The Kakheti Upper Loop
Wedged beneath the rolling green Gombori mountains to the west and the dark, menacing Caucasus mountains to the northeast (Georgia’s natural border with Russian Dagestan), Kakheti sits in an ancient valley filled with chocolate-cake colored soil, neat rows of trellis covered in green foliage, and bright yellow sunflowers. The Alazani River, rushing out of the wild Tusheti region, cuts quietly through the center of the valley unnoticed.
Kakheti, the region encompassing the Alazani Valley, is the “wine basket” of Georgia. It is like the Napa Valley, but without the snooty people, outrageous prices, and weak pours. My kind of place and my kind of people. It is truly paradise.
There is so much more to Kakheti than the wine, though.
Once a medieval trade/caravan center, it was targeted and crushed by the 13th century Mongol invasion as well as the Persians – not once, but twice. Despite these invasions, many historical churches, monasteries and palaces remain and can provide you with wonderful, pre-drinking cultural activities in the morning.
A truly great day in Georgia involves a balanced mixture of BC and AD historical sites, a few scrambles up to worthy viewpoints/monasteries, 2-3 carb-heavy meals, and a lot of great wine. Look no further than the Alazani Valley.
Time Needed
At least two, though wine lovers could easily spend a week or more here
Distance from Tbilisi
1.5 hours
Reason to Go
Stunning churches and monasteries, incredible Caucasus mountain views, and access to the famed Tusheti mountain region, all within two hours of Tbilisi. Oh, and you might consider drinking some wine in Kakheti.
Transportation
Marshrutky from Tbilisi cost around 10 lari and take just under two hours. However, unless you plan to hire a local guide, having a set of wheels to yourself are essential for doing the northern and southern loops detailed below.
Accommodation
Telavi has a multitude of options, both upscale and simple. Booking.com is always the best resource in this region.
Food
Telavi also has a multitude of restaurants, cafes, and the like. Check TripAdvisor for the latest options.
Regional Combinations
“Upper” Kakheti, based out of Telavi, can easily be combined with a tour of “Lower” Kakheti, based out of Sighnaghi. In addition, a side trip to the otherworldly Davit Gareja monastery cave complex can be tacked on to the front or back end of either of the above. And lastly, for those headed to Tusheti out of nearby Alvani, schedule a day or two of celebratory wine-drinking after a long trek. It will be worth it.
Any or all of these options are wonderful reasons to get out of Tbilisi and into the Kakheti countryside.
A great way to enjoy Upper Kakheti is to base yourself in Telavi. And the best (and cheapest!) way to base yourself in Telavi is in one of the wonderful guesthouses. For around $25, you’ll have a bed, bathroom (sometimes shared), home-cooked meals, homemade wine, and often a wonderful garden to explore, as shown above.
Telavi is truly wonderful – you can’t go wrong with any of the guesthouses. From nearly anywhere in town, you will have a stunning view of the Caucasus mountains to the northeast, the natural barrier between Georgia and Russian Dagestan. Shown above is an example of a guesthouse dining table for guests (located on a private patio overlooking their beautiful garden and courtyard). This was less than $25/night! (With food, wine, and overall hospitality and friendliness included.)
Yet another wonderful guesthouse feast. Imereti cheese, fresh tomato/cucumber salad, pork mtsvadi, tonis puri bread, chicken salad, peppers with crushed walnut paste, beef kebab, and some red wine.
Recommended Itinerary
There are a ton of professional, experienced, and most importantly local outfits that can design and deliver custom Kakheti tour packages for reasonable prices.
However, if you’re on a budget, have specific preferences, or just want the freedom to explore on your own, a great way to see the Upper Kakheti region is by hiring or renting your own transportation. Then, you can split the region into two loops – an upper and lower loop.
The upper Kakheti loop is discussed below. For details on the lower Kakheti loop, go here.
DAY ONE (UPPER LOOP)
Telavi, Alvani and Napareuli
Cultural Sites: Akhali Shuamta, Dzveli Shuamta, Ikalto Monastery, Alaverdi Cathedral
Wine Sites: Twins Old Cellar Winery, Schuchmann Winery, Telavi Wine Cellar
Morning: wake up and enjoy a coffee and simple breakfast, preferably with a view of the Caucasus Mountains. If you’re at a guesthouse, this can be achieved by simply rolling out of bed. If you’re out in town, there are lots of cafes to choose from.
Make the short 11km drive southwest out of Telavi towards Gombori Pass and you’ll soon see signs for Akhali Shuamta and Dzveli Shuamta (1.8km up the road from Akhali Shuamta).
Akhali Shuamta, dating from the 16th century, was founded by the Kakhetian Queen Tinatin. Although it briefly housed an orphanage during Soviet times, it has traditionally served as a nunnery/convent and continues to do so today. The 16th century frescoes inside are fantastic.
Dzveli Shuamta, located about 2km up the road, is a very different experience. The three, short, stone churches date from the 5th century and were originally part of a monastery. The first church consists of a three-nave design common in early Georgian Christianity. The second two are known as “tetraconch” churches, similar to the Jvari Church) in Mtskheta. Don’t ask me what that means, though.
While the interiors of these churches aren’t particularly stunning artistically, simply standing and reflecting in a chamber in which humans have stood and reflected for hundreds of years can be a moving experience.
If you look closely, you can often see fire damage from the Persian and Mongol invasions (both here and throughout Georgia).
Once you’ve wandered the church and grounds, head back down the hill towards Telavi and make a left towards Zemo Khodasheni (northwest out of Telavi). After about 8km, you’ll see signs for Ikalto Monastery. Make the left turn as directed and the monastery will be about 2km up the hill.
Founded in the 6th century, the Ikalto Monastery is notable as the location of one of the two medieval Georgian academies (the other located in Gelati. Shota Rustaveli, the renowned national poet of Georgia, apparently studied here. The Persians nearly destroyed the entire complex in 1616, much like many of the historical sites in the Alazani Valley.
Georgian monks love wine – above are just a sample of their underground qvevri vessels.
The religious academy at Ikalto Monastery was founded in the 12th century under the rule of King David the Builder and was just one of two religious academies in Georgia, the other located in Gelati. The roof has since collapsed.
The Ikalto Monastery is located in a beautiful cypress grove on a hill about 8km northwest of Telavi. Both the church and the grounds are worth a leisurely wander.
A unique relief of three saints sits atop the doorway to the 6th century Sameba Church on the eastern side of the Ikalto grounds.
After enjoying a leisurely stroll amongst the cypress trees at Ikalto Monastery, head back down the hill 2km, turn left and continue northwest until the road forks – you want to head north towards Alvani (rather than northwest/west towards Akhmeta). After about 10km from Ikalto, your next stop should be visible above the tress – the towering Alaverdi Cathedral.
50km in height, the Alaverdi Cathedral remained the tallest church in Georgia for over 1000 years (until the Tsminda Sameba church in Tbilisi was built in 2005). Shooting up into the sky from the flat terrain of the Alazani Valley, it must have been a stunning, otherworldly site in the 11th century upon construction – this was truly the Golden Age of Georgian cultural and architectural influence.
The Alvani region, and especially the monks of the Alaverdi Cathedral, specializes in honey production.
In addition to the church, the compound contains a summer palace of Shah Abbas’ Kakheti governor (Abbas was the Persian leader of their 17th century invasion) as well as typical Georgian luxuries – a bathhouse and winery among them.
Above the western entrance is a 16th century fresco of St. George and the dragon. Sadly, many of the interior 16th century frescoes were whitewashed under Soviet rule in the 19th century – many have been delicately restored, though.
Afternoon
Once your neck becomes sore from staring up at the cathedral, take a break and head to Napareuli for some Georgian winemaking history, lunch, and the commencement of your afternoon wine tasting extravaganza.
Head east/north east out of the cathedral – you’ll pass Laliskuri and Pshaveli before stumbling upon Napareuli, about 15km in total. You’ll want to head to the Twins Cellar Restaurant.
For a proper introduction to Georgian winemaking traditions and the famous qvevri fermentation vessel (link), stop in the Museum for a tour before lunch. Although some of the exhibits can be a bit cheesy and the translations a bit rough on the edges, it is incredibly informative and useful – you’ll have a much better appreciation for the history and process (as well as the unique flavors).
Everything is displayed and described in detail: making the qvevri, mashing the grapes, filling the qvevri, separating the must for cha cha, and even properly cleaning the qvevri for the following year’s harvest.
Standard size qvevris in Georgia can hold six tons – enough space for a grown man to climb inside (which is required for a proper cleaning). Qvevris are stored underground, often in a basement cellar, to maintain steady, cool temperatures during fermentation. Georgians like to describe this process as making wine from “the womb of the Earth.”
Twins Old Cellar Winery Museum is incredibly informative on the qvevri-making process, as well as the winemaking and cha cha distilling process. Pictured here is a cross-section of a six ton qvevri filled with white grapes/juice – the color turns amber over time because Georgians traditionally keep the skins in contact with the juice for the entire fermentation (rather than pressing and removing them within a week or two of harvest, as in the European style of white wine).
As you can see, the majority of the qvevri is actually filled with stems and skin, which disintegrate into sediment, or must, over time – this material is what is eventually distilled into cha cha. The grape juice really only fills the top third or so of the vessel. This also provides the qvevri with a natural filtration process – the heavy stems/skins/sediment settles to the bottom, while the lighter juice rises to the top. And as you might expect, this also gives Georgian “amber” wine its unique, earthy taste due to the high percentage of tannins.
The restaurant at Twins Old Cellar Winery is great and convenient, although a bit pricey comparatively (it caters to tourists, after all). However, you might be lucky enough to witness employees actively filling or maintaining one of the on-site qvevris, as we did (shown above).
After “topping up” the qvevri to roughly the neck (reducing the chance of “oxidation”, which can ruin the entire batch), the qvevri neck is lined with a 1-2 inch roll of malleable and breathable clay known as “Sorsola”. Traditionally, a smooth river stone and/or heavy piece of wood is then placed on top of the clay, acting as a sealant. Recently, though, glass and/or plastic have been used.
In any case, the Sorsola clay acts as a natural filter – it keeps air and other organisms out while allowing the gases from the wine to escape slowly. Home beer or winemakers normally use a water filter for this same purpose.
If you’re really lucky, the staff at Twins Old Cellar might let you taste samples from the 100+ qvevris beneath your feet in the restaurant. Normally, Georgian wine will ferment in the qvevri for six months. We tasted this batch after only a month or two of time – it tasted like “skunked” grape juice, yet was fresh and clean nonetheless.
After a filling lunch and a lot of wine, you (and your sober driver!) can finish the upper loop back to Telavi. Before you do, though, head to Schuchmann Winery, just southeast of Telavi in Kisiskhevi. Drive east out of Napareuli before making a hard right, crossing a bridge over the Alazani River, and heading south/southwest back to Telavi, about 15km or less total. Make a left on the Telavi road to find Kisiskhevi and the Schuchmann Winery. Otherwise, turn right to head back to Telavi and continue your afternoon libations on foot.
Telavi is full of wonderful wine bars, restaurants and tasting rooms – see here for up to date information.