🍷 Kakhetian method
A Georgian method: the juice ferments in qvevri together with skins, seeds and stems.
The Kakhetian method is a Georgian way of making wine in which the juice ferments together with the skins, seeds and stems. It comes from Kakheti, a wine region in eastern Georgia. Fermentation takes place in qvevri, large clay jars buried in the ground.
This contact with the skins is called maceration. In Kakheti it can last up to five or six months. That is why white wines come out amber, firm and tannic. They are known as orange wines.
The method is closely tied to qvevri wine: same vessel, same base. Next to it stands the Imeretian method, which uses far fewer skins. The Georgian qvevri winemaking method is on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. All of this is part of the story of Georgian wine. Today it is also used in other countries, but Georgia is seen as its homeland. That is why wines of the Kakhetian type differ so much from European white wines.
Links
- Part of
- 🍷 Qvevri wine
- Where it is made
- 🗺️ Georgian wine
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Qvevri wine, 🍷 Orange wine, 🍷 Imeretian method
Frequently asked questions
What is the Kakhetian method?
A Georgian method where the juice ferments in a qvevri together with the skins, seeds and stems.
How long does maceration last in the Kakhetian method?
Up to five or six months.
How is it different from the Imeretian method?
In the Kakhetian method wine stays long on skins and stems, while the Imeretian method uses noticeably fewer skins.
Similar
🍷 Imeretian method · 🍷 Amphora wine · 🍷 Qvevri wine · 🍷 Talha wine · 🍷 Orange wine · 🍷 Homemade wine
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.
Sources
- Wikipedia (en)
- OIV, International Code of Oenological Practices
- UNESCO: Ancient Georgian traditional Qvevri wine-making method
- National Wine Agency of Georgia