→ 3.10.21-9.10.21 Winemakers tour to Georgia

Trip itinerary:

• Day 1 → 3.10

  Arrival day is always free of plans. Let's set aside this day for rest and preparation for a wonderful journey. We will stay during our first part of the trip at Rooms Hotel in Tbilisi, Urban queen room type. You can always request room upgrade at Rooms Hotel or Stamba. Those two hotels located in the same building. In the evening we will have welcome dinner in a restaurant hidden from the eyes of tourists. During the dinner you will hear history of Georgian winemaking and will try old vintages of wines from qvevri.

• Day 2 → 4.10

  Lets start explore wine culture of Georgia. Today we will go to historical Kartli region. For sure great future of winemaking is coming to Kartli. We will start from visit to Mamuka who producing wines from 2014 and working with local grapes as Chinuri, Goruli, Mtsvane, and very rare Buza. He owns 2 hectares and works in organic way. Our second part of a day we will spend at winery Wine Artisans near Gori village. Andro he is inventor of new approaches still using qvevri. You will find him mixing new blends and trying to find one more great taste. He never used chemistry in the vineyard, his vineyards are full of different useful insects, he don't use drip irrigation. His way is natural winemaking. We will try different red wines and amber wines. Lunch and dinner at wineries. *Late evening time we can spend in wine bar at Tbilisi and try more wines from other regions of Georgia.

• Day 3 → 5.10

  Im sure you have heard about Iago Bitarishvili and his wine from Chinuri grape. Only one grape variety at his vineyards. Two types of wine with skin contact and without it. Great experiment for you to see the same grape variety in two different styles. Its a great opportunity to understand what long skin maceration gives wine. Also his wife marina started to do her own wine. One red and one white. Then we will move to Bolnisi the center of the Kvemo Kartli region. Where we will meet with dearest friend Berdia. At Barbale winery he producing unique vintages with traditional Georgian methods, he using only natural way of winemaking. We will try refined red wines, white wines and amber wines. We will taste such red grape varieties as Danakharuli, Tavkvevri, Shavkapito, Budeshuri Saperavi and others. Lunch and dinner at wineries. *Late evening time we can spend in wine bar at Tbilisi and try more wines from other regions of Georgia.

• Day 4 → 6.10

  It's time to unwind a little bit and so the first half of the day will belong to you personally. Second part of the day we will spend at house of Eko Glonti (Lagvinari wines), legendary winemaker and greatest person. We will try a lot of different wines and definitely talk about the vineyards, qvevri and specifics or working with it.

• Day 5 → 7.10

  This morning we will make a check out from our city hotel and will relocate to Kakheti. I have one more hidden gem - Tsikhelishvili Wine. Founded by Alex Tsikhelishvi a great person. He produce fine natural wine with traditional Georgian methods, farming and processing all grapes organically, and fermenting and aging wine in qvevri. He has patient to wait for 2 years before his wine will be release on market. His small production is around 10000 bottles. Also he has a rare grape variety Jgia and not so many winemakers know what to do with Jgia grapes. Later we will visit Papari Valley winery. Estate-grown and bottled wines are made in the Kakhetian wine-making method, with naturally occurring yeast fermentation and aging in qvevris. Papari Valley has 21 qvevris and makes it their mission is to find the best methods of combining Georgian Qvevri and modern wine-making techniques. Farming Saperavi and Rkatsiteli grape varietals over 9.3 hectares of vineyard. Lunch and dinner at wineries.

• Day 6 → 8.10

  New day - new place. We will make a check out and move closer to Sighnaghi. We will spend day in company of John Wurdeman at his ranch and will visit famous winery Pheasants Tears. We will be part of supra accompanied by polyphony singing. We will try Pheasants Tears of different years and will hear John's story. Last day we will celebrate and never forget. Lunch at legendary Pheasants Tears and supra dinner at winery.