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Ancient Craft · Clay-Vessel Wine

Kakhetian Qvevri Wine

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Georgians have been fermenting wine in buried clay vessels here for at least 8,000 years, a method so old it's protected by UNESCO.

Qvevri wine is made by fermenting grape juice together with skins, stems and seeds inside large egg-shaped clay vessels buried underground for months. Kakheti, home to around three-quarters of Georgia's vineyards, is the heartland of this amber-wine tradition.

Why it's made this way: UNESCO recognized Georgia's qvevri winemaking as intangible cultural heritage in 2013, and Kakheti's Alazani Valley remains its living center.
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