Terry using a model of a qvevri while talking about qvevri-wine production in the country Georgia.

I had another opportunity to tell people about the country Georgia, the birthplace of wine, while presenting a couple book talks at Brunings Wine Cellars and Accessories in Beavercreek, Ohio. As with my other book talks about the country Georgia, people we amazed that grape growing and wine production have an 8,000 year history. They are also surprised about making wine in a qvevri. I used a model of a qvevri to talk about winemaking in the earthen vessel.

Before the book talk, I met a winemaker, Brandon Allen from Slo Down Wines in California. Brandon and his partner Bo Silliman were packing up as Kathy and I were setting up. I talked to Brandon about making wine and mentioned the wine Kathy and I made in a qvevri in Georgia. As I explained the process, Brandon uttered, “Amazing.”

On Wednesdays, Brunings Wine Cellars offers a wine tasting flight. Kathy and I presented a book talk about wine myths and a book talk about Georgia. During the course of the evening we sold seven books, drank some wine and talked to several people that enjoyed wine and learning about wine. One of the people at the tasting was a distributor who wants to take on the challenge of finding Georgian wines in the United States. Finding qvevri-made wines will pose more of a challenge than finding the non-qvevri Georgian wines.

Our next one-on-one informal book talk about Georgian wines and Georgia, the birthplace of wine will be at a picnic the Facebook group Georgian DC will have on May 24th. I will have my model of a qvevri and a couple qvevri wines to sample.

Cheers,
Terry