Georgia is home to the oldest winemaking tradition in the world, stretching back over 8,000 years! The traditional method involves large clay pots known as qvevris which are buried in the ground to keep them cool. The entire grape is used in the fermenting process, and since there is no way to halt the fermentation, wines made using this method are always dry. Almost every family in this area has links to the winemaking industry, and will most likely make their own wine too. Georgian hospitality is at its best in Khakheti, with free homemade wine tastings offered at almost every guesthouse. In addition to wine, the local spirit chacha, distilled from the leftovers of the winemaking process, is often on offer. Sighnaghi is the best place to base yourself to enjoy this region, as buses between the towns are not all that frequent and difficult to find information on. From here you can explore many small and largescale wineries, as well as many of the ancient monasteries scattered across the landscape. Many of which also make their own wine!

Nato & Lado

Sighnaghi is an excellent base for exploring the wine region, and Nato and Lado are the best Guesthouse in town. The sociable atmosphere is noticeable as soon as you step into the courtyard. Every evening there is a free dinner spread and homemade wine, which the whole family joins. Nato the owner loves to get to know everyone and tell stories about her previous guests. She is extremely knowledgeable about the region, and her recommendations should be trusted! Her husband is always willing to drive guests around on day trips to nearby monasteries, wineries and tourist hotspots.

 

Tower Of Sighnaghi Wall

Sighnaghi is an old walled city, with picturesque cobblestone streets and numerous viewpoints overlooking the town’s red-tiled roofs. Only one section of the walls, originally built in the 1770s, is still able to be climbed. From the town, the ‘tourist track’ will take you past craft stalls and the famed knitting ladies who still sit outside their little shops creating hats, socks, and all things woollen. The first part of the wall you reach is accessed by climbing a rickety ladder by an old fortification tower. The track then follows the wall down the hill, providing panoramic views of the Alazani Valley below, until you reach a second tower, offering further viewpoints if you’re willing to climb yet more rickety ladders.

 

Restaurant Kizik

Taking the wall track to its end will lead you to a restaurant with a beautiful terrace overlooking the Alazani Valley. In fact, Sighnaghi has many restaurants like this, it’s hard to find a restaurant without a balcony or terrace with stunning views! This particular offering, though right on the tourist track, is well-priced, offers traditional food not just Western cuisine, and is delicious and filling. While I would recommend skipping this if you arrive at the same time as a tour group, if you visit mid-morning or mid-afternoon you may have the place all to yourself. In which case, definitely stop here for a quick bite before continuing your exploration of Sighnaghi Town.

 

Host Of Signagi

This charming restaurant serves up delicious Georgian classics such as Ostri (spicy beef stew) and kachapuri (bread baked with cheese). The owner is extraordinarily friendly and happy to make recommendations of the best dishes on the menu. As always in this region, there is homemade wine which I highly recommend. Sit on the street outside to watch the world go by, and you might be joined by one of Sighnaghi’s many street dogs – they are all tagged, vaccinated and neutered. They’re usually very well-fed despite being strays, and they adore human attention.

 

Vakho Oqruashvili Wine Cellar

This small family-run winery was my favourite visit in the whole Khaketi region. The current owner is the 3rd generation of winemakers in the family and is extremely passionate about the process. As a small place, you’re likely to be the only visitor, so message them on Facebook in advance to make sure they’re ready for you. On our visit, the owner drank all the wines with us as we tried them, making us feel like friends, not just customers. He was keen for us to love his wines as much as he did, and his enthusiasm was infectious – and the wine delicious! We wandered around the small on-site vineyard, explored the family home, and left with a free bottle!

 

Nekresi Monastery

Nekresi Monastery is perched on the top of a large hill – from the car park you can walk up, but since the bus is only about $1, I recommend being lazy and catching a ride! The monastery overlooks some beautiful plains and wine fields, as well as the ancient Nekresi Fire Temple, which, now in ruins, is best viewed from the monastery above. The monastery here is home to a number of monks who still continue the tradition of winemaking, and a bottle of Nekresi Saperavi is available for a very reasonable price. This wine is part of a tradition lasting 1400 years!

 

Khareba Winery

Khareba Winery is famous for its wine tunnel, purpose-built by the same company that created the Tbilisi metro. There is a rumour that the tunnel was created to hide machinery during World War II, but after the war ended before the tunnel was finished it was converted to wine storage. This may be simply a rumour, but it’s a much more fun story! A visit here offers many options including kinkhali making (dumplings), churchkhela dipping (Georgian traditional candy), or simply a wine tasting in the tunnel. Some excellent wines are on offer, along with local grape oil, which you can try with cheese and lavash (Georgian flatbread). Top tip: Make sure to make use of the blankets on offer as the tunnel remains a cool 14 degrees Celsius year-round.

 

Bodbe’s St. Nino’s Convent

This one is a convent rather than a monastery and offers another stunning viewpoint overlooking the Alazani Valley. Built in the 9th century, Bodbe’s St. Nino’s Convent is part of a complex with a chapel, tower and gardens. The complex is a short walk from Sighnaghi town or a cheap taxi ride. Descending down some stone steps from the convent and following a woodland path for about a kilometre will bring you to St Nino’s spring, historically an important place of pilgrimage for Christians. St Nino is accredited with converting Georgia to Christianity in the 4th century. The spring is said to have healing properties and is pure enough to drink.

 

Numisi Cellar Museum

This winery is combined with a museum explaining the history of qvevri (clay pot) wine-making methods in Georgia. It is a great place to gain a deeper understanding of the methodology used in the country with the oldest wine-making traditions in the world. In addition to demonstrating the traditional methods, the museum includes furniture and artefacts from Soviet-era Georgia. After exploring the museum, participate in a wine tasting which includes red and white wine, brandy, and chacha, the locally distilled liquor created from winemaking leftovers.

 

Alaverdi Monastery

The Alaverdi Cathedral is a large, imposing building, set against a backdrop of mountains and fertile farmland. Built in the 11th century, it was the tallest cathedral in the country right up until 2004 and is considered one of the four Great Cathedrals of Georgia. Within the cathedral courtyard are a few ruins of the 6th-century monastery that existed here before the church was built, as well as current monastic housing and a small vineyard. As you’d expect from the Kakheti region, the monks here have been making their own wine for over 15 centuries. Though the church itself is large, a visit here is fairly quick, and so is an easy add-on to a day trip around the monasteries and wineries of the region.

 

House Museum Of Alexander Chavchavadze

The Tsinandali Estate is one of the largest winemaking estates in the largest winemaking region of Georgia. Their dry sparkling wine is particularly delicious. However a visit to Tsinandali should not be focused on the present winemaking factory, but on the historic Chavchavadze estate. This museum is located in the house of the man who bottled the first Georgian wine, producing for a larger audience rather than solely for the family. Opt for the ticket that includes a tasting of 5 wines to sample a wide selection of this famous brand’s best offerings.

 

“A wine lover’s guide to Kakheti, Georgia” was originally published on Wanderdash (follow me @rosroundtheworld)