Among the artefacts in The Cradle of Wine will be clay cups, pots and containers, used to filter wine and to perform wine rituals in Georgia from 4,000 years BC. Believed to be one of the earliest wine-producing regions in the world, evidence has been found to suggest that Georgia has been producing wine for 7,000 years. Ancient grape stones and fragments of earthenware have been discovered at archaeological sites in Southern Georgia. Climatic conditions in Georgia mean that the country is able to produce a diverse range of over 500 varieties of wine, including Tsinandali, Rkatsiteli, Saperavi and Atenuri.

The Cradle of Wine is a permanent display. Visitors to Vinopolis will be able to taste a range of Georgian wines as part of the exhibition tour.

Malcolm Ball, Chief Executive of Vinopolis, said ‘The Cradle of Wine is the first area that visitors will see on arrival at Vinopolis. This position recognises the widely held view that Georgia was the first wine-producing region in the world. We are pleased to be able to give our visitors a taste of the excellent and diverse wines produced there today, alongside some of the first instruments and tools used in their original production up to 7000 years ago.’

Vinopolis is the world’s only visitor attraction dedicated to the history, production and enjoyment of wine. Filling a two-and-a-half-acre site beneath 140-year-old Victorian railway arches, alongside London Bridge and Borough Market, the Vinopolis exhibition and tour takes visitors around the wine producing regions of the world.

Throughout the tour, visitors are encouraged to taste wine from all over the world. The tour also explores the relationship between wine and food and gives useful information like how to tell if a wine is corked, technical details about wine production and also reveals stories linked to the history of wine making.

Visitor Information

Notes to Editors:
Georgia is one of the ancient countries located between the Black Sea and the mountains of Caucasus, where Europe and Asia merge. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in April 1991, became independent. In November 2003, the Rose Revolution brought into power new, democratically elected leaders.

The discovery of ritual drinking vessels at cult rite sites in Georgia indicate that vines and wine were part of ritual ceremonies in Georgia. The rituals are also linked to the spreading of Christianity in Georgia: St Nino, who preached in Georgia, tied a cross of vine twigs with her hair and used the cross to carry out the first ritual. From them on the vine and wine have been closely linked to the preaching of Christianity.