Kakheti is the main wine region for Georgia; a country whose been making wine for about 8,000 years! The landscape is dotted with historical sites, vineyards, and mountain ranges. We posted up in a town named Telavi where we had the best tasting Kubdari for lunch with a view out over Alexander Valley. 


On our second day, we explored the nearby town of Sighnaghi dating back to the early 18th century. We woke up super early to beat the crowds & the heat and caught a taxi from Telavi's main square. We lucked into a delicious breakfast at the only spot in town open before 11 am; desperation v. tasty food is the unclear driver of our rave review. Once nourished, we walked the fortress walls, climbed on top of St. Stephen Church, and hiked up to our wine tasting. The tasting had an amazing view & very large pours. We were given traditional clay pots to drink the wine out of & a lovely snack board. After the tasting, we caught a golf cart up to Bodbe Monastery & took the zipline back down to town. The town's breathtakingly beautiful architecture & view combination made us a bit disappointed we were only able to visit for the day.


On our last day, our guesthouse host took us on a tour of the monasteries & wineries in the broader region. The architecture, again, was absolutely gorgeous & it was fascinating to learn of the church's involvement in winemaking. The most notable wine tasting was at Kindzmaurali which was the main HQ for red wine production during the Soviet Era. Our guide was extremely friendly & knowledgeable. The wine cellar went on for ages with giant, defunct Soviet-era equipment, still used enamel-coated storage barrels, and a section of aging bottles reserved for the US Embassy. Since it was our first wine stop for the day, we conservatively didn't purchase a bottle. However, after visiting a couple more, the wine was our favorite & our driver/host kindly circled back so we could pick up our short-term souvenir. We ended the day with a tour of the House Museum of Alexander Chavchavadze; Georgian aristocracy who was responsible for negotiating the main treaty between Russia & Georgia in the late 18th century. It was a gorgeous house & super interesting to hear the gossip. After the tour, we shared a glass of wine from the onsite vineyards.


Wine regions are a clear favorite place to spend our days.


Reading

  • Kyle: Never Split the Difference by Christopher Voss
  • Kelsey: The Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore

Listening To