Although the language and writing is unique in the world, I could understand myself by some people and wine producers of wine in english, what made the communication a little difficult. However the people are kind, which helped understanding.
Georgia is in the center of cauldron of dangerous people, who invaded and stolen much of their wealth and historical objects. She borders russia, Turkey, Azerbaijão and Armenia. To the north and east there are the Caucasus mountains and west the black sea.
Being a very invaded country its resources are scarce and many of its important construction are in ruins. The country was exploited by diverse people like the Ottoman, Mongols and was part of the Soviet Union with dissolved in 1991. It was also experienced separatist wars with the support of Russia, loosing part of its territory.
However the people are warriors and defend their sovereignty and nationalism, which allowed than to keep their roots until today. It is a people proud of their traditions and fiercely defend their heritage and culture.
The capital of Georgia is Tblisi and the country is divided in 10 regions. They lost Abkhazia in a separatist war that had the support from Russia. Kakheti the far west region that concentrates most of wine production (about 70%).
Tblisi is a city that coexists between the old and the modern and one of its traditions are the houses with wooden balconies.
The most common dishes are Khachapuri e Khinkali badridjani, that I liked:
Khachapuri: is a cheese-filled flatbreasa (Khacha means these and puri bread).
Khinkali: is a dumpling similar to Chinese filling with meat and broas and a kind of soup. I liked both of then.
Badridjani: baked eggplant slices stuffed with walnut spice pastry.
The meat comes from sheep, goats and some cattle and they are served with their fat and bone. They have grilled kebabs too.
The country is rich in wild mushrooms and are prepared in many different ways.
The food carry many spices, including pepper and many cases is accented.
The salads are, in general, prepared with: peppers, pickles and tomatoes. We saw few leaves in the country and the vegetables are the season and of each region.
The traditional sweet is Churchkhela that looks a sausage but it is made of nuts and covered with reduced grapes without sugar. Particularly didn’t please me.
About the fruits I tasted watermelons and melons that was very sweet. Fig, grape, apple, pear, orange and pomegranate and red and dried fruits are abundant.
The people are very kind and welcoming and the supra is a banquet where they serve the best to the visitor. The word supra also means tablecloth.
The roads we traveled were single-lane, practically without shoulder. Many times drivers to cheat push those coming in opposite direction off the road. It’s not easy to drive there. I have rent a car but I decided to contract a guide with car, name Misho. It would be practically impossible to get some wineries alone because in the interior most people just speak local language and Russian, which was compulsory in schools during the occupation.
A year before making the trip I started contacting some winemakers and especially Misha Dolidze who is a doctor owning the Marani Winery next to Telavi. Micha gave me several suggestions and stablished contact with Georgian embassy in Brasil.
Analysing the outcome of the trip goals were met beyond expectation as I went through an immersion in a culture of people almost unknown here. People in general ask me if Georgia is the USA state.
I visited 6 wineries, from family to large ones, where the wine processes were traditional and I was received with all the richness and Kindnesses available.
I also knew a very different cuisine than I was used to and quality products like pomegranate juice the is delicious.
I recommend Misho’s traveler company. The contact is by the facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mdavitelashvili?fref=search&__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARBcox-is70juLvlGlwQbV_YwROPzbVpg9xfQQS1IgYQvisbJdt-z8d3P0v3wb0UCamPvnJsKm4qIxM6
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