This European country grows UNESCO-listed wine (Image: Getty)
Endless banquets of tantalising food, breathtaking scenery and £2 glasses of UNESCO-listed wine – this European country has travellers spoilt for choice. No, this isn’t France. It’s certainly not Italy, and nor is it Spain.
No, revellers may be shocked to find out the holiday of their dreams is waiting them in . The country, which is located in the Caucasus and bordering , is known for its otherworldly wines and delicacies.
Kakheti, Georgia’s sprawling wine-growing region, is the home to saperavi – a luscious red grape – and 80per cent of the country’s wine production. It’s where thirsty holidaymakers can grab a glass of UNESCO-listed wine for a very reasonable £2 a glass.
Kvevri clay jars, which are believed to have been used by Georgians to produce wine since 6,000 BC, received UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage status in 2013. Winemakers pour fermented grape juice into these ancient clay jars and bury them underground to let them ferment.
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Kakheti is Georgia’ wine region (Image: Getty)
Revellers can also bask in supra, a traditional feast involving food, drink and singing. These traditional sing-alongs can last all day (and night) and are littered with dozens of toasts led by a designated tamada (toastmaster).
Holidaymakers can gorge on an endless supply of khachapuri – a puffy, hot bread oozing with cheese and a cracked egg on top. If bread isn’t your thing, try the aubergines stuffed with walnut paste or barbecued pork.
Flights to Georgia from the UK are set to become a whole lot easier from March 1 with British Airways and EasyJet launcing direct routes from London to Tbilisi. The best time to travel to Georgia is in the autumn. Daytime temperatures typically range from a balmy 20°C to 30°C.
It is also the best time to catch rtveli – Georgia’s famed wine festival. In late September to early October, communities come together to collect grapes, make wine, sing and eat.
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You can also collect your own grapes, a tradition known as revile. Depending on where you stay, connoisseurs are given secateurs and wicker baskets and asked to pick the plumpest of grapes which are then poured into a vat for everyone to stamp on barefooted.
Holidaymakers can stay at a luxurious winery to do this and expect a room to set them back roughly £200 a night, depending on where they stay. In comparison, a room in Burgundy or Tuscacy costs £350 or more.
You can also take guided wine tours on your way back to Tbilisi airport, which is typically a two-hour car ride. Just pay £10 and a winemarker will supply you with a generous glass from as many bottles as they have available.