“Spending on feasting and wine is better than hoarding our substance. That which we give makes us richer, that which is hoarded is lost.”
“The Knight in the Panther’s Skin,” 12th century
Glossary
chacha
Georgian brandy or grappa, made from grape pomace: Georgia’s national liquor; also, grape skins
churi
A western Georgian term sometimes used for qvevri
gaumarjos
The word Georgians used to say “cheers” when toasting; literally, “to victory”
ghvino (or gvino)
The Georgian word for wine
klerti
Grape stems
madloba
Thank you
maghlari
An ancient Georgian cultivation method in which grapevines are trained to grow up tree trunks; literally, “raised”
marani
A Georgian wine cellar
orgo
A qvevri lid: traditionally made of wood or stone, now commonly glass or metal
qvevri
Georgia’s ancient winemaking vessel: egg-shaped, made of terra-cotta clay, commonly up to 1,500 liters in capacity, buried in the ground for natural temperature control
Rkatsiteli
Georgia’s most prominent white grape variety
Saperavi
Georgia’s most prominent red grape variety; a teinturier grape that yields dark red wines
satsnakheli
A traditional trough-shaped winepress made from a hollowed-out log or carved from stone
supra
An extravagant, multi-course feast in which the table is covered with dishes; literally, “tablecloth”
tamada
The toastmaster at a Georgian feast
teinturier
A type of red grape that has red pulp, or flesh, in addition to red skins; Saperavi is a teinturier grape