Innovative Technology of Georgian Wine

Abstract

Wine is the business card of Georgia, and the world’s renowned enologists recognize the country as the cradle of winemaking. Vine, wine, and the people living on Georgian territory have coexisted and evolved together for more than 8,000 years. Over this long history, numerous indigenous grape varieties and diverse winemaking technologies have been developed. However, human intellectual pursuit constantly strives for innovation, steering every field - including winemaking - to a new stage of development.

The present paper introduces the production technology of the dessert wine “Late Harvest,” which represents an innovation for Georgian winemaking. It outlines the technological processes distinct from those used in the production of other wine types - from raw material acquisition to bottling -which ultimately give the final product its unique character and consumer appeal.

Harvesting Rkatsiteli grapes late on the mountain slope, stringing them into clusters and allowing them to dehydrate under ventilated conditions, softly pressing the shriveled berries in a hand press, fermenting the must in oak barrels at a maximum of 20 °C, and aging the wine for years—these processes contribute to the wine’s exceptional qualities. Compared to classic Rkatsiteli wine, the dessert wine displays different basic chemical parameters, a higher content of phenolic compounds, increased antioxidant activity, and distinctive organoleptic characteristics. It features not a fresh, crisp taste but more mellow tones, aromas reminiscent of dried fruit, and a deep tea-like color.