Georgia — Cradle of Viticulture — exhibit in France
The Cité des Civilisations Du Vin in Bordeaux, France opened this summer with the Georgian exhibit, “Georgia, Cradle of Viticulture” as the oldest wine making civilization. The country has more than 8,000 years of history in viticulture.
This is the first time that the €80million development, located on the left bank of the River Garonne, hosted a temporary exhibition since it opened in June 2016. The La Cité du Vin curators worked with the Georgian National Museum to showcase the roots of modern winegrowing and winemaking, which is believed to have started in Georgia.
The exhibit focuses on four major themes: the roots of Georgia’s winemaking, the relationship between wine and the wealthy royalty of the country’s former Iberia and Colchis kingdoms, the importance of wine in religion, and the part plonk plays in the daily life of many Georgians.
The museum also hosts wine-tasting sessions and grape variety discovery workshops alongside a series of concerts, conferences, film showings, and other events. The exhibit opened July 31 and will host the visitors through November 5.
Over 125 unique Georgian archaeological and ethnographic samples showcase the ancient origins and continued history of winemaking in Georgia. Major discoveries serve as the highlight of the exhibit, and shed light on wine production and usage dating back to the Neolithic-era territory of modern Georgia. The exhibit also displays the fragments of vessels that bear traces of wine acid. These traces herald Georgia’s claim as the origin of winemaking at the exhibition.
The center point of the venue is the installation of Qvevri, the iconic wine making clay amphora used in Georgia for wine storage. This piece has been used since 6th century BC and was added by UNESCO to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity in 2013.
At the opening of the exhibit, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirkashvili noted that the tradition of wine-making plays a vital role in everyday life and celebrations.
“It forms an inseparable part of the cultural identity of Georgian communities, and wine and vines frequently star in Georgian oral traditions and songs,” the Prime Minister said.
The exhibition cycle, launched with the Georgian display, celebrates winemaking traditions and history from around the world. Hosts and curators of the Bordeaux venue work to promote “the cultural, universal and living heritage that is wine,” while focusing on “emotions, sensations and imagination” within their exhibition space.
More Information:
Bordeaux’s La Cité du Vin museum to shine spotlight on Georgian wine
Bordeaux museum celebrates Georgia as cradle of viticulture
Georgia Chosen to be First Guest Wine Region by Bordeaux’s Cité du Vin