee-tely"; Georgian რქაწითელი; literally "red stem") is a variety of grapes grown along the Black Sea coast of Georgia, used to make dry white table wines of the Kakhetian style. Rkatsiteli was very popular in the Soviet Union and remains popular in Russia. In spite of the Russian ban on Georgian wine, Rkaksiteli still makes its way to Russia, since it is now grown in other former-Soviet republics and in Eastern Europe. In addition, it is grown in small areas of Australia and the eastern United States. The leaves are round, with three or five lobes; the grapes themselves are golden in color and will develop brown spots on the sun side.

Rkaksiteli grapes are often blended with other grapes: with Khikhvi and Mtsvane to produce Rkatsiteli Khornabujuli wine; with Mtsvane to make the aged white wine Tibaani; with Chinuri and Chkhaveri for sparkling wine; with Saperavi and Cabernet Sauvignon for a semi-dry rose wine; or with Khikvi and Mtsvane for the fortified white port Kardenakhi. Rkatsiteli is one of the oldest varieties of grapes in the world; clay vessels have been found in Georgia with Rkatsiteli seeds dating from 3000 BC.

Colchis Gives Birth to a Nation

2007-06-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

In ancient geography, Colchis or Kolchis (Georgian: კოლხეთი, Kolkheti; Greek: Κολχίς, Kolchís) was an ancient Georgian kingdom in the Caucasus, first settled by the Colchians in the Middle Bronze Age. Colchis was not simply in the geographic area of medieval and modern Georgia, but played an important role in the ethnic and cultural formation of the country, with the ancient kingdom laying important foundations for the medieval kingdom and the modern nation-state.

In Greek mythology the home of Aeëtes and Medea and the destination of the Argonauts, Colchis covered the present Georgian provinces of Mingrelia, Imereti, Guria, Ajaria, Svaneti, Racha, Abkhazia and the modern Turkey’s Rize, Trabzon and Artvin provinces.

The name "Colchis" first appears in Aeschylus and Pindar. The main cities were Dioscurias or Dioscuris (under the Romans called Sebastopolis, now Sukhumi) on the sea-board of the Euxine, Sarapana (now Shorapani), Phasis (now Poti), Pityus (now Pitsunda), Apsaros (now Gonio), Surium (now Surami), Archaeopolis (now Nokalakevi), Macheiresis, and Cyta or Cutatisium (now Kutaisi), the traditional birthplace of Medea.

The Jason Voyage

2007-05-31T09:23:00.000-07:00

The ancient Greeks told the story of a man named Jason sailing on the ship Argo with a band of friends (the Argonauts), eventually arriving in the land of Colchis, where he seized the Golden Fleece and ran off with the king's daughter, Medea.
For years many scholars claimed the journey could not be made in the boats of Jason's time.

So Tim Severin (pictured) set out to prove them wrong. Constructing a boat along the lines of an early Greek ship, he and a group of men recreated the legendary voyage of Jason, sailing from Greece to modern Georgia, at that time a part of the Soviet Union. Upon his arrival Severin was greeted by Georgian hospitality and treated to the supra. He went on to write a book about his adventures, The Jason Voyage.

Born in India in 1940, Severin began his life of exploration while still studying geography and history at Oxford. He has gone on to recreate a number of legendary journeys in order to determine how much of the legends are based on history. His books have won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award, The Book Of The Sea Award, a Christopher Prize and the literary medal of the Academie de la Marine. He is a regular contributor to the National Geographic Magazine. Tim Severin also holds the Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society and the Livingstone Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.

Treasures of Georgia

2007-05-29T09:57:00.000-07:00

If you've not already fallen in love with the beauty that is Georgia, this series of films, titled Treasures of Georgia, will win you over.

Part I

Part II

Part III

Usakhelauri Red Wine

2007-05-24T09:51:00.000-07:00

The Usakhelauri grape, from which Usakhelauri red wine is made, is grown on the mountain slopes of the Lechkhumi district in western Georgia, mainly near the villages of Okhureshi, Aubi and Isunderi. These grapes are quite scarce and only a limited amount of land is available, making them highly prized, indeed the premier wine grape of Georgia. The very name "Usakhelauri" means "nameless" in Georgian, on account of its rarity

Usakhelauri wine, produced since 1943, is known for its gentle and subtle qualities. The flavor is a harmoniously sweet one with a hint of strawberry. It is noted for a pleasant velvety taste, a delicate bouquet and matchless piquancy.

Usakhelauri contains 10.5 - 12.0% alcohol, 3 - 5% sugar and has 5 - 7 % titrated acidity.

Guria: From the Mountains to the Sea

2007-05-15T13:15:00.000-07:00

Guria (გურია) is a region in western Georgia with landscapes running from the Meskheti Mountains at 2800 meters (9128 feet) all the way down to the beaches of the Black Sea. Its subtropical climate makes it home to tea, citrus, tobacco, hazelnut and silk production.

Nearly half of Guria is covered in forests, many of which are home to health resorts and or springs used to produce the widely-exported Nabeghlavi mineral water (which was recently banned from Russia, along with Georgian wine, as an act of political intimidation).

Guria's flora is exceedingly rich and distinctive, encompassing bogs and sub-alpine forests and open fields. Cultural sites include the Likhauri church (15th century), the Shemokmedi monastery complex (16-18th centuries; pictured), the Gurieli palace (18th century), the Djumati monastery (16th century), the Askana fortress and church complex (16th century) and Petra (I millennium, BC, later called Justinianopolis or today Tsikhisdziri).

The region was governed by local rulers until the creation of the unified Kingdom of Georgia in the 10th century. When the Kingdom disintegrated in 1466, Guria became an independent principality. Throughout the eighteenth century, Gurian princes were involved in anti-Ottoman liberation wars, though eventually Lower Guria fell to the Ottomans. In 1810 Prince Mamia V Gurieli accepted Russian sovereignty though Russian resulted in an uprising in 1819 and 1820. A subsequent uprising in 1841 was brutally suppressed. The region (mkhare) of Guria re-emerged as part of an independent Georgia in 1995.

Famous Georgians include historian and archaeologist Ekvtime Takaishvili, journalist and politician Noe Zhordania and historian and philologist Pavle Ingorokva.

There is some debate about where the name “Guria” comes from. Some argue it is named after the Gurieli noble family, which governed western Georgia as vassals of the crown, beginning in the 13th century. Others contend that when Georgia’s boundaries stretched from Nikopsia to Daruband, Guria was in the center of Georgia, taking its name from the Megrelian word for heart: “guri.”

Medallion from an icon frame, Djumati Monestary, c. 1100

Mtsvane Grapes

2007-05-11T12:54:00.000-07:00

Mtsvane grapes are grown in several areas of Kakheti, including Signagi (pictured), and Kvareli.

These grapes are used in a variety of Georgian white wines. The vines, though susceptible to drought, are resistant to frost and are characterized by medium-size yellow-green grapes with bronze spots; they have a thin skin and juicy pulp. (The name Mtsvane in Georgian means "new, young, green.") The leaves have five lobes and are more rounded than many.

Mtsvane grapes can be used to produce Manavi or Mtsvane dry table wine. These grapes are often blended with Rkatsiteli to make Tsinandali, Vazisubani or Gurdzhaani wine, since to it adds a fruity, aromatic balance. In addition, Mtsvane grapes are blended with Rkatsiteli and Khikhvi to make high quality Rkatsiteli Khornabudjuli wine or the fortified Anaga.

Tavisupleba: The Georgian National Anthem

2007-05-10T12:27:00.000-07:00

Tavisupleba (თავისუფლება) is the national anthem of Georgia. The song, along with the new flag and coat of arms, were ushered in in 2004, following the bloodless Rose Revolution.

The song’s title means “freedom.” The lyrics were written by Davit Maghradze and the music adopted by Ioseb Kechakmadze from two Georgian operas, Abesalom da Eteri (“Abesalom and Eteri”) and Daisi (“Nightfall”), by the Georgian composer Zakaria Paliashvili (1871-1933), the father of Georgian classical music.

A variety of Georgian muscians performing Tavisupleba together, with film from the Rose Revolution

English Translation

My icon is my motherland,
And the whole world is its icon-stand.
Bright mounts and valleys
Are shared with God
Today our freedom
Sings to the glory of future,
The dawn star rises up
And shines out between two seas.
Praise be to liberty, Praise be to liberty!

Georgian

ჩემი ხატია სამშობლო,
სახატე მთელი ქვეყანა,
განათებული მთა-ბარი,
წილნაყარია ღმერთთანა.
თავისუფლება დღეს ჩვენი
მომავალს უმღერს დიდებას,
ცისკრის ვარსკვლავი ამოდის
და ორ ზღვას შუა ბრწყინდება,
დიდება თავისუფლებას,
თავისუფლებას დიდება.

Georgian Transliteration

Chemi khatia samshoblo,
Sakhate mteli kveqana,
Ganatebuli mta-bari
Tsilnaqaria Ghmerttana.
Tavisupleba dghes chveni
Momavals umghers didebas,
Tsiskris varskvlavi amodis
Da or zghvas shua brtsqindeba.
Dideba tavisuplebas,Tavisuplebas dideba!

Georgia's Own Katie Melua

2007-05-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

Ketevan “Katie” Melua (ქეთევან "ქეთი" მელუა) has been compared to such female musical sensations as Joss Stone and Norah Jones, though her career has really only begun. Her blend of jazz and blues styles, filtered through a folk acoustic guitar, have been making waves around the world.

Born in Kutaisi, Georgia in 1984, Katie Melua grew up in Tbilisi, where her grandparents lived, and later moved with her family to the seaside town of Batumi, Ajaria. The family left Georgia when Katie was 8 and moved to Belfast where her father worked as a heart surgeon at the Royal Victoria Hospital. Katie went to Catholic schools in Northern Ireland while her younger brother went to a Protestant school. The family moved to Redhill, England in 1998. As a result of her diverse upbringing, Katie speaks three languages: Georgian, Russian and English.

Melua did not always want to be a singer or songwriter; when she was thirteen she aspired to be a politician or a historian. “I honestly thought I'd be able to bring peace to the world,” she once explained, “if I ruled it!” When she was fifteen Melua entered a TV talent competition and won, despite only having entered for fun.

Katie Melua joined the BRIT School for Performing Arts where she undertook a BTEC and Music A-level. Here she discovered a variety of musical styles of music including Queen, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Irish folk music and Indian music. On hearing an Eva Cassidy song she was deeply impressed and, upon discovering that Eva was no longer alive, wrote the song ‘Faraway Voice’ as a tribute. In July, 2003, she graduated with distinction.

Composer/producer Mike Batt visited the BRITs looking for musicians to form a jazz band; on hearing Melua perform ‘Faraway Voice’ he realized he had found something special. “Artists like Katie don’t come along very often; she is a true original.” Katie signed to Batt’s record label Dramatico. In 2003 she met Queen Elizabeth, who told her, “I have heard your record on the radio; it is very nice.”

In November, 2003 she released her debut album, ‘Call Off the Search,’ which hit number 1 in January 2004, knocking Dido out of the top spot and staying there for three weeks. (Temporarily deposed by Norah Jones, Melua returned to the top spot, holding it for another three weeks.)

Katie Melua joined the line up of Band Aid 20 for the new version of the single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas.’ She also works as an ambassador for Save The Children and was asked by Sharon Osbourne to join the recording of Eric Clapton’s ‘Tears In Heaven,’ a fundraising single for the Tsunami appeal.

On 10 August, 2005, she became a British citizen, along with her family. After the ceremony she explained, “As a family, we have been very fortunate to find a happy lifestyle in this country and we feel we belong.” However, “we still consider ourselves to be Georgian, because that is where our roots are, and I return to Georgia every year to see my uncles and grandparents.”

In 2005 she released a second album, "Piece by Piece." She enjoys roller coasters, paragliding, hang gliding and skydiving.

Ojaleshi Red Wine

2007-05-05T14:11:00.000-07:00

Ojaleshi red wine (variously spelled “Oljaleshi,” “Odjaleshi” or “Odzhaleshi”) is made from grapes of the same name, which are grown on the mountains overlooking the Tskhenis-Tskali River, in particular near the village of Orbeli in the Samegrelo district of western Georgia (pictured), not far from such historic sites as Nokalakevi.

Ojaleshi has a dark ruby color, a spicy aroma and a rich taste with fruity flavor flavors. It contains 10-12% alcohol, 3-5% sugar and has a titrated acidity of 5-6%.

A Word from the Blogger

2007-05-04T12:19:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, this blog began as a public diplomacy project for a class at the Institute of World Politics. The assignment is now over and I think I can say with confidence that the project has been a success.

Thanks go out to all of our readers around the world who visited from the following places: Europe (Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Italy, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom), the Americas (Canada, Netherlands Antilles, Panama, United States), Asia (India, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey), Africa (Morocco) and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand).

Please continue to spread the word about From the Cradle of Wine, the Republic of Georgia and the fine wines that come out of this region. Though the assignment is over this blog will continue, if perhaps with slightly less frequent posts.

Thanks for reading!

Grape Harvest Comes to Georgia

2007-05-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

In late September and early October grape harvest comes to Georgia. The day’s labor begins early and is strenuous, but punctuated with feasting and celebration, especially late into the evening. (This can make for a short night of sleep before work resumes the next morning, but no one seems to mind.)

In the major wine region of Kakheti, three quarters of households derive some portion of their income from wine production. Houses are very proud of their particular vintages and small vineyard owners have been known to sleep in their vineyards at night to guard their precious crops.

Not all the grapes are used to make wine, however. Some are left in bunches on the ground by the harvesters, who pick them up on their last pass-through, to be dried and made into raisins.

In the autumn visitors to Kakheti can find themselves working alongside the harvest crews or sampling bottles of the region’s past accomplishments. Regardless, guests are caught up in the hospitality and celebration that characterize the harvest time.

There are a number of autumn festivals, directly or indirectly celebrating the harvest, the rtveli. The holidays of Alaverdoba (28 September) and Mtskhetoba/Svetichovloba (14 October) are also celebrated this time of year. Harvest feasting involves lavish amounts of famed Georgian food and drink, with serving goats a common tradition.

Tsinandali White Wine

2007-05-02T07:47:00.000-07:00

Tsinandali white wine is made from a blend of Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane grapes (pictured) and comes from the Telavi and Kvareli area of Kakheti. It is fermented at cool temperatures and matured for two to three years to bring out the complexity. Tsinandali can be aged for a further five, adopting some nutty bottle-aged characters in the process. However it is recommended that the wine be consumed within the first two years.

Tsinandali has a pale golden color and a light body. The flavor, though light, is not dull, with tones of apple. The finish is moderate in length.

Because of the high acidity, Tsinandali nicely complements cheeses and appetizers, a great starter for a meal. It also goes well with fish, cream sauces and fruits. Unlike many white wines, Tsinandali is best served at cellar temperature, around 14ºC (58ºF). The refreshing taste and cool temperature work very well in warm weather.

The view from Telani, Georgia, home of Tsinandali

Tbilisi Builds New Cathedral

2007-05-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

The Tbilisi Holy Trinity Cathedral is commonly known, even in the West, as "Sameba" from the Georgian სამება,"Trinity." It is the seat of the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

In May of 1989 the Patriarch, in conjunction with the civil authorities in Tbilisi, announced an international contest to build a new cathedral, to mark the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Christ and the 1,500th anniversary of the autonomy (technically called "autocephaly") of the Georgian church. In a two-stage selection process the design of Archil Mindiashvili was selected from among hundreds. On November 23 (St. George's Day), 1995, the cornerstone was laid and exactly nine years later the church was consecrated by Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II and representatives of fellow Orthodox churches from around the world. Also in attendance were political leaders and religious figures from non-Orthodox communities.

The new cathedral is a synthesis of traditional Georgian architectural styles from a variety of periods in Georgian history. The church is cruciform in layout with nine chapels, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, Saint Nino, Saint George, Saint Nicholas, the Twelve Apostles, each of the three Archangels and All Saints. The interior paintings are currently being done by a team of artists under the direction of Amiram Goglidze.

Sameba Cathedral is not only the primary building of the Georgian Orthodox Church, but also the largest church in the south Caucuses and among the largest Orthodox churches in the world. The complex also includes a freely-standing bell-tower, the Patriarch's residence, a monastery, a seminary, theological academy and several workshops.

Destination: Georgia

2007-04-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

For those interested in visiting Georgia, rest assured that there are plenty of resources out there to aid the aspiring traveler.

In the realm of books, Lonely Planet produces a guide to Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan, Odyssey Illustrated Guides carries a guide to Georgia and Bradt has a Georgian guidebook. Maps and phrasebooks are also readily available for those interested.

There are several websites filled with information on Georgia, among them the Georgian Department of Tourism, Yahoo! Travel, and a great place called Adventures Great and Small. If the blogging scene is how you get your information, check out Travel to Georgia, myrussiablog's Georgia on My Mind post, describing in beautiful words and pictures her visit last year; the Georgia & South Caucasus blog; Where on Earth's Georgia section; and, for our Swedish readers, Allt om Georgien.

Tbilisi International Airport is serviced by several major airlines including British Airways and Lufthansa, as well as regional operators. Nonstop service to Tbilisi can be found from London, Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Athens, Istanbul, Tel Aviv and several regional airports.

Alazani White Wine

2007-04-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

Alazani wine takes its name from one of Alazani River (Georgian: ალაზანი, Azeri: Qanıx), which forms part of the border with Azerbaijan in eastern Georgia, before flowing into the Kura River. As a result of the slightly warmer climate in the Alazani Valley, grapes grown there are sweeter than elsewhere in Georgia.

This wine is made from Rkatsiteli grapes (Georgian რქაწითელი; literally "red stem"). This is one of the oldest variety of grapes in Georgia, with archaeologists having unearthed examples in clay jars from the 3rd millenium BC. Recently Rkatsiteli grapes have been planted in Eastern Europe, the Finger Lakes region of New York and Australia.

It has a semi-sweet flavor with light fruit tones and a straw color that darkens as the wine ages. Alazani white wine goes well with fruit, nuts and deserts.

Weinhaus Tbilisi Brings Georgian Wine to Germany

2007-04-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

Bringing their knowledge and experience of the Georgian wine tradition to the work they do, the folks at Weinhaus Tbilisi aim for the highest quality in Georgian wines, with their products coming from only the most prominent wineries in Georgia. The high quality of Weinhaus Tbilisi's wines has been attested to by a blind panel in November 2006 (see Der Berliner Weinführer 2007); in July 2006 they were also named "Wine of the Month" by Tagesspiegel and in January 2007 the European wine magazine Vinum praised the high quality of Weinhaus Tbilisi's products.

Just last Saturday Weinhaus Tbilisi hosted an evening of traditional Georgian food and drink featuring a film about the nation of Georgia and wine cellarers on hand to answer questions.

Weinhaus Tbilisi sells both red and white Georgian wines as well as a variety of specialty food items.

You can visit Weinhaus Tbilisi at Humboldtstraße 23, at the intersection of Wielandstraße in Hannover. The shop is open Monday through Friday, 10:00am to 6:00pm and on Saturdays from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Ancient Music Accompanies Ancient Wine

2007-04-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

Georgia is not only home to the world’s oldest wine, reaching back 8,000 years, but its folk tradition of polyphonic music may also be the world’s oldest, predating the arrival of Christianity in Georgia.

Like most European scales, the Georgian scale can be broken down into octaves, though the spacing of the tones is different.

Much of traditional Georgian folk music centers around the supra; among traditional favorites are Zamtari, a song about winter commemorating ancestors, and Mravalzhamier, a hymn of joy. Dance music, love ballads, work songs, traveling songs and sacred music – of both liturgical and folk varieties – can also be found in the Georgian tradition.

Different regions of Georgia are known for different musical styles: In Racha and Ajara, male vocalists are accompanied by bagpipes. In Samegrelo and Guria, dissonance, high pitches and yodeling-like vocals called krimanchuli are characteristic. The isolated Svaneti region may have the oldest traditions, with irregular harmonies a middle voice leading two supporting voices.

The music of Kakheti may be the most famous Georgian variety, with the Kakhetian-style patriotic song Chakrulo being carried on the Golden Record of the Voyager spacecraft. Kakhetian music is characterized by a simple bass part with two soloists singing on top and playing off one another. The melodies of Kakheti alternate between recitative sections with highly poetic lyrics and ornate cascading flourishes.

The Hasidic Cappella performing traditional Georgian music

Three men from the Rustavi group playing the dhol, a traditional drum

Another trio from Rustavi, performing an instrumental

Mukuzani Red Wine

2007-04-25T09:41:00.000-07:00

Mukuzani red wine is a Georgian favorite, made from saperavi grapes in the Mukuzani district in Kakheti since 1888. Mukuzani is distinct from the other wines made from the same grapes in that it is aged in oaken casks for a longer time - at least three years - whereas Kindzmarauli is only aged for two years and Saperavi for one.

Mukuzani has a deep red color with a soft smoky scent of oak and berry. The taste begins dry but the oak and fruit flavors quickly come through. As a result of its longer aging, Mukuzani has more complexity than the other wines made from saperavi grapes. It goes particularly well with steaks and dark meats.

The matured wine contains 10.5-12.5% alcohol and has 6.0-7.0% titrated acidity.

King Vakhtang Founds Georgian Capital

2007-04-24T04:52:00.000-07:00

Tbilisi, home to over 1 million people, was founded in the 4th century by King Vakhtang I Gorgasali (ვახტანგ I გორგასალი), a saint of the Georgian Orthodox Church (pictured above). The city was located on the Kura River along one of the Silk Road routes and remains an important transportation hub today, located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe.

The city was and still is a very diverse place, with the Sunni mosque and the synagogue are located next to each other in the Abanotubani bath district, the place where King Vakhtang’s falcon fell, in the process revealing to him the hot springs that led him to build on this site. Not far away is the Metekhi Church of the Assumption (pictured above, next to Vakhtang’s statute). The original building was constructed by Tbilisi’s founder, though the Mongols destroyed this structure; the current church was built by King Demetre Tavdadebuli in the 13th century.

In modern times Tbilisi has served as the capital of the sort-lived Transcaucasian Federation (1918) and the Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918-1921). Since 1991 it has once again served as the capital of an independent Republic of Georgia.

The most popular sports in Tbilisi are football (soccer), rugby, basketball, and wrestling. There are several professional football and rugby teams as well as wrestling clubs. NBA players Zaza Pachulia and Nikoloz Tskitishvili are natives of Tbilisi. Tbilisi's signature football team, Dinamo Tbilisi, won the UEFA European Cup Winners' Cup in 1981, becoming the easternmost team in Europe to achieve the feat.

Each October Tbilisi residents celebrate Tbilisoba, a festival commemorating the founding of their city.

An 1839 depiction of Tbilisi, by N.G. Chernetsov

The Georgian Language, by Popular Demand

2007-04-23T06:04:00.001-07:00

(If you have trouble viewing this image of the Georgian alphabet, please click on it to see it more clearly on a white background.)

There have been several requests for more information on the Georgian language (kartuli ena or ქართული ენა).

Georgian is spoken by 3.9 million people in Georgia itself and by another half million Georgians living abroad, mostly in Iran, Russia, Turkey, Europe and the US. The other South Caucasian languages (see below) are spoken by over 600,000 people.

The oldest example of Georgian writing is an inscription in a church in Bethlehem from AD 430. While the left-to-right direction of the writing, the order of the letters and many of the letters themselves all show Greek influences, the Georgian alphabet also has elements of the Persian and Syriac alphabets. Georgian tradition attributes the invention of the Georgian alphabet to Parnavaz I of Iberia in the 3rd century BC, though some scholars have suggested that the alphabet only came together as a result of the influence of Christianity. The modern version of the alphabet, called Mkhedruli (მხედრული, "military"), first appeared in the eleventh century; it was used only for non-religious purposes until the eighteenth century, when it completely replaced older variations. It has thirty three letters.

The oldest surviving text in Georgian dates from the 5th century AD, The Martyrdom of the Holy Queen Shushanik (Tsamebay tsmindisa Shushanikisi, dedoplisa) by Iakob Tsurtaveli. The Georgian national epic, The Knight in the Panther's Skin (Vepkhistqaosani) dates from the 12th century (pictured below).

Georgian is a member of the South Caucasian or Kartvelian family of languages, which also includes Gruzinic, a dialect spoken by Georgia's Jewish community, which is usually mutually intelligible to Georgian speakers; Megrelian, spoken in northwest Georgia; Svan, also spoken in northwest Georgia; and Laz, spoken on the southeast shore of the Black Sea.

The South Caucasian group has no known connections to other languages, not even the North Caucasian group. Some linguists have suggested that the South Caucasian group is part of the larger Nostratic language family, but the idea has not received widespread acceptance. Likewise, certain grammatical similarities with Basque, including the case system, have led some linguists to suggest a connection, though the resemblance is mostly superficial.

Of the other South Caucasian languages, Mingrelian has been written with the Georgian alphabet since 1864. The language has only flourished in written form in the period from 1930 to 1938, when the Megrelians enjoyed some cultural autonomy, and after 1989. The Laz language enjoyed similar flourishing in written form between 1927 and 1937, and today in modern Turkey, though now utilizing the Latin alphabet. As Laz speakers integrate into mainstream Turkish society, however, the language is dying out. Gruzinic, spoken by the Jewish community, is often written with the Hebrew alphabet.

There are a variety of online resources for those interested in further information on the Georgian language, among them an Online Georgian Grammar, a Georgian-English, English-Georgian Dictionary and good website on the Georgian Language & Alphabet.

Kolkheti Fortified White Wine

2007-04-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

Kolkheti is a fortified vintage white port made in Western Georgia from Tsitska and Tsolikauri grapes (pictured), both of which are used to make premium dry wines and are grown in the Imereti district. This ancient region of Georgia was once home to the legendary Golden Fleece and is today a popular travel destination because of its diverse geography, reaching from the subtropical to the alpine.

As a fortified wine, Kolkheti has had additional alcohol added to the normal wine process. However, fortified wines must be distinguished from spirits made from wine; spirits are the result of a distillation process, whereas fortified wines have spirits added to them. Kolkheti, produced since 1977, has an amber color and a harmonious taste, working well with deserts. It contains 18% alcohol, 7% sugar and has 7%, titrated acidity.

GUAM Supports Georgian Wine

2007-04-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

In the face of the Russian ban on Georgian wine, the GUAM group of countries (consisting of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) gave a show of support for the Georgian wineries by hosting a wine festival in Kiev last May.

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili (pictured above), along with the other heads of state, was on hand for the event. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, who was elected the first president of GUAM, told reporters "I am firmly convinced that our region has great potential and that it will become one of the most promising regions in modern Europe. This concerns not only energy or transport projects."

A new name was also coined for the group, the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development, though the GUAM moniker is likely to also remain in usage.

Ukrainians holding a rally in support of the Republic of Georgia.

Georgians Take the World Stage by Storm

2007-04-20T12:24:00.000-07:00

The Georgian song and dance ensemble Erisioni, in conjunction with American producer Jim Lowe and French stage director Pascal Jourdan, have taken Georgian folk dance to the world with their sensational performance, Georgian Legend.

In 2000 the first version of the show, called The Legend of Tamar, toured in the United States. The Los Angeles Times called it "sensational," The New York Times "spectacular" and The New York Post "a feast of riches for eye and ear." In 2001 and 2002, Georgian Legend debuted in Europe, with an audience of 150,000 and over 100,000 CDs sold in a few months. The same program toured in Russia and China and will to tour in France and Germany in 2007 with Legends of the Storm.

An amazing and innovative video of Legends of the Storm

The Erisioni Ensemble in action

Khvanchkara Red Wine

2007-04-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

Khvanchkara is a red wine made from Alexandrouli and Mudzhuretuli grapes (pictured below), cultivated in the western region of Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti (above). Khvanchkara is fermented in a traditional manner in open oak vats with wild yeast from the vineyard were it was developed. Special boards are used to keep the skins submerged during the fermentation process and when the wine is taken from its skins only that which drains freely is used.

The wine has a dark ruby color and a strong bouquet, with some of the wild yeast noticeable when it is first poured. The taste is harmonious and velvety with a raspberry flavor and subtle oak tones resulting from the fermentation process. The finish is sweet and lingers.

Khvanchkara has port-like qualities without fortification or sugar added, making it perfect for spicy foods, fresh fruit, cheeses, desserts and cigars.

Khvanchkara red wine contains 10.5 - 12.0% alcohol, 3 - 5 % sugar and has 5.0 - 7.0 % titrated acidity. It has been produced since 1907.

Patron Saint Comes Bearing Grapevines

2007-04-19T13:36:00.000-07:00

The Grapevine Cross ("Jvari Vazisa" or ჯვარი ვაზისა in Georgian), also known as Saint Nino's cross, is a major symbol of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and dates back to the 4th century AD, when Christianity became the official religion of the ancient Georgian kingdom of Iberia, thanks to the missionary work of St. Nino.

Legend has it that Nino received the Grapevine Cross from the Virgin Mary and bound it together with her own hair. This was the cross Nino brought with her when she came to evangelize the Georgians. The Grapevine Cross is recognizable by its slightly drooping horizontal arms.

Tradition holds that the original cross of St. Nino was kept at the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (see right) in Mtskheta until 541. During the Persian invasions, it was taken to Armenia and stayed there until David the Builder recovered the Armenian city of Ani from the Muslims in 1124 and returned the cross to Mtskheta. In the 14th century King Vakhtang III enshrined the cross in a special reliquary, decorated with scenes from the life of St. Nino. During subsequent Persian and Ottoman invasion, the cross was taken to the Gergeti Trinity Church, then to Ananuri (seen below) in highland Georgia, and eventually to Moscow. In 1801, the Georgian emigre prince George Bagration presented it to Tsar Alexander I who returned it to Georgia in 1802 after Georgia's incorporation into the Russian Empire. Since then, the cross has been kept in the Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi.

Georgia Holds First Ballooning Championship

2007-04-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

Last October the Republic of Georgia held its first aeronautics championship, sponsored by the country's leading wine producers, in the region of Kakheti (pictured below). Fifteen teams from Georgia, the Czech Republic, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, and the UAE participated.

Hot air balloon pilots dropped markers from their balloons, trying to hit targets on the ground below. While three prizes were awarded to the top performance in this regard, the most coveted prize came from a special competition. The Kakheti Governor's Cup - consisting of a 100 liter oak barrel full of Saperavi wine - was awarded to the team able to drop markers into ten empty wine barrels.

Other special prizes were awarded for other feats: the Black Sea Cup went to the first pilot able to capture a "Golden Fleece" hoop suspended from a pole 5m above the ground.

The event was organized by the National Aeronautics Federation of Georgia, the Governor of Kakheti, the Department of Tourism and the Department of Sports.

Pirosmani Red Wine

2007-04-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

Pirosmani is a naturally semi-sweet red wine. It is made from the Saperavi grape variety cultivated in the Kardanakhi village in the Alazani Valley of the Kakheti region. The wine is fermented in clay jars buried in the ground, an ancient Kakhetian technology of wine-making.

Pirosmani wine begins with a deep purple color, though in its 4th and 5th years it begins to develop a softer burgundy tone. It has a rich fruity scent of blackberry and blackcurrant, and can also have touches of black pepper when young. The flavor is rich with ripe berry flavors that slide easily over the palate and are enhanced by the sweetness of the wine. The finish is soft but strong, still full of rich fruit and sweetness.

Pirosmani wine contains 10.5-12% alcohol, 1.5-2.5% sugar and has 5-7% titrated acidity.

This Georgian wine is named after Niko Pirosmanashvili (1862-1918), known as Pirosmani (Georgian: ნიკო ფიროსმანაშვილი). A primitivist painter, he often depicted animals and people with food. He is also known in Russia for a romantic encounter with a French actress who visited his town; Pirosmanashvili was deeply in love with her and to prove it he bought her enough flowers to fill the square in front of her hotel window, driving himself bankrupt in the process. The story became famous when it was recounted in a poem by Andrei Voznesensky, and later in a hit song by Alla Pugacheva. Pirosmani was also the subject of a short film by director Sergei Parajanov entitled "Arabesques on the Pirosmani Theme."

Georgians Know How to Feast

2007-04-16T16:58:00.000-07:00

No description of Georgian culture would be complete without due reference to the supra, a banquet of lavish portions, but also an art form. These events are put on for weddings, birthdays, Easter, Christmas, housewarmings and other important occasions.

The supra is usually held at a single long table, or a string of tables running end to end. Foods of all kinds and generous quantities of Georgian wine are kept in supply at all times.

The festivities are led by a toastmaster called the tamada. His task is to not only to propose the toasts but also to blend the enthusiasm and camaraderie of banqueting with moments of reflection and tranquility. He must have the skills of an orator, a poet, a philosopher, a social commentator and a singer all rolled into one.

The toasts are given in a specific order: the first is to peace, the second to parents, then to siblings, to the deceased (especially friends and relatives of those present), to life (especially the lives of the children of those recently departed), and then to love and friendship. Only after this litany of traditional toasts has been given is the tamada free to add his own toasts, as befit the occasion. When the tamada is finished with toasts on the topics of his choice, then guests, with his permission, may offer their own. (Starting on a new topic without the tamada’s permission is a major social gaffe.) As the night progresses, successive speakers attempt to one-up each other, with a sort of oratory contest developing.

Particular customs accompany some of the toasts. During the toast to the dead, for example, the tamada usually pours some wine on bread and crosses himself, praying that God be merciful to the souls of the departed.

Because a supra is not only a social event, but also a spiritual one, toasts are usually accompanied by a direct appeal to the divine: God, help us in all our deeds! Toasts at a supra are never negative and wine is only drunk when toasts are given, so it is the tamada’s task to ensure that the toasts come with proper spacing and regularity. When drinking a toast all of the men stand and drink their wine in silence.

After each toast is given, a song is sung by everyone present, a song chosen by the tamada, whose selection must artfully reinforce the message of each toast. Georgian drinking songs are usually melodious, polyphonic and complicated, though well-known to the Georgian people.

If there is space, folk dancing will also be included at a supra.

The night ends with the tamada proposing a toast to the patron saints of the Georgian people and one of the men then toasts the tamada himself.

Knight Sets Out to Rescue Maiden, Becomes National Epic

2007-04-16T12:15:00.000-07:00

The Knight in the Panther's Skin ("Vepkhistkaosani" or ვეფხისტყაოსანი in Georgian) is considered by many the national epic of Georgia and tells the story of the passionate search for a woman, stolen by devils across the sea, by a knight who undertakes the quest on behalf of her distraught suitor. The poem was written in the 12th century by Shota Rustaveli, treasurer to Queen Tamar of Georgia, who reigned during the kingdom's golden age. According to legend, Rustaveli was orphaned as a child and brought up by his uncle, who was a monk. The poet is considered by many one of the finest examples of a medieval writer, touching upon such themes as chivalry, friendship, courtly love, and courage; the three heroes of The Knight in the Panther's Skin are brave, philanthropic, and generous. Their philosophical musings, reflecting ancient Greek, Persian and Chinese philosophy, have become proverbs in Georgia today.

The oldest surviving copy of The Knight in the Panther's Skin dates from the 16th century; it was first printed in 1712. There was a time in Georgian history when it was expected that the text would be memorized by all female members of the country's aristocracy.

The Wardrop translation can be found in its full text online, while the Urushadze or Oriental Translation Fund editions may be purchased on Amazon.

Below you can see King Rostevan and Avtandil hunting, from a 1646 manuscript by Mamuka Tavakarashvili.

Dimi White Wine

2007-04-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

Dimi white wine comes from small areas in the Imereti region of western Georgia (seen above and below). Known to the ancient Greeks and Romans as Lazica and to Persians as Lazistan, this area was home to the early Georgian kingdom of Egrisi (Georgian: ეგრისი), which flourished between the 6th century BC and the 7th century AD. The Pitsunda Cathedral is one of oldest monuments of the Georgian Christian architecture constructed by King Bagrat III of the Bagrationi Royal House in the 5th century.

Dimi white wine is made from the Tsolikauri and Krakhuna grape varieties and is produced using an old local technique of fermenting the grape pulp to which some quantity of grapes husks is added. The wine is the color of dark straw and has a harmoniously fruity flavor with a savory astringency. Dimi contains 10.5-13.0% alcohol and has 6.5-8.0% titrated acidity.

Saperavi Grapes

2007-04-15T09:45:00.000-07:00

Saperavi grapes are known for their dark pink flesh and very dark skins, from which they get their name (from the Georgian საფერავი, literally "paint" or "dye"). These grapes are the most important for Georgian wine culture and produce deep red wines which are suitable for extended periods of aging, up to 50 years. There are three main kinds of wine made from saperavi grapes: kindzmarauli, which is aged for two years, mukuzani, aged for three years or more, and a variety aged for only one year, known simply as saperavi.

Saperavi grapes originated in the Kakheti region of Georgia, but are now grown throught the country, with Australian growers recenty trying the variety as well. These grapes are capable of surviving extremely cold winters, and are thus popular in high altitudes and inland regions.

Wines made from saperavi grapes have a strong flavor and texture, which makes them a natural pairing for a variety of Georgian cuisine, including game dishes or hearty winter foods.

A Georgian drinking from a traditional drinking horn, a khantsi.

Russia Bans Georgian Wines

2007-04-14T08:04:00.000-07:00

For those who weren't following the news out of eastern Europe in March 2006, Russia banned Georgian wine imports, in an attempt at political pressure. The story was widely carried by the BBC, Radio Free Europe and other news outlets.

Russians have long prized the wines of Georgia. "For more than 70 years the Russians were drinking our wine... Suddenly the officials say they don't like it anymore," explained Shota Kobelia, a Georgian vintner. With the change in Russia, however, Georgian wines are simply going elsewhere. "We are able to... sell premium wines in the EU, the US and Japan," says Mr Kobelia. "There is a growing appreciation of the distinctive flavours of what is one of the world's oldest wine making regions." The Russian ban was not, however, very creative, making use of recycled Soviet era images to try to turn aside the Russian public's love of Georgian wine.

Nana Mageladze at her wine shop in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Kindzmarauli Semi-Sweet Red Wine

2007-04-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

Made from the Saperavi variety of grapes, kindzmarauli is produced in the Kvareli region of eastern Georgia, which was first brought into the Kingdom of Georgia by King David the Builder in the 12th century.

Kindzmarauli is a naturally semi-sweet red wine whose flavor results from only picking the grapes after enough sugar has naturally formed within them. Thus, the sugar content is maintained without chemicals or additives. With a scent of ripe berries and a deep purple color, kindzmarauli has a velvety taste that is rich and peppery with a touch of sweetness and a lingering finish which balances both fruit and acidity.

This wine contains 10.5-12.0% alcohol, 3-5% sugar and has 5.0-7.0% titrated acidity. The Georgian Royal Collection and Tamada are two of the leading producers.

For those interested in traveling to the home of kindzmarauli, the Kvareli region of the Kakheti province is not only home to a variety of wineries but also home to such breathtaking attractions as the Gremi monastery, and the Alaverdi monastery (pictured below), founded by a 6th century Assyrian monk who came from Antioch.

The Cradle of Wine

2007-04-13T07:51:00.000-07:00

The world's oldest known wine was found at Shulaveri in the Republic of Georgia, where the art of making wine may have begun more than 8,000 years ago. From Georgia the domestication of the Eurasian wine grape has spread across the centuries and continents to cover the entire globe.

This blog exists to share the joys of Georgian wine as well as the the culture and country that continue to produce this European treasure.