Georgien, die Wiege des Weins

In Soviet times, Georgia was considered the wine cellar of the USSR. Even after the collapse of the giant empire, wine remained one of the country's most important exports. It is only since Russia imposed an embargo that exports have slumped dramatically, and Georgia is looking for new sales markets. This is because viticulture in the Caucasus continues to run at full speed, even becoming more effective year after year. Small farmers, free cooperatives and Western-style wineries compete for yield and quality. 360°- GEO Reportage shows a wine region in transition, torn between a millennia-old tradition, Soviet heritage and the demands of the modern market. Those who greet each other in Georgia don't ask, "How are you?" but "How is your vine?" Wine is sacred here. Experts even believe that Georgia is one of the countries of origin for wine growing; vines have been cultivated under ideal climatic and geological conditions for thousands of years. In Soviet times, the country supplied the entire USSR with the traditionally sweet wine. About 85 percent of the production was exported. After the collapse of the communist system, Russia was still the largest buyer; however, since there have been strong conflicts between the two countries and Moscow has imposed an embargo, Georgia has suffered from a sales problem. This is because wine continues to be grown and harvested. In order to become world marketable and attract new customers, Georgian winemakers are looking for strategies to market their goods internationally. One of them is Dato Maïsouradzé. Together with other winemakers, he is trying to establish Georgian wine under a quality brand. This is not an easy undertaking, because up to now, production has tended to follow the principle of mass rather than class. In addition, after the years of the communist planned economy, each wine farmer worked alone on his own plot of land. These people still associate cooperatives with dreaded guardianship and state control. Nevertheless, Dato Maïsouradzé wants to win over the farmers and combine their forces in a profitable way. Her efforts are now beginning to bear fruit: Does the future of Georgian wine lie in China?