Harvest Time in the Cradle of Wine

Day 1

Arrival & Welcome

In the late afternoon, we’ll meet for a welcome drink and stroll through the Sololaki neighborhood, which has its architectural origins in the 19th century. Georgia’s capital, a collision of ancient and modern, is neither European nor Asian. It is, and has always been, a crossroad of the old Silk Road and a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities that continue to define the city’s character and its inimitable cuisine.

We’ll make our way to Shavi Lomi, a house-turned-restaurant featuring chef Meriko Gubeladze’s twist on traditional Georgian dishes as well as classic renditions of some of her favorites. Over dinner, we’ll properly introduce ourselves and get an overview of the exciting—and delicious—week ahead.

Day 2

Unraveling the Secrets of the Georgian Feast

Today we’ll explore the roots of Georgian cuisine and the building blocks of the supra, Georgia’s traditional belt-popping feast table. On a walking tour of Tbilisi’s historic center we will see, smell and taste the diverse influences over this city’s gastronomy. We will eat loaves of oven-baked bread, still warm from the tandoor, and sample delicious churchkhela, strings of walnuts dipped in a thick grape molasses roux. We’ll feast on khinkali, Georgia’s iconic dumplings, and also taste the latest kvevri (amphora-aged) wines at the city’s pioneering wine bar. The day will wind down with an early, relaxing dinner in a historic courtyard accompanied by a performance by traditional polyphonic singers.

If you have energy left after dinner, feel free to wander the streets of the Sololaki neighborhood, where you’ll find no shortage of bars and cafes.

Day 3

Shida Kartli, the Heart of Georgia

Just outside Tbilisi, at the junction of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers, sits Mtskheta, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the birthplace of Georgian Christianity. Our morning will begin with a pilgrimage to the city’s greatest maker of adjaruli khachapuri, a baked barge of dough packing a cargo of gooey cheese topped with an egg yolk and a slow-melting slab of butter. We’ll also visit the city’s Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, chosen by St. Nino in the 4th century as the site of the first church in Georgia; believed to be the burial site of Christ’s mantle, it is one of the most sacred places in the country.

Later, we’ll head to the nearby village of Ateni in the Shida Kartli region, considered the heart of Georgia. Historically, the region produced wine for the Georgian kings, and it remains an important, although glossed over, winemaking area today. To end our day, we’ll visit the cellar of the Wine Artisans, an association of winemakers dedicated to making traditional natural wines. Our host, Andro Barnovi, will walk us through the winemaking process and also prepare a luscious country supper. Our ride will have us back at the hotel around sunset, where you can set out on your own evening explorations or head in for a good night’s rest.

Day 4

Onward to Kakheti

Spread beneath the majestic Caucasus Mountains like an enormous grape basket is the Alazani Valley. Located in the Kakheti region of eastern Georgia, this could very well be the most breathtaking wine region in the world, and from Tbilisi an epic roadtrip. Kakheti’s landscapes are as ancient as they are diverse: full of lush vineyards and greenery, rocky mountains and thick forests. 

On our roadtrip to Kakheti, our first destination is a small town famous for its traditional tandoor bread ovens and local cheeses. We ‘ll stretch our legs and have our second breakfast of these specialties.  

After arriving in Kakheti and getting settled our journey continues to the home-workshop of a local kvevri maker, where we will learn how clay vessels the size of a VW Beetle are hand-crafted and maybe the master will break out his homemade brandy.

Our final stop for the day is the cozy home of a family-run winery where husband and wife will treat us to a home style  supra, or Georgian feast.  

Day 5

A Walk in the Woods

After breakfast, we will head into the forest with an environmental conservationist to learn more about what this unique environment provides and how local communities live off it in a sustainable way. On a leisurely trek, we’ll make our way through stunning landscapes, stopping by a tiny village to meet producers of local specialties, including prized Kakheti honey. We will lunch al fresco, picnic style. 

In the late afternoon, we’ll arrive at a village winery where we’ll take part in the making churchkhela, the traditional Georgian sweet made of walnuts and grape juice.  We’ll visit the cellar for a tasting led by the winemaker, himself.  In the evening, we’ll cap it all off with a classic Georgian supra or feast. 

Day 6

Markets & Cellars

After a relaxed morning, we will travel to the region’s prized farmer’s market, where we will go deep into the local products of the valley. We’ll taste our way through the market’s seasonal delights, saving room for our final feast in the valley.

This will be held in Akura, at the home cellar of our lively and multi-talented host, Irakli Bluishvili, an excellent winemaker, photographer and home cook. Together we will eat, drink, and relax on his grounds, however before we settle in at his cozy village home, we’ll tour some ruins nearby, including a churchyard scattered with kvevri “offerings,” and get the backstory on this unusual tradition.  After our final feast we will say goodbye to our hosts in Kakheti and head back to Tbilisi for some rest.

Day 7

Best in Show: Fine Arts & Performance

After breakfast, we will make our way to an exclusive visit at the National Ballet and witness a private rehearsal of its acrobatic dancers, accompanied by traditional musicians. We’ll then visit other creative spaces, including a ceramics studio and the laboratory of a man aiming to perfect the ancient art of kvevri-making, aided by high technology.

After so many traditional Supras, our final evening together, we will dine at one of the most celebrated of Tbilisi’s new wave of restaurants, where contemporary style and atmosphere meet traditional cooking techniques and ingredients, giving us a taste of the exciting direction in which Georgian cuisine is headed.

Day 8

Farewell & Departure

Today, depart for home or onto your next destination – or, if you’d like, spend a few more days exploring the region. 

Until our next adventure!