“Georgia – The Cradle of Winemaking” - Scientific Conclussion
“Georgia – The Cradle of Winemaking” - Scientific Conclussion
The world scientific society recognized, that the ancient trace of winemaking was found on the territory of Georgia, from where it was spread throughout the world and made great influence on the development of agriculture, people's culture, biology, medicine and creation of civilizations in general.The event, which was dedicated to the discussion of this issue was opened by the minister of agriculture, Levan Davitashvili.
In 2013 Wine Producers Association met with Georgia's Prime Minister of that time, Bidzina Ivanishvili. At the meeting we talked that the strongest aspect of Georgia is a long-term, continuous wine culture and this is an important element that should be studied well and Georgia should show the world scientifically proved point that truly is the homeland of wine, the country where vine was first domesticated, wine was first produced and that Georgia has a very long history of agriculture. All of this is very important for our identification, to communicate Georgian culture at the international level. I would like to once again thank former Prime Minister, who supported this initiative and the Wine Agency managed to implement such a scale project”,-stated Levan Davitashvili.
The Minister of Agriculture, Levan Davitashvili, Director of the Georgian National Museum David Lortkipanidze and Chairman of the Association "Georgian Wine", Tina Kezel, introduced the information about the results of the research on "Georgian Vine and Wine Culture Research State Scientific Project".
„Early Neolithic wine of Georgia in the South Caucasus“ - this is the titles of the article published in the scientific magazine of the National Academy of the Science of the United States of America – PNAS (one of the top-rated scientific magazines throughout the world). Along with the Georgian scientists, the authors of the article are researchers from the USA, France, Italy, Canada, Denmark and Israel.
The article is about the recent multidisciplinary research on the archeological materials found on the territory of Georgia, proving that inhabitants here made wines in 6,000 to 5,800 B.C. - 8000 years ago.
Since 2014, with the initiative of "Georgian Wine" and support of the Government of Georgia, the National Wine Agency leads the International Multidisciplinary Project "Georgian Vine and Wine Culture Research". Along with the Georgian scientists, the staff of Pennsylvania, Montpellier, Milan, Copenhagen, Toronto universities, Israel's Weisman Institute and National Institute of Montpellier Agricultural Research (INRA) are involved in the project. The scientific director of the project is the correspondent of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences David Lortkipanidze, coordinator - the scientist of the National Wine Agency, Professor of Georgian Viticulture, academic doctor of agricultural sciences - Davit Maghradze. The study of the monuments of the Neolithic Age (VI Millennium BC) began in the 60s of the 20th century by the Georgian Exhibitions of Simon Janashia State Museum of Sciences of Georgia. At different times it was lead by Alexander Javakhishvili, Otar Japaridze and Tamaz Kiguradze. Currently excavation is led by archaeologist Mindia Jalabadze. In recent years the Georgian National Museum's archaeological expeditions are supported by the National Wine Agency, Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation and the University of Toronto.
During the project, as a result of the biomolecular researches conducted by the Professor of University of Pennsylvania, Patrick McGorman organic acids characteristic of wine (tartaric acid, malic, succinic and citric acid) on the walls of the clay vessels discovered in the recent excavation on the archaeological monument of "Gadachrili Gora" and "Shulaveri Gora" in Marneuli region have been confirmed, which is a wine marker made from Vitis vinifera vine variety. Paleobotanic studies conducted by the researchers of the Georgian National Museum of Science, Eliso Kvavadze and Nana Rusishvili made it clear that in this region vine culture was widespread in the early Neolithic period. The researchers of the University of Milan, headed by Oswaldo Fila, restored the climate of VI century B.C. and confirmed that there were appropriate conditions for cultivation of vine in Kvemo Kartli 8000 years ago. As a result of laboratory studies conducted under the guidance of Elizabetha Bourtosi at Israel's Weisman Institute, the samples were determined by C14 method and their dating was claimed as 6000-5800 years B.C. which is 600-1000 years older than the oldest wines from Zagros mountain range (Iran).
During the event, the documentary movie “Georgia – The Cradle of Winemaking” was shown. The movie was filmed with the National Wine Agency order and within the framework of the "Georgian Vine and Wine Culture Research State Scientific Project".