Wineland Academy: a local guide to Georgian wine

Explore Georgia's wine world through regions, native grapes, PDOs, and living qvevri traditions

Why Georgia matters

Wine isn't a trend in Georgia - it's part of everyday life. Archaeological evidence points to winemaking here for around 8,000 years, and the qvevri method, still used in family cellars today, is recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Add more than 500 indigenous grape varieties, many grown nowhere else, and you start to understand why Georgia occupies a unique place in the wine world.

Key facts

  • Qvevri winemaking officially recognized by UNESCO (2013).
  • Over 500 recorded indigenous grape varieties - one of the richest collections globally.
  • A formal PDO system defined and maintained by Georgia's National Wine Agency.

What you'll learn here

  • Regions - how climate, soils, and local tradition shape wines from Kakheti, Imereti, Kartli, Racha-Lechkhumi, and the Black Sea Coastal Zone.
  • Grapes - clear, practical profiles of key varieties like Rkatsiteli, Saperavi, Mtsvane, Kisi, Tsolikouri, Tsitska, Krakhuna, Aleksandrouli, and Ojaleshi, including how they're usually handled by Georgian winemakers.
  • PDOs - what each appellation actually guarantees in the glass, from permitted grapes to typical styles, based on the National Wine Agency's official register.

How to use this academy

Explore regions

Start with place. Once you understand the terroir, it's much easier to choose wines from that region.

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Explore grapes

Begin with a grape you enjoy and discover where it thrives in Georgia and how it's usually expressed.

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Explore PDO

Learn how Georgian labels work and what names like Tsinandali, Mukuzani, Kindzmarauli, or Tvishi really stand for.

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Georgian wine heritage

8000 years of living winemaking tradition

From qvevri buried beneath the soil of village cellars to the vineyards of Kakheti and Imereti, Georgian wine has always been part of daily life. Tradition here isn't frozen in the past - it's practiced every harvest, through natural fermentation, indigenous grapes, and families who continue to make wine the way they always have. This living culture, recognized by UNESCO, is why Georgia is considered the world's oldest continuously active winemaking country.