Kvareli is a town in the northeast of Kakheti Province, located in the Alazani Valley near the foothills of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. This is where the famous Georgian author Ilia Chavchavadze was born. It is the largest wine-producing region in Georgia, and today we were heading to visit a winery to see how wine is made. I, along with Nino, her brother, and his wife, made a happy foursome as we drove in our BMW to the local winery. I was keen to taste the red and white wine.
The winery had lots of green gardens, and many tourists had arrived for the day. The place was full of Chinese tourists; a lot of them come to Georgia to taste and export wine from the country. One needs to take an entry ticket before venturing into the winery, and then you get a guided tour.
Before I entered the slightly dark and cool wine cellar, I was treated to a song and dance performed by a few Georgian musicians. Then I was let into the large cellar, which was cool and filled with plenty of wine bottles. I enjoyed some cheese and bread and tasted both white and red wine. It was fantastic! I managed to chat with some Indian tourists who were fascinated to see a Bollywood actor among them.
Sipping Wine in Kvareli
After the wine-tasting session, we moved to the Nekresi Monastery in Murzhka to see the Gremi Fortress. Gremi Fortress attracts many tourists. In the time of King Levan of Kakheti, the city was made the capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti.
Castles and churches were built on the foothills of the mountains with a population of over 100,000 people. One branch of the Silk Route moved towards and from Kakheti, and the region prospered because of that.
One can enjoy the fresco paintings in the Church of Archangels Michael and Gabriel. They were designed according to the rules of Georgian architecture. Levan of Kakheti was buried here, and there is a fresco image of him on his tomb.
The infrastructure around the Gremi Fortress is well developed, and there are many restaurants and souvenir shops around the fortress area. Gremi is a cultural and religious site, so it is important to dress appropriately and cover one’s shoulders and legs when entering the Church of Archangels.
