Georgian wines are known for being fermented and aged in earthenware vessels, a traditional production method that yields full-bodied reds from Saperavi and golden amber wines from Rkatsiteli. Though many might not consider Georgian wine a candidate for their cellars, they should. The country’s unique and longstanding winemaking practice, which dates back to ~6000 BCE, results in wines with excellent ageability.

“Why shouldn't Georgian wines age?” asked Alice Feiring, journalist and author of For the Love of Wine: My Odyssey through the World's Most Ancient Wine Culture, who also happens to be an authority on Georgia and Georgian wine. “What makes a wine ageable is great land, sensitive and thoughtful winemaking, and élevage—and you have all those elements in Georgia."

These are the qualities that give Georgian wines the compounds to extend their life, allowing them not only to age but to do so gracefully. “If we look at [Georgian wines] nowadays, in modern terms, Georgian amber and red wines are rich in phenols, polyphenols, and tannins—natural oxygen 'scavengers'  that protect against oxidation and premature aging,” said Lado Uzunashvili, winemaker for Mukado Wines. “These compounds act like guardians, preserving the integrity of the wine until the very last drop.”

There’s also a cultural aspect to Georgia’s approach to a wine’s ageability. Many of the nation’s wine rituals have evolved over the years precisely to showcase longevity. It’s traditional for families to produce wine as a vintage of a child's birth year to open later on a special occasion such as a milestone birthday or wedding day.

Winemaking Like No Other

Key to Georgian winemaking is the qvevri, a large, egg-shaped clay vessel recognized by UNESCO that is buried underground to stabilize fermentation without the use of temperature control or stainless steel tanks.

“Clay contributes gentle micro-oxygenation—softer than oak, more active than steel—helping tannins integrate smoothly while preserving firmness for long aging,” said Ana Mirianashvili, commercial director at Chelti Winery in Village Shilda, Kvareli, Georgia. “Even when combined with stainless steel or oak today, qvevri remains the foundation of Georgian wine longevity and authenticity.” 

The cool, dark climate and steady temperature provides a slow, even maturation, resulting in well-balanced wines. “Long skin contact, especially for amber wines, provides tannins and phenolics that act as natural protectors,” said Mirianashvili. “The egg-shaped vessel allows natural clarification without filtration, keeping fine lees that add texture and antioxidant stability.”

A Proper Practice Goes a Long Way 

Georgian wines are not typically made with sulfur and are often compared with, or construed as, natural wines. That’s because both are known for having earthy, savory notes with hints of spice, relegating fruit to the background. Some natural wines, with their high volatility and low sulfur levels, have a reputation for being unstable and therefore not ageable, especially when hygiene or fermentation control falls short.

Mirianashvili explains that this is not necessarily true for well-crafted Georgian wines aged in qvevri, which are remarkably sound. “High volatility typically results from poor cleaning or unhealthy fruit, not from traditional methods,” she said. "When qvevri are cleaned correctly, grapes are healthy, and fermentation is monitored, VA stays at normal levels—as it does in our Chelti wines.”

Mirianashvili explains that lower sulfur can also be managed. Many Georgian varieties, especially Saperavi, are naturally high in acid and in phenolic compounds, both of which act as natural antioxidants. “Modern wineries reinforce this stability with strict hygiene, topping-up, and precise sulfur additions at key stages,” she said. “Thanks to this balance, low-sulfur Georgian wines can remain very stable and capable of long evolution.”

Stability is key for these wines, especially when transporting internationally. Wines that cross borders can easily be disrupted by movement, weather, and temperature instability during transit, so winemakers must ensure that the wines can withstand travel while preserving quality.

“[To get to] the United States, Georgian wine needs to travel through across the continent and the ocean,” said Lasha Tsetereli, sommelier at New York City’s Georgian restaurant Chama Mama. “There is a lot of traveling and a lot of different temperatures this wine goes through before it reaches the consumer. I think every winemaker works really hard to make sure the story and the product are shared the way they intended.”

Different Grapes Age Differently, But Equally Well

Saperavi is a Teinturier grape with red skin and pulp, allowing for deep color, naturally high tannins, and firm acidity—the three pillars of aging. The use of the qvevri increases the wines’ longevity, meaning a good Saperavi can age for 20 to 30 years, or even longer. 

Most of the Saperavi in Georgia is grown in the Kakheti region, which has the ideal climate for this variety. “The intense sunlight, long ripening, and clay soils result in concentrated fruit with excellent extract,” said Mirianashvili. “Saperavi has everything a wine needs to gain complexity, depth, and grace with time.”

Chelti Winery’s own Family Collection Saperavi from 2020, aged in qvevri, is a dry red with a deep ruby color and distinctive aromas of fresh cherry, blackberry, and black currant. 

Amber wines are also fermented and aged on skins, similar to red wines, making them equally age-worthy. The team at Chelti keeps white grapes on skins for at least six months to build tannins, acidity, phenolics, and overall body in the wine. Chelti’s are often made from Rkatsiteli grapes and exhibit a light amber to golden color, with aromas of pear, honey, and spice. 

However, other types of grapes can be used to make amber wines, including blends, thereby creating a wider range of flavors. “Even at a  young age, a blended amber wine’s structure can be  balanced and harmonized,” said Uzunashvili. “[This brings] together citrus from Rkatsiteli, tropical notes from Mstvane, and apricots from Kisi, coupled with dried fruits, honey, and green tea hints, before reaching its dryness and purity at the end.”

“Qvevri maturation, with the steady cool temperature underground, slow oxygen exchange through clay, and long maceration creates wines that resist oxidation naturally,” added Mirianashvili. “Amber wines can easily mature for 10–20 years or more.”

Feiring agrees that white varieties from Georgia can be enjoyed much later when the flavors truly come together, especially when proper agricultural practices are involved. “They've got a lot of life in them if the farming and the land are good,” she said. “I've had wines from 2004 that have aged for almost 20 years.”

The Bottom Line

Winemakers in Georgia have been crafting wine in the region for centuries. The land, its people and methods, and especially its longstanding traditions make for flavorful, ageable wines. 

“Georgia is the oldest wine-producing country,” said Tsetereli. “We have to provide a quality product, not just a claim to the throne, and that includes educating consumers that our aging process is not just about the skin contact, but it's the winemaking style that's been preserved for 8,000 years.”

Uzunashvili adds that Georgia’s winemaking tradition, which includes preserving wine and cherishing it for life’s big moments, also suggests these wines were crafted with the intention to last more than just a few months. “From social customs to religious rites, even in pre-Christian times, wine has held a central role in daily life,” she said. “The historical context of the country’s wine rituals developing over the years, like opening a qvevri decades after burying it, offers compelling evidence that Georgian wines were crafted to age gracefully.”