In Tbilisi, a wine cellar was opened for the first time in a long while, housing a large collection of wines that once belonged to Joseph Stalin. In the dim light of the room, where cobwebs hang from the ceiling, a faint sweetish-musky scent is palpable. It contains about 40,000 bottles of rare wines from France and Georgia, writes Reuters.
Illustrative photo. Photo: AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov
The Georgian authorities, who now own this collection, decided to open the storage and show it to the public. Some of the wines, some dating back to the early 19th century, are planned to be put up for auction. The proceeds are intended to be directed towards establishing a winemaking school in Georgia.
Project representatives note that this auction could attract collectors from around the world and elevate Georgia's status as a country with a rich winemaking heritage. The country already positions itself as one of the oldest origins of wine — archaeological finds attest to a continuous tradition of winemaking for about 8,000 years.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in the cellar with Stalin's wines
Stalin's collection includes beverages from famous Bordeaux wineries that previously belonged to Russian Emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II. After the 1917 revolution, the Soviet government confiscated the imperial collection, and it later came into the possession of the Soviet dictator, who supplemented it with Georgian wines he favored.
One collector who came to Tbilisi from the USA noted that examining these bottles gives the feeling of uncovering an ancient mystery. He compared it to an archaeologist's adventure, where it's unknown whether you'll find something ordinary or a true historical treasure. According to him, such moments, where one can touch living history, are very rare today.
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Comments
дык вось там бюсты сталіна ад маленькіх да ў чалавечы рост прадаюцца ледзь не ў кожнай сувенірнай лаўцы, а ў Горы (радзіма сталіна), - казаў таксіст, - першы тост за сталіна
і... (выбачаюся) трохі на гэтым чарговы раз падзарабіць?
а як гэта ўсё апынулася ў склепах уважаемого товарища (не) грузина?