Reporting for CBS 60 Minutes, a team of journalists headed to Georgia on an investigation of the nation’s winemakers and ancient grapes. At one point in history, Georgia boasted 1,400 native grape varieties, most of which were destroyed during Georgia’s years under the Soviet Bloc. As a vital part of the nation’s cultural identity, a bold move has been made to recultivate the lost varieties. 

CBS visited numerous research centers undergoing the process of testing the DNA of grapes. The centers were quick to discover that many of the ancestral varieties were hidden in plain sight- families had been growing grapes for their own personal use. The surviving tradition of great grandfathers down had unintentionally kept these unique grapes alive. CBS continues: “It’s not just ancient grape varieties being preserved; it’s also ancient techniques.”

The research centers follow a trend of the global wine industry and the increasing interest in Georgia’s wine. The promotion of Georgian wines starts with the language, as names like “saperavi” and “rkhatsiteli” grab wine drinkers’ imagination. 

CBS ends by reminding us that wine tells the story of the nation’s past, but also inspires what’s yet to come. 

Read the entire article from CBS News here: