Georgian Food – A Beginner’s Guide

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Georgia is a melting pot of flavors.  Wedged between the Caspian and Black Seas at the crossroads of some of the world’s most historic empires, Georgia blends east and west with a dash of influence from the Mediterranean and Middle Continue reading Georgian Food – A Beginner’s Guide

The Backyard Vineyard: Choosing a Trellis

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Let’s face it. There are a lot of people out there who know way more than The ChapDaddy about choosing a trellis from the dozen or so options available. Geneva Double Curtain? Sounds like something from IKEA, but sure, why Continue reading The Backyard Vineyard: Choosing a Trellis

The Backyard Vineyard – Soil Preparation

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Grape vines are not tomatoes. Grape vines prefer a healthy struggle for survival, at least when it comes to the soil they inhabit. In fact, the best grapes come from vines that actually have to work for a living, not Continue reading The Backyard Vineyard – Soil Preparation

The Backyard Vineyard – Layout

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Your backyard vineyard site selection is complete. You’ve ordered some grapes. Ideally it is still late summer/fall before the winter arrives. What should you do now? Your priorities before planting – ideally the summer/fall before your anticipated spring planting – Continue reading The Backyard Vineyard – Layout

The Backyard Vineyard – Site Selection

Let’s be honest – your trellis construction, pruning skills, and blending techniques are meaningless without a quality backyard vineyard site selection. Site selection is  the most important decision for your backyard vineyard operation.  It is the foundation for everything that Continue reading The Backyard Vineyard – Site Selection

The Backyard Vineyard – The Tipping Point

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Your author experienced his first grape harvest in a small Georgian village called Nukriani on the outskirts of famed Signaghi. The process was incredibly simple. We arrived mid-afternoon on a sunny September day with a light breeze. The vineyard owner, Continue reading The Backyard Vineyard – The Tipping Point

The Georgian Qvevri

“We make our wine from the womb of the earth.” That is how a Georgian friend once described the Georgian winemaking process. Many visitors to Georgia will leave it at that – a catchy, unique phrase that might fit perfectly Continue reading The Georgian Qvevri