Comparative Analysis of Wine Production Regulations in parallel to the creation of the European Union and the Collapse of the Soviet Union in Oldest Wine Producing Country -Georgia and Biggest Wine Producing Country - France

Abstract

France and Georgia are intentionally selected as two case studies for the purposes of the present article. The major reason for this derives from the history and traditions of wine making and its regulation existent in the two countries.

Georgia with its ancient wine making traditions, is the birthplace of wine (“cradle of wine”),[1] World's oldest wine was discovered in Georgia in 8 000 years old jars, as evidence of the oldest example of the domestication of a wildly growing vine solely for the production of wine,[2] while since 2013 Ancient Georgian traditional Qvevri wine making method is included in world heritage list of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).[3] Till now ‘Georgia is the only country in the world where winemaking methods that were developed up to 8,000 years ago have not only never been abandoned but remain in many ways best practice.’[4]

[1] “Discover the Secret Birthplace of Wine” <https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/ destinations/asia/georgia/sponsor-content-secret-birthplace-of-wine/> accessed 13/07/2020.

[2] “World's oldest wine' found in 8,000-year-old jars in Georgia” <https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41977709#:~:text=Scientists%20say%208%2C000-year-old,capital%2C%20Tbilisi%2C%20researchers%20said.> accessed 13/07/2020. For full research article See:  Patrick McGovern, Mindia Jalabadze, Stephen Batiuk and others, “Early Neolithic wine of Georgia in the South Caucasus” (2017) PNAS <https://www.pnas.org/content/114/48/E10309.full> accessed 13/07/2020. See also “Raise a Glass to Georgia, the Official Cradle of Wine” <http://georgiatoday.ge/news/8213/Raise-a-Glass-to-Georgia%2C-the-Official-Cradle-of-Wine> accessed 13/07/2020.

[3] “Decision of the Intergovernmental Committee: 8.COM 8.13” <https://ich.unesco.org/en/ decisions/8.COM/8.13> accessed 13/07/2020. See also: “Ancient Georgian traditional Qvevri wine-making method” <https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/ancient-georgian-traditional-qvevri-wine-making-method-00870>accessed 13/07/2020; Caroline Gilby MW, “Georgian winemaking method joins UNESCO heritage list” <https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/georgian-winemaking-method-joins-unesco-heritage-list-30889/> accessed 13/07/2020; Ketevan Charkhalashvili, “Qvevri Winemaking on UNESCO Cultural Heritage List” <https://www.georgianjournal.ge/arts-a-culture/25639-qvevri-winemaking-on-unesco-cultural-heritage-list.html> accessed 13/07/2020; “Qvevri”, <http://georgianwine.gov.ge/En/KvevriWine/Details/2> accessed 13/07/2020; “Raise a Glass to Georgia, the Official Cradle of Wine” <http://georgiatoday.ge/news/8213/Raise-a-Glass-to-Georgia%2C-the-Official-Cradle-of-Wine> accessed 13/07/2020; “Qvevri. Honoring an ancient process” <https://www.winesgeorgia.com/site/winemaking-tradition> accessed 13/07/2020.

[4] Andrew Jefford, “Georgian wines: older and wiser” <https://www.ft.com/content/7307e952-f50b-11e2-b4f8-00144feabdc0> accessed 13/07/2020.