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 Although in India wine is still considered and at least categorized generally in the spirits category by the government, there are governments including China and Argentina that have realised the importance of wine for their culture and nationality for various reasons. According to the Georgian news agency Hvino News, the annual Georgia Wine Day has been created to help increase the Georgian wine recognition globally.
At the first event celebrated on October 4 at the well-known Alaverdi Monastery, run by monks in the Kakheti region in the Eastern part of Georgia, Mr. Garibashvili said, "It can be said without any exaggeration that the vine and wine are equal to identity of a Georgian man", noting that Georgian wine will become country's image product and that each Georgian will be proud of that product. According to him, the boundless love and devotion to vine is truly unique in Georgia.
The importance given by the oldest wine producing nation in the world-for the last 8000years is underlined by the cabinet ministers accompanying the Prime Minister to the premier wine producing region.
"Today's event lays the foundation for a new tradition, a new date – by the government's initiative, we launched the National Wine Day, which is being celebrated for the first time today. I hope that in future this day will become a tradition and a truly national holiday. We decided to found this day because of the ancient and unique history of wine culture. Georgian wine-making history is intertwined with the history of the Georgian people. It has been known for decades that the vineyard has the oldest cultural footprints in Georgia," said the Prime Minister.
 He also reconfirmed the government's decision to build the wine museum, as a place to preserve the Georgian wine-making traditions.
A similar event was organized I the Capital city of Tbilisi organized by the Georgian Sommelier Association and National Agency of Wine at the Hotel Tbilisi Marriott , attended by the capital’s Mayor, Davit Narmania. A special wineglass developed this year by Riedel specially to serve Saperavi, the signature red wine of Georgia, was presented at the ceremony. Chairman of the company, Georg Riedel had visited Georgia personally a few months ago for the sole purpose of designing the glass to be presented at this celebration.
History of Saperavi wineglass’s birth will become an important episode for a movie about wine that is being filmed as a joint project by the Georgian Sommelier Association and National Agency of Wine. The Director of the movie was also present at the presentation, accompanied by a group of cameramen.
For those who still think Georgia is a State in the USA here is an educative earlier Article in delWine: K.I.S.S. Georgia-the Oldest Wine Producing Nation
Subhash Arora
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