Natural wine is gaining increasing popularity each year. Although the term "natural wine" is not regulated by the FDA, it is actively used in the wine industry to describe wines produced with minimal additives or using biodynamic practices. To understand what natural wine truly means and what is happening in the Georgian market today, we spoke with Giorgi Kirkitadze, founder of “We are Ghvino” and “K&K Natural Wine.”
T: What does natural wine mean, and how does it differ from industrial wine?
Wine comes from the vineyard. In the world of industrial wine, you often encounter organic, biodynamic, and natural wines. Each of these approaches has specific permissible treatments in the vineyard.
Natural wine starts in the vineyard where systemic treatments, herbicides, and pesticides are not used, and the vineyard is minimally treated. In the winemaking process, interference is kept to a minimum, and the wine is bottled without filtration.
Loving natural wine often extends into lifestyle and actions. It certainly affects the taste as well. For me, natural wine reflects the character of the winery and the winemaker, which can be lost in large-scale production.
T: How popular is the natural wine trend in Georgia?
The pioneers of Georgian natural wine have made significant contributions to promoting this direction both within Georgia and beyond its borders. During my travels to various countries, I have often met people in the field who have tasted or heard about Georgian wine, thanks to these pioneers.
T: What is the difference between Georgian and international natural wines?
When UNESCO recognized the traditional winemaking technique in qvevri as an intangible cultural heritage in 2014, it caused a major shift in Georgian winemaking. Wine enthusiasts around the world learned that Georgia is a cradle of winemaking. During this time, the so-called amber wine, or white wine made with maceration, was becoming increasingly popular. What the world calls natural orange wine, we simply call wine.
Our grape varieties are unique, and this factor contributes to the distinctiveness of Georgian wine compared to other global varieties.
T: What does Georgian winemaking lack?
We have a clearly defined niche in the market. Therefore, I believe that Georgian wine needs to be associated with a specific context in the consumer's mind.
Today, effective communication is crucial for us. Competition is growing, and without proper communication, we won’t be able to maintain the results we have achieved.
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