How Georgians Celebrate Christmas and New Year

By Taste Georgia

On Bina 37

By Taste Georgia

Interior shot of Bina 37 in Tbilisi

A beautiful glass of amber wine in Kakheti

By Taste Georgia

Views of vineyards on our Kakheti wine tour is one of our favorite things in the world. Papari Valley has gorgeous organic vineyards. Wine tours are a great experience for everyone.

Travel Tips for Tbilisi

By Taste Georgia

Tbilisi’s history dates back to the 5th century, when it was founded on the hot springs from which it gets its name. “Tbilisi,” in old Georgian, means “warm,” and legend has it that King Erekle was so impressed by the sulfur springs, he founded a new city then and there. Tbilisi was one of the most strategically placed cities in the history of Eurasia. It’s right at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, and its role in the past on the Silk Road always made it prone to foreign invaders ranging from Persians to Mongols to, more recently, the Soviet Red Army. All have left their marks on the city, with its huge range of monuments and stunning architecture, as well as marks on the flavors in the typical Georgian cuisine.

1. Old Town Cross the river on the pedestrian Bridge of Peace, a gorgeous Italian designed tribute to Georgia’s commitment to tolerance and peace, then take the cable car from Rike Park on the left bank across the river and up to the 6th century Narikala fortress. Have a lovely stroll down through Old Tbilisi and finish with a soak at the sulphur baths. After an invigorating and extremely hot bath and rejuvenating massage and scrub, you’ll need to refresh yourself. Maspindzelo which specialises Georgia’s other national dish, khinkali, or soup dumplings, should not be ignored. If you are walking down Erekle II Str, do stop by G Vino for fatastic wine and food. The interior is cozy and elegant and the wine list is one of the best in Tbilisi. Join a Tbilisi walking tour with Taste Georgia.

4. Dry Bridge Market Treasure hunters cannot miss the daily Dry Bridge Market, which isn’t actually on a bridge, it’s at the edge of the Vere Park. Come ready with tote bags, cash and willingness to haggle. Everything from plates, to Soviet era Bohemian crystal, to incredible real silverware to Soviet replicas. People bring their antiques every day and try to sell them to passersby. I always walk the entire perimeter of the market and try not to impulse buy. It’s worth it to pay for the extra suitcase for the amount of treasures you’ll find for unbelievably low prices.

5. Cafè Theatre Tbilisi has a long tradition of cafè culture. Cafè Theatre reinvents the art of the Tbilisi cafè by combining art, music, theatre with excellent food and drinks. Typical evenings include finger puppet performances and jazz.

6. Vino Underground At it’s opening,Vino Underground was the first bar in Tbilisi to focus solely on natural wines. In fact, it is owned by six of Georgia’s most well-known natural wine producers, and they can be regularly found inside hosting tastings or helping guests learn about the wine of Georgia. Conveniently located near Freedom Square, Vino Underground is like a home away from home and a nice respite from the bustling city. Its underground location beneath gorgeous arched masonry, with a warm and rustic interior, gives the place a very old world feel. Be sure to try the sunflower oil with bread with a glass of wine from producers Gotsa or Iago.

7. Vinotel is the premier wine destination in Tbilisi. Careful attention has been given to every single detail in this place which is built in the Historical Deutsches Haus/German House, from the texture of the paint to the tastefully chosen antique furniture. It’s a small hotel with 12 rooms to choose from, which range from single occupancy to their luxury deluxe suite that features an in house hammam. It’s no surprise to learn that the designers, from Saba Design Company, studied in Italy, as the entire hotel combines an Italian sense of elegance and decadence with the welcoming atmosphere that can only come from Georgian hospitality. There is also a restaurant that serves lovely, upscale and elegantly plated Georgian themed dishes which pair perfectly with the elegant Lagvinari wines from the cellar often with live musical accompaniment. Vinotel and its wonderful staff will have you convinced that you’ve finally come to your dream home.

8. Take a cooking class Georgia’s cuisine is becoming ever more popular around the world and for good reason. It is delicious! People can’t resist the aromatic herbs and spices and want to be able to recreate dishes they’ve been enjoying. Taking a market tour at the Dezerter Bazaar is a sensory experience equal to none. Learn to make some of Georgia’s traditional dishes such as khinkali (soup dumplings) and different versions of khatchapuri (cheese bread) with a professional chef Learn with a professional chef at one of the city’s culinary institutes. Nothing beats getting your hands dirty and eating what you’ve learned to create.

1. Tbilisi: It one of the most dynamic capital cities in Europe, with a range of places to visit. During its history many cultures have left their mark, creating a mosaic of art building styles.

2. Wine: Though we have long suspected it, science has confirmed Georgia as the cradle of wine. A paper was published with all the details of this nearly 9000 year old culture

3. Wine, part 2: Along with history, the qvevri, the clay vessel Georgians make wine in, is considered intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. Join a wine tour to one of the wine regions.

4. Travel publications: Many end of year travel round ups included Georgia as one of their top places to visit for 2018. If you’re interested come now before Georgia succumbs to the upcoming onslaught of bucket list tourist who will inevitably leave their mark on local culture.

5. Mountains and more mountains: Georgia is tucked between the Greater and lesser Caucasus, meaning people who enjoy mountain activies such as hiking, mountain climbing and skiing are in luck. The Kazbegi and Svaneti regions are open year round and Tusheti is ready for exploration in the late spring and summer. The mountains regions are quite pristine and trails aren’t marked well, so a guide is quite helpful. Get in touch if you want to create a personalised itinerary in the Caucasus.

6. Food: Georgian food is hot right now. Three cookbooks were released last year celebrating this exotic cuisine. Dumplings and cheese bread abound but it’s also fun to explore the food regionally. Georgians use lots of fresh and dried aromatic herbs that create and explosion of flavours. Walnuts are used profusely as well as souring agents. The food goes perfect with local amber wine.

7. Prices: Georgia is very inexpensive for travellers, though prices for moderate hotels tend to be quite high. You can have a three course meal with wine for about 35 GEL (Georgian Lari) which is about $10-12. The exchange rate is very favourable for Europeans and North Americans.

8. Hospitality: Georgians have a saying. “A guest is a gift from god.” You’ll never be treated better than the first time you visit someone’s home. And it’s quite easy to make new friends in Georgia, so an invitation is quite easy to manage.

9. Spas: Tbilisi itself was founded on and is named after its natural hot springs, and the town of Borjomi is an easy day trip. The sulphur baths in Tbilisi are a must and a visit includes a rub down and a scrub.

10. Polyphony: Georgian polyphony is the most beautiful vocal music in the world. Period. It’s also register as Intangible Cultural Heritage with UNESCO.

11. Georgian National Dance: When acrobatica and tradition meet. The National Dance of Georgia is both folk and a feat of physicality. You can understand the history and culture of Georgia through the dance.

12. Ancient churches: Georgia is one of the oldest Christian countries in the world. They adopted the religion as the official religion before the Romans. The majority of Georgians practice Georgian Orthodox rites. There are gorgeous medieval churches atop mountains and hills that seem to defy physics. One of the most breathtaking is Gregeti Church in Kazbegi. Hike the back route for the most dramatic views.

13. Street art in Tbilisi: one of the founding fathers of street art in Tbilisi is Dr. Love. You can find his murals and stencils through the city. They are often a humorous commentary on the state of modern human life.

14. More low cost Airlines flying to Kutaisi and Tbilisi. There are a number of non-stop flights to and from a variety of European cities and through Istanbul that make travel to Georgia easier and cheaper than ever.

15. Marijuana has been decriminalised: That’s doesn’t mean you can buy it on the street or there are coffee houses. It’s a testimony to a culture that is becoming more liberal.

16. Soviet art and architecture: Doted through the countryside and through the cities in the form of murals, bus stops, palaces and huge apartment blocks. All still in use and many buildings have been repurposed for banks or ceremonies.

17. Dumplings: Yes, they are food, but they still deserves their own category. Khinkali are perfect and delicious soup dumplings originating from the mountain areas. Fillings vary but my favorite are made with wild mushrooms. And of course Taste Georgia can arrange a cooking class for you!

18. Georgian language and alphabet: it’s one of thirteen known written alphabets and the script is gorgeous. Lovers of calligraphy and font will go crazy for the letters, and linguists can study the roots of a Non Indo-European language that is unique to the Caucasus and has no relatives

Interested yet? Taste Georgia is Tbilisi based tour operator managed by a small group of experts. We create customised itineraries for our guests. Group and private tours can be arranged. We offer everything from food tours, cooking classes, wine tours and excursions, day trips, multiple day trips in Georgia, hiking and adventure activities in the Caucasus and culture tours. Get in touch or check out our website! Email: info@tastegeorgia.co

Georgia for wine lovers

By Taste Georgia

When we think of historical, old world wine regions, we imagine the rolling hills of Tuscany, riding a bike along the Loire, Chateaus in Bordeaux or glamorous high end design wineries in La Rioja. While the Mediterranean basin and some of Europe claim a few thousand years of wine history, we have to look further east, to Transcaucasia, the cradle of wine. The country of Georgia is the only region in the world where the relationship between humans and wine was never interrupted.

The Classic Rkatsiteli

By Taste Georgia

2013 Orange Wine

2013 Orange Wine

Thank you so much for the the lovely wine tour at Orgo. If you are interested in wines tours in Kakheti, please contact us at Taste Georgia. We have a variety of tours from Tbilisi that include this cellar. If you are interested in this wine in the USA or the U.K. check out these importers for more information.

Importers in the United States:

Blue Danube

Georgian Wine House

Importer in the U.K.

Clark Foyster

Travel and Culture News: 21/04 to 27/04 2017

By Taste Georgia

1. Georgia’s Ambassador to the UK Named Diplomat of the Year

Tamar Beruchashvili was named Diplomat of the Year by Eurasia at the Tata DIPLOMAT Magazine 2017 award ceremony. The article highlights some of the tweets that were written in Beruchashvili’s honor.

2. Ten Reasons to Drink Georgian Wine

The ten reasons vary from Georgian history to food pairing, but I feel they encompass everything that is great about Georgian wines. This is a good article for those who may just be starting to enter into the land or for those wanting to convince someone they know that Georgian wines are awesome.

3. A wave of Georgian qvevri wine in Amsterdam

This article mainly features a new wine shop that has begun to carry Georgian wines in the Netherlands. There are some awesome wine recommendations within.

4. Cost of Georgia’s top travel destinations for spring

This article has a lot of amazing recommendations for travel options within Georgia for spring. The costs of each recommendation is also listed which is nice.

http://www.georgianjournal.ge/discover-georgia/33489-cost-of-georgias-top-travel-destinations-for-spring.html

1. Tbilisi Fashion Week 2017 Showroom Opens in Tbilisi Mall

The 15th season of Tbilisi Fashion Week began on April 19th and ends on April 24th. Between runway shows there will even be a champagne tasting!

2. CineDOC- Tbilisi festival set to celebrate documentary filmmaking

The event launches on May 11th and will feature documentaries by directors from 30 different countries. This article also gives a short description of some of the films that will be shown.

2. CineDOC- Tbilisi festival set to celebrate documentary filmmaking

The event launches on May 11th and will feature documentaries by directors from 30 different countries. This article also gives a short description of some of the films that will be shown.

3. Wines of Georgia reveals plans for UK

The National Wine Agency of Georgia has announced a “major” UK trade campaign to increase wine exports to the UK. The campaign aims to increase the profile for Georgian wines.

6. Of Sheep and Men

This is an amazing article mostly consisting of an interview with a series of farmers who live in one of Georgia’s steep valleys. The accompanying photographs are striking and by the end of the end of the article you’ll have an excellent sense of just what it means to be a farmer in Georgia.