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How to make Georgian Bean Pie (Lobiani) by Marina
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Even if you cannot travel to Georgia at the moment, you can stillTaste Georgia. While we are unable to offer our Tbilisi Food Tour, we can still offer a little taste of Georgia in your own kitchen from our best food guide, Natia. We look forward to cooking with you in the future and wandering thr markets together on a Market Walk in Tbilisi or Kutaisi.
We have noticed a global trend of baking at home as well as people getting quite creative with dry beans. Beans are a staple in the Georgian kitchen, and Georgian bean pie is one of the most delicious comfort foods that exist. So please enjoy this recipe from Natia’s mother, Marina.
If you don’t have Svaneti salt, that’s also okay. Stay tuned for a Svaneti salt post with recipes and links on where to buy it.
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INGREDIENTS
500 gr kidney beans (but any dry bean you have available will do) soak overnight
2 bay leaves
1 kilo all purpose flour
3 gr dry activated yeast
120 ml lukewarm water
1.5 gr sugar
600 ml water
60 ml cooking oil Georgians usually cold pressed sunflower oil
1 medium yellow onion diced
15 gr Svaneti salt
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 egg or one agg replacer Use the eggwhite
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the beans
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Boil the beans in water with the two bay leaves until they are soft. They are ready when they are easily mashed.
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Drain the beans in a strainer to remove excess water.
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Leave to drain
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Preheat oven to 195° C
Prepare the dough
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Mix the yeast, water and sugar and let sit for 10 minutes
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In a bowl, add the flour and yeast mix and stir. Stir in the rest of the water.
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Once the dough is formed, take out of the bowl and knead on a floured surface
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Once the dough is elastic, form four balls of dough, cover the balls with sunflower oil and leave in a covered bowl to rise
Season the beans
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Mash the beans with a potato masher or put through a meat grinder. The beans should be faily smooth.
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In a large pan, fry the onions until the are almost brown, addf the beans, salt and pepper. Add Svaneti salt if you want extra seasoning. Cook on low heat for about five minutes
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Once the beans are cool, make small balls for the filling.
Making the pie
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With each ball of dough, flatten them out by hand, not with a roller, into little plates. Make sure the dough is thickest in the middle. You can also choose to make them square.
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Once you have disks that are about 10 inches, add a ball of beans in the middle
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There are two opions for making the pies. You can add the beans to the center, and fold up the sides of the dough like a dumpling. Pinch the center. Once you have the sides up, gentle pat down the mixture into flatted round pie shape. Or if you are making them square. Just fold the corners in the center and pat flat. For the round version, you can actually cook it in a pan on the stovetop.
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If you are cooking in the oven, make sure top add holes at the top with a toothpick.
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Brush the top with egg white or egg replacer for a flakier crust
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Cook for about 20 minutes or until browning
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If you make on the stovetop, make sure to cook on both sides.
Where to Try the Best Khinkali in Tbilisi
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Khinkali in Georgia
Georgian cuisine is as diverse as its landscape. Each region of the country has its own meals or its own take on popular dishes like Khachapuri, the pizza-like cheese pie. Khinkali, is a national meal of Georgia and an absolute must-try once here.
Khinkali is a meat dumpling that originated in the mountainous regions of Pshavi, Khevsureti, and Mtiuleti. It later spread all across the country, resulting in different varieties.
The initial recipe, khevsuruli, calls for minced meat (a mixture of pork and beef or lamb), chili pepper, onions, cumin, and salt. You’ll notice another version of Khinkali in the restaurants, called kalakuri (in English it translates as “the city version”). It includes fresh herbs such as cilantro and parsley. Today, many restaurants also make it with mushrooms, spinach, cheese, potatoes, cottage cheese, and even seafood.
Many of the venues now use special machines and equipment to knead the dough and wrap Khinkali. Back in the day, everything was made by hands, giving it even more authentic and delicious taste. Unfortunately, today, restaurants rarely serve Khinkali with lamb filling. Thus, the best place to try real, genuine meal is still in the mountains – Khevsureti or Tusheti.
When assembling Khinkali, meat is uncooked. Raw pieces are placed in a big saucepan of boiling water. When cooked, the meat releases juice inside the dough.
Khinkali is eaten plain with bare hands with or without black pepper topped after serving. First, you need to take a small bite in order to suck the juice out and then continue eating it as normal. It’s said that a person is a good Khinkali-eater if he/she doesn’t spill one single drop of the juice on the plate. The top part, called kuchi (stomach in English) isn’t supposed to be eaten and is placed on a plate for counting.
If you feel uncomfortable eating Khinkali with your bare hands, you can first try to put a fork in the top part and hold it with the other hand. However, never use any utensils in the mountainous regions, it’s considered to be impolite.
Where to Eat Best Khinkali in Tbilisi
Zodiaqo
Zodiaqo or Zodiac in English is a newly opened restaurant in Tbilisi. It’s a branch of the restaurant in Telavi, Kakheti. They serve different types of Khinkali and staples of Georgian cuisine like mtsvadi, tomato and cucumber salad with walnuts, and local cheese plate. Khinkali pieces are quite big and full of meat. They also have Khinkali filled with nadughi (ricotta-like dairy product). Unlike other restaurants, the stuffing is pretty good.
Zakhar Zakharich
This is probably the only place in town where you can try lamb Khinkali. Moreover, they make their dough entirely by hand, resulting in fluffiest, a bit smaller, and stickier Khinkali. Also, they also have a mushroom, potato, and cheese varieties if you prefer a vegetarian version.
HB
HB or Hofbrauhaus is another famous restaurant chain which serves very good Khinkali and an imported German beer. The interior is designed in German style with decor items typical of Bavaria. The menu also includes meals from both countries.
Pasanauri
Pasanauri is a restaurant chain, offering various meals from Georgian cuisine. According to many locals, it serves one of the best Khinkali in town. The interior features wooden tables and chairs, black and white images of old Tbilisi hang on the walls. Their chain on Maidan Square works 24 hours, so you can always come here at any time of the day. But, due to the fact that it’s in the touristy area, it’s mostly packed during the day.
Beer Time
Beer Time, located in Saburtalo district, a bit far from the city center, is another good choice for Khinkali-crawl. It’s an ideal place for beer lovers with plenty of options of imported and local beverage. Like any other Khinkali-serving restaurant, the varieties here are typical – Khevsuruli, Kalakuri, and vegetarian options.
And of course we highly suggest joining the collaboration tour with Forktown Tours and Kargi Gogo from Portland to have a wonderful foodie experience in Georgia where you can learn to make real khinkali.
Or come on a Taste Georgia food tour in Tbilisi!http://www.tastegeorgia.co
G.Vino: The Best Little Wine Bar in Tbilisi
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G. Vino has taken the Tbilisi wine bar experience to another level with its elegant but shabby-chic interior. It has quickly has become a local favorite, and the one wine bar in Tbilisi I recommend to all our guests in who ask me where they can drink good natural wine in the old part of Tbilisi without feeling like a tourist. This modern go-to spot was opened on Erekle II Street by the same owner as the stylish Boutique Hotel Number 12 in March 2015, so the design choices are no surprise.
The interior is cozy and glowing with warm light, set as a perfect exhibit of contemporary Georgia. A nod to the past without the weight. The food and wine offerings are a fresh take on traditional Georgian cuisine. For example, the lobio (beans cooked in a clay pot) are particularly delicious and topped with fresh cilantro and pomegranate seeds. The homemade, lightly fermented lemonade with tarragon is like nothing else! The wine by the glass menu focuses on organic and local producers including some of the best Georgian qvevri wine producers available,such as Lagvinari, Gotsa, Nika and Vita Vinea. There are a number of wine flights guests can order, but my favorite is a nod to Simon Woolf’s Amber Revolution. It’sa flight of the best amber wines in Georgia. Gvino is also a dog friendly wine bar, and the owners regularly feed and help the local street dogs, and have adopted a few themselves.
How Georgians Celebrate Christmas and New Year
Written by Baia Dzagnidze
Chichilaki Georgian Christmas Tree photo by Irma Laghadze *Wikipedia
Georgia is the country of traditions. Pretty much every occasion here has its own customs with New Year and Christmas being no exception. While the rest of the world is slowly getting into the festive mood, choosing their Christmas tree, buying gifts, and preparing for the mostimportant feast of the year, Georgians are not in a hurry. And here is why.
Christmas in Georgia is Celebrated on January 7
Unlike many Catholic countries, Georgia follows the Julien Calendar for its festivities, which means that every special occasion ismarked 13 days after. This also applies to Easter. There’s even a Georgian song called “On December 25th,”where the lyrics clearly state that the Jesus Christ was born on this date in Bethlehem.
Today, January 7th is a public holiday everyone spends with their families. On this day, there’s a parade in streets called Alilo, where locals dress up in special costumes and march from the center of Tbilisi towards Holy Trinity Church singing Christmas carols.
The celebration of Christmas is not completewithout a family feast. There’s even a special type of Khachapuri specifically baked for this date. It’s called Guruli Gvezeli (Gurian pie) and calls for typical Khachapuri ingredients plus boiled eggs inside the dough.
New Year is celebrated like anywhere in the world
When it comes to New Year, as for many other holidays, Georgians have two dates to celebrate the new year. The biggest and most important one is the eve of December 31, and the second one, or Old New Year as locals call it, is marked on the eve of January 13.
Georgians spend the December 31 preparing meals for the evening. This is the day all family members come together to help eachother with meal preparation, decorations, and other household chores.
The dinner table is set up very late at night, at around 11 p.m, but no one congratulates each other until 12:00:01 a.m when the New Year actually comes. Everyone has a sparkling wine in their glasses and cheers to each other with congratulatory words like “Happy New Year” followed by a small toast hoping the new year will bring happiness, prosperity, and peace both in their homes and the whole country.
There’s a special menu for New Year’s Eve
If you’ve visited the country, or have heard abit about it, you’ll know that food is the key to every celebration, meeting, or occasion. Big and significant dates, like New Year and Easter, have their own traditional menu everyone tries to follow.
The New Year’s Eve menu is divided into two parts- food and sweets. On the main dinner table, you’ll most likely see a turkey or chicken in a walnut stew called Satsivi, pieces of oven backed suckling pig, appetizers like Pkhali, and salads
There’s a separate table set for sweets, usually, the coffee table is used for it, where a big vase is full of various fruits anddried persimmons. Next to it, you’ll find various nuts, candies, Churchkhela and Gozinakhi. The latter two is an absolute must-have sweet during Christmas and New Year. Gozinakhi is made from honey and walnuts.
The second day of the New Year is a day of fate
Georgians are firm believers of fate and they celebrate it on January 2. In Georgian, the day is called Bedoba, where everyone tries to make the best out of this day by doing everything they enjoy in order for it to have an effect on the year ahead. So basically, everyone spends this day among family, friends, and loved ones in happiness and joy.
Georgians even have their own Christmas tree
Along with traditional, green Christmas tree, Georgians like to put up Chichilaki. It is made from the hazelnut tree branches,which are shaved in order to have curly strings and look like a coniferous tree. Usually, Chichilaki is adorned with flowers and dried fruit instead of sparkly ornaments. It’s relatively small too compared to the green one. When the festive days are over, the tree needs to be burnt as a symbolic expression to leave the misfortunes of the past year in the past.
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On Bina 37
On Bina 37
Taste Georgia’s Sarah May Grunwald wrote an article for Curiosity Magazine about one of our favorite restaurants in Tbilisi, Bina 37. Check out the article and let us know what you think!
Interior shot of Bina 37 in Tbilisi
A beautiful glass of amber wine in Kakheti
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Wine is made in vineyards
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.
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Travel Tips for Tbilisi
Travel Tips for Tbilisi
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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.
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Tbilisi
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
18 Reasons to visit Georgia in 2018
Georgia has thousands of things to love, but for the sake of the
number 18, we give you our top 18.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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
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Georgia for wine lovers
Georgia for wine lovers
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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.
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The Classic Rkatsiteli
The Classic Rkatsiteli
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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.
I have always thought that the Orgo Rkatsitelli (of any year, really) is a great introductory wine for people who are new to this style of wine. Long skin contact in qvevri produces wines that aren’t so common and usual to the average wine drinker, and in some cases they are so complex and funky they can be TOO extreme for some. Not so with the Orgo line of wines. Gogi is a modern winemaker and adheres to strict hygienic codes which produce very clean, fun, easy to drink and complex wines. The cellar is relatively new and the average time for maceration is 14-18 days followed by 6 months maturation in qvevri.
The 2014 Rkatsiteli received 90 points from Wine & Spirits. I don’t work with a point system, but I do believe the numbers speak greatly of the high quality of the wine. During my last visit to the Orgo wine cellar, on a wine tour we organised, we tasted a range of wines, including a Classic Method Saperavi. But it was the 2013 Rkatsiteli that captured my imagination. In general, the 2013 harvest produced excellent wine throughout Georgia.
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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.
Importer in the U.K.
This Week in Georgian Food, Wine,
Travel and Culture News: 21/04 to 27/04 2017
Week of 21/04 to 27/04
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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
This Week in Georgian Food, Wine,
Travel and Culture News: Week of 14/04-20/04
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Week of 14/04-20/04
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.
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4. 5 Reasons to Explore the Mountains of Georgia (The Country, Not the State)
This article offers excellent recommendations for lodging, food, and wine to travel across Georgia. It also details amazing cities to visit that aren’t Tbilisi.
5. Why You Should Go Hiking in Georgia’s Caucasus Mountains This Year
This article describes not only different trails to take across Georgia, but also the process that made the trails as magnificent as they are. Georgia has added a lot of income into tourism and it is paying off; increased airlines are flying into Tbilisi, and from there you’re able to experience Georgia in all its glory. Taste Georgia mountain trips also mentioned!
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.
This Week in Georgian Food, Wine, Travel and Culture News: 07/04-13/04
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Week of 07/04-13/04
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1. Georgian grape varieties to be planted in China
In an attempt to raise awareness of Georgian wines in the Ningxia territory, Georgian grape varieties will be planted there. China is one of the largest importers of Georgian wine, with Georgia being one of China’s most important partner countries in terms of winemaking.
2. Georgian airports serve 42.62% more passengers
Tourism is on the rise in Georgia with an increase of 42.62% in passengers during the first three months of 2017. Tbilisi International Airport served 528,145 passengers alone!
3. Saperavi the sensational [Saperavi wines from worldwide compared]
Saperavi is one of the most important grape varieties in Georgia. This article discusses Saperavi’s movement into Australia, then samples both Georgian and Australian saperavi wines.
4. Penguins from the UK’s Bristol Zoo Moved to Tbilisi
Nineteen penguins have been donated to the Tbilisi Zoo in an ongoing attempt to revive the glory of the zoo before the flash flood in 2015 that destroyed most of the exhibits. There is hope that the penguins will begin a new breeding group to increase the numbers of the endangered species.
5. Georgia: Pearl of the great Caucasus
This is a great introductory article to the vast variety of experiences Georgia offers. Everything from cities to visit, dishes to try, and wines to drink are covered, along with how to get there!