→ 26.09.21-2.10.21 Amber, Supra, Friends this is Georgia

Tour plan:

• Day 1 → 26.09

  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.

• Day 2 → 27.09

  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. And cherry on the top is visit to Rezo Gabriadze theatre. I invite you to immerse yourself in the world that Rezo Gabriadze built. Comedy, tragedy, philosophy and love are all united by silk filaments. We can read a lot of words about the talent of Rezo Gabriadze, all the main scenes applauded his works, but the best choice would be to experience these emotions on your own. Lunch and dinner at wineries.

• Day 3 → 28.09

  Bubbles. What can be better to start a day? We will come back to Kartli region to Igoeti village to see how a french guy Bastian use his knowledge of classical champagne winemaking here in Georgia. 5 years ago hi started working with wine at his winery Ori Marani. All the grapes used for his sparkling wines are coming either from Imereti, Shida Karlti and since harvest 2021, Lechkhumi regions. All wines are fermented on their indigenous yeasts without any interventions. Ah, Im dreaming about glass of Nino. Im sure you will never forgot its aromas! We will change place 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.

• Day 4 → 29.09

  It's time to unwind a little and take a walk around the city in the company of charming Dariko. She knows history of the city, history of its houses, hidden courtyards, and besides, she will tell us about her own vision of winemaking in Georgia. Second part of the day we will spend at house of Eko Glonti (Lagvinari wines), legendary winemaker and greatest person. We never know when our lunch will change to dinner and who will try chacha at the end of the evening. I will say nothing about his wines. We need to try it, thats all.

• Day 5 → 30.09

  This morning we will make a check out from our city hotel and will relocate to Kakheti. Vazisubani Estate is small hotel located in a unique dendrological garden. Magnificent parkland is home to some of the oldest and rarest tree species. And during your breakfast you will be amazed by Caucasus view. 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. So who will be a winner to you? *) And 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. Lunch and dinner at wineries.

• Day 6 → 1.10

  New day - new place. We will check out from an amazing Vazisubani Estate and will take a night at romantic city Sighnaghi at the hotel Kabadoni. Today we will walk around the historical city, we will spend a day relaxing at runch and will visit famous winery Pheasants Tears. We will be part of a beautiful and long feast with a view on the vineyard, with traditional food cooked not always by the classical method, accompanied by polyphony singing. Great day in Kakheti in the company of John Wurdeman. Lunch and dinner at wineries.

• Day 7 → 2.10

  The sulfur baths are planned for this morning. This is a right time as Georgians said. Private rooms at the best baths in the city are decorated with mosaics, very cozy and atmosphere here is extremely relaxing. After the baths, according to tradition, we will try kash soup at famous kasheria in front of baths. Georgians also saying that you need to take a glass of chacha with kash :). We will have time to return to the hotel and prepare us to very special dinner. We will try different vintages of different monastery wines. Those bottles was collected one by one during my visits to Georgia. Some of wines were aged in qvevri for more than 5 years, others were aged for a long time in bottles. That evening will be our last one during this trip we will have a long cozy evening tasting wines and eating khinkalis at hidden place on the river bank just in the city center.