Are you surprised to see a headline that highlights 8000 year old wine?! You might be wondering, what in the world is this?! And... why is it important...
You probably know how prevalent wine is in our society. It FILLS grocery store shelves and if you are 21+ and have $15, you could take one home with you.
Though, you get home with that bottle and realize... You hate it, or worse, it's "fine" so you keep drinking it even though (deep down) you know that wine is not serving you.
So, it begs the question, what if wine could serve us?
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When I realized 8000 year old wine was an actual thing I dove into studying it for the past while. As a yoga teacher, I teach a more grounded, slow approach to yoga and this wine blends so beautifully into my teachings.
You will learn where 8000 year old wine is, how it's made, what is a qvevri, how you can find it, and the top 4 ways to integrate this sacred wine.
This post is all about 8000 year old wine.
The Secret 8000 Year Old Wine
Where is 8000 year old wine?
Drum roll please, this ancient wine is from the country of Georgia, the birthplace of wine. Yes, the country, not the state in the US.
The country of Georgia holds a beautiful and rich history of winemaking, some even calling it the "Spiritual Home of Wine". But, you may be asking, is the wine itself 8000 years old?!
The wine itself is not actually 8000 years old. The wine making techniques, grapes, and ancient traditions hold that title.
Wine has been entwined into the Georgian culture for centuries. Ancient Georgian warriors are said have carried grape vine imagery with them as a symbol of their spirit and connection with the Motherland.
Beauty of the Qvevri
A qvevri (pronounced kew-vev-ree), is a clay pot used in the ancient winemaking technique in Georgia. The word qvevri means, "that which is buried"...
Traditionally, these winemakers make their wine in the qvevri that is underground with the narrow opening of the pot at ground level (FYI, fermenting underground allows for a stable temperature during fermentation).
Unlike American made wines, these wines will stay underground fermenting for 5-6 months!
The clay pot is somewhat porous which allows for micro-oxidation, creating a unique and one-of-a-kind flavor. After 6 months of fermenting, they take it out and bottle their wine...
These sacred pots are usually passed down generation to generation in families of winemakers. While new qvevri pots are being made, by hand, in Georgia which takes about 6 weeks the qvevri is a special and sacred element to the Georgian wine making culture.
For some reason, I adore this. From working in Napa Valley wineries where we would ferment in stainless steel and I felt THAT was sacred and raw. But, fermenting in clay, fermenting in an Earthly element is as real as it gets.
Qvevri made wines are the epitome of natural wines. They are usually made with minimal intervention, use the yeast already on the grape skins, no additives, and did I mention they are made in clay (wink wink)?!
How can you find this secret bottle?
Does this light you up the same way it does for me?! I am totally mind blown by this ancient winemaking method and can not believe it is actually real and people are still doing it.
So, how can we find this wine?!
Well, I am no gatekeeper. You can honestly find this wine in almost any Total Wine shop. The most popular varietal being Saperavi. Just check to make sure it's made in a qvevri.
You can get a qvevri made Georgian wine here at wine.com!
4 Ways to Integrate 8000 Year Old Georgian Wine
So, when we are talking about living more grounded, more natural lifestyles we can choose what means for us. Maybe that means what you consume in your food and drink, how you exercise, yoga and meditation, etc, etc.
Personally, to live a natural lifestyle I practice yoga and meditation and really put a lot of care and attention into what I consume (that being food, drink, medicine, and wine).
Here are the 4 ways you can integrate 8000 year old Georgian wine into your natural lifestyle:
1. Rare commodity so you can't drink too much
Finding this ancient wine can be a challenge. I mean, I haven't even found the top tier, numero uno, bottle yet. So, she is rare!!
When we have a rare commodity, and we know it, we are more likely to honor it. Think about when you go out drinking and you and your friends go out and order cheap beer. What happens? You have had 5 cheap beers, then 6, 7,8! Remember: cheap drinks come in abundance.
But, having a bottle of rare special wine will set the stage for transformation, not just abundant consumption.
I love having a bottle of expensive wine. I make my man a lovely dinner, put on a nice dress, and we sit outside at sunset enjoying our glass and each other. It is truly special. Just as nature intended.
2. Explore grape varietals never seen before
You are sure to know the common wines, right? Like, cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir... Though have you heard of Tavkveri? Exactly.
Exploring these wines, with intention in mind, can draw you down a beautiful path with the spirit of wine and its raw beauty, like you've never experienced before.
Some of the grape varietals from Georgia are:
- Saperavi
- Tavkveri
- Aleksandrouli
- Usakhelouri
- Chinuri
- And so much more!
3. A natural wine you know is truly natural
Do you find a lot of noise in the natural wine sphere? Do you even know what natural wine is anymore? Yeah... The issue is there is no definitive title or answer for a natural wine.
Thus, we must be careful when we are choosing a natural wine. With 8000 year old Georgian wines you can tell it is natural with its ancient winemaking techniques and depending on the producer, very minimally processing!
So, just ensure when you are choosing your wines and especially Georgian wines, read the labels and research the producers!
4. Connect with the spirit of wine
A beautiful way to make this natural wine work for you and your wellness and natural life journey is to connect with the spirit of wine.
Working in Napa I felt very blessed to be able to walk vineyards, feel the dirt that grapes come from, and walk with the grapes every step of the way into their final bottles.
The spirit of wine is alive, real, and so beautiful. If you have ever had THAT glass of wine, you probably know what I'm talking about! So, engage with the wine with your yoga, meditation, prayer. Connect with her and integrate natural wine seamlessly into your life.