Wine Trip Caucasus (Azerbaijan + Georgia)

Our day will start with winery in Aghsu where you will also have exclusive pomegranate wine. Afterwards you will have Fish Lavangi at local restaurant in Ismayilli. Azerbaijani lavangi is mostly prepared in the traditional tandoor (ceramic oven). For cooking usually local fish kutum with a gentle, fatty and very tasty meat is used. The main highlight of this dish is the filling, which is made from nuts, pomegranate, special sauce, onions, raisins and spices. Then we will take you to Shato Monolit Winery/Guesthouse – where you will have guided tour through the vineyards, visit to the winery, watching the process of wine production and storage in one of the largest wine cellars of Azerbaijan, Chabiant Wine tasting with nice dinner which will include kebabs. One of the oldest dishes of the East is kebab. It is considered a traditional dish of eastern and Caucasian cuisine. During frying the meat absorbs the amazing smell of wood, grilled in the smoke, so it gets amazing aroma and taste. Marinated meat cooked on a wood or charcoal, can rightly be called a real barbecue. While serving the dish is decorated with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers and herbs. You will stay overnight at Shato Monolit Guesthouse.

Next day after breakfast, we will take you to Savalan - crystal-clear water cascading down from the great Caucasus Mountains, winding its way through the lavish land in the foothills of the valley and suffusing the sun-bathed vines. These ripe, abundant grapes are then collected and handled with care and love before being transformed by the apparent magic of a master into wine. This is what happens every year in the Savalan valley. After having a wine tour through Savalan you will be taken to have lunch. You will have either '3 Baji' (means 3 sisters - vegetable dolma: eggplants, tomatoes and sweet pepper OR dolma with grape leaves. It will depend on which season you travel. The name of this ancient national dish originates with the pure Azerbaijani verb doldurmag (to stuff) as it means various leaves, vegetables and fruits stuffed with minced meat. There are currently more than 25 varieties of dolma. In spring it is made of vine leaves, in summer of aubergines (egg-plants), tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, in autumn it is made of cabbage leaves, apple and quince, in winter it is made of preserved vine leaves. The filling is prepared from minced meat, rice and aromatic herbs for dolma made of vine and cabbage leaves. Fried minced meat is used for other kinds of dolma. Afterwards, we will take you to Ganja where the first winemaking factory in Azerbaijan is located. It is one of the oldest winemaking plants in the South Caucasus. Established in 1860 by Schwab's Germans, who were then inhabited by present-day Yelenendorf in Goygol. When the Germans lived in this area, that area was called the Hanik village, where the Oguz tribe lived. After finishing with the winery, you will have dinner at a local restaurant - Azerbaijani pilaf with chestnuts and meat. This pilaf is a little different from those which are usually served to all the tourists who visited Central Asia or Turkey. Pilaf with chestnuts is cooked differently. First, rice is prepared in a special way, then all the accompanying dishes, which are a kind of additives to the king-dish. On cream melted butter, simmered onion sliced in half rings is being fried with the addition of turmeric. Meat, meanwhile, is cooked separately in salted water, which in the end is sprinkled with fried onion oil, dried plum, and then roasted chestnuts. After dinner you will be taken to your hotel in Ganja.

After breakfast, we will leave for Georgia. You will continue your journey around the Kakheti Region. This time you will have an excursion in the city of love 'Sighnaghi' with its houses in European style, and monastery of Bodbe, where is buried St. Nino – an enlightener of Georgians. Then Traveling to Kvareli Village. Next, you will see one of the main attractions of the Kakheti region - the Khareba Wine Tunnel. The tunnel is located in the rock and has a natural ideal temperature for storing wine. About 25,000 bottles of Georgian wine are stored here. You will have the opportunity to taste the best varieties of Georgian wine, Chacha, take part in a master class of baking Georgian bread and prepare a traditional Georgian dessert - Churchkhela, as well as wrapping Khinkali, baking Khachapuri and preparing Shashlik. In the evening you will stay at the hotel Shaloshvili’s cellar in Village Shilda, taste wine from the Shaloshvili’s cellar and spend the night in this hotel.

After breakfast, you will move to the house-museum of a famous Georgian poet - Alexander Chavchavadze in Tsinandali Village. Tsinandali Estate is the cradle of classical winemaking of Georgia, the place where Georgian wine was first bottled. Saperavi of 1841 and other 19th century historical vintages are still preserved at the Princely Collection. In the collection starting from 1814, one can find Tsinandali, Saperavi, Chateau Lafitte, Chateau d’Yquem and other legends of the period. You will taste 5 taps of wine and Chacha here and continue your trip to Shumi Winery. Shumi owns vineyards in unique micro-zones, famous for their geographical locations. The winery, built in 2001 is furnished with the state-of-the-art equipment, enabling control of all stages of the wine making process, and is considered as one of the best in Georgia. You will have an excursion in winemaking Shumi, and you will taste 4 kinds of premium-class wine. At the end of the day you will travel to Tbilisi and stay at the hotel.

After breakfast your acquaintance with the capital of Georgia will begin. You will see the main sights of the city: the main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church - Tsminda Sameba (Holy Trinity). Then you will move to the very center of the old city, where you will see Metekhi rock, hanging over the bank of the river Kura, on which the old Church of the Assumption stands picturesquely, and the equestrian statue of the king of Georgia - Vakhtang Gorgasali decorates the church in front. Walking along the modern Rike Park in the center of the capital, where the famous Peace Bridge is located, you will continue your tour and take the cable car to the ruins of the ancient fortress Narikala, which has guarded the city of Tbilisi since the IV century. Acquaintance with the capital will end in the area of the city – Abanotubani and its hot sulfur springs, from which, according to legend, the history of the founding of the city began. Then you will move to the surrounding area of the capital – village Natakhtari, where you are awaited by Chateau Mukhrani. This is the first and the only true Georgian Royal Chateau, which unites four key components: vineyards, winery, castle and history. You will have a tour around Chateau Mukhrani. The qualified guide will tell you the history of the Georgian royal family, discover the art of Chateau’s winemaking and taste 4 kinds of premium wine and Chacha. In the evening you will return to Tbilisi.