Metekhi Cathedral
Today Jim Laughren, CWE brings us a preview of a session to be presented at SWE’s 43rd Annual Conference, to be held on August 14th through 16th in Washington, DC. Read on as Jim tells us about the land (and wines) of the Republic of Georgia.
There is a land far, far away, nestled in the bosom of mountains high and rugged. A land connecting kingdoms and nations east and west, it’s valleys once a crossroads of ancient trade routes. Hawks soar among the snow-capped peaks, and crystalline waters tumble and swirl through channels of rock and stone. A land whose hillsides are covered with vines and whose people are both warm and fierce. Silks and tapestries, sugar and spice, teas and porcelain and gold and ivory for countless centuries passed along its roads and rivers, wending in caravans from village to village.
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There is a land far, far away, coveted by many, its position well placed, home to a proud and spirit-filled people. A land invaded countless times, by kings and potentates, by czars and chieftains, by shahs and sheiks and sultans, a land that has been ruled by many even while those born to it planned and fought and strove to throw off the unwelcome yokes of conquest. A land where the earth is like unto a mother, the azure skies a cap of glory on high, hidden monasteries the custodians of faith and future.
There is a land far, far away, called after the sixth generation of Noah, a land old and beloved to its own long even before the days of Mesopotamia, before the ziggurats of Eridu, before Pharaoh walked the banks of the Nile, a land of small shelters and peaceful villages, a land where wine was made within the embrace of the earth, stored and shared much as it is today. A land whose people would be welcomed and greeted afar, for they carried with them the secret of wine, of nurturing the vineyards and bringing forth the magical drink.
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You are welcome to join us as we explore this special land and its many gifts. You are welcome to taste the wines, made as they have been for millennia, from grapes with names unknown to most, with flavors most intriguing, and perhaps, if we are fortunate, with the same joy and appreciation as the defenders of this land, the creators of ghvino themselves feel towards this everlasting gift.
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Jim’s session—Georgia on my Mind—will be held on Friday, August 16 (2019) at 4:45 pm as part of the Society of Wine Educators’ 43rd Annual Conference, to be held in Washington DC.
About the speaker: Jim Laughren, CWE, is a wine writer and educator, a former importer and distributor, and the author of “50 Ways to Love Wine More: Adventures in Wine Appreciation” and “A Beer Drinker’s Guide to Knowing and Enjoying Fine Wine.” He has recently returned from what he terms a “pilgrimage” to the Republic of Georgia and will be sharing impressions, photographs, and, of course, wines from his visit. On August 15th, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm he will also be appearing at Kramerbooks, 1517 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC for a signing of his book, “50 Ways to Love Wine More.”
Are you a conference speaker that would like to provide a preview of your session? Contact Jane A. Nickles at jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org