Custom Food & Wine Tours
Gastronomy is the zenith of cultural signifiers, epitomizing local dedication to tradition and innovation. Simultaneously, food transcends borders and symbolizes the rich diversity and interwoven narratives of our planet. Food and wine tours are more than just sensual feasts; they are a paradigm that elevates travel experiences to their most unique and luxuriant.
One cannot properly know a country or it’s traditions without having tested it’s food. The cuisine of Georgia & Armenia is characterized by different dishes. Here are some examples:
Shashlik is usually made from lamb, pork or veal on metal or wooden skewers. In order to give a distinctive taste to shashlik, Kakhetians skewer meat on dried wine branches.
Shoti or Shotis Puri is a traditional Georgian loaf shaped like a rowing boat and baked in a special oven called a “tone”. It is sometimes called Dedas Puri (Mother’s bread).
Tatara and Churchkhela. Tatara is a sweet porridge made from boiled grape juice and wheat flour. Threaded walnuts or hazelnuts dipped in tatara are called churchkhelas. The Kakhetian churchkhela is mostly made with the juice of Rkatsiteli grapes and walnuts.
Not just Kakhetian, but Tushetian dishes are very popular. The climatic and Geographic conditions of the Tushetian uplands and the nomadic lifestyle led by the Tush, mean that the local cuisine is based on three principal products: mutton and beef, cereal products and vegetables, both cultivated and wild. The Tush are very knowledgeable regarding the nutritional and healing properties of wild plants.
Tushetian Khinkali or meat dumplings are one of the best known Tushetian dishes. According to an ancient Tush tradition it is best to chop the meat with a dagger and to season it with caraway.
Tushetian Shashlik or chops: tender meat skewered on wooden sticks and grilled over a hot fire of Caucasian rhododendron.
Gudis Kveli. The quality of the popular cheese called gudis kveli, or wineskin cheese, depends on the nature of the pastures from which it comes and the skill of the sarkali (cheese maker). Gudis kveli is kept in a sheepskin which helps to maintain a suitable temperature and ensures the completion of the cheese-making process.
Aludi or Beer a la Tusheti is a ritual drink brewed from barley malt. Hops are added to make stronger and more flavoursome drink.
Georgia is believed to be the birthplace of wine over 8000 years ago. The earliest evidence of wine making has been found here, and the word “wine” is derived from the Georgian word “gvino”. Georgia is not only the country with the earliest record of winemaking, moreover it is home to unique wine-making traditions and techniques as well as of grape-varieties which are not well-known throughout the world. Georgian wine was, and still is produced in buried clay fermenting pots called Kvevri.
Over 500 varieties of grapes are found in Georgia, a greater diversity than anywhere else in the world. Around 40 of these different grapes are used in wine production. The combination of Natural mineral spring water from the Caucasus mountains, mild winters and warm summers provide perfect conditions for wine making.
Traditional customs give colour to the life of any country, giving it character and making it attractive to visitors.
Our programs, which led by local guides, include places and experiences you couldn’t find on your own or in a guidebook. Our tours are known for immersing our guests in the local lifestyle. The combination of great value and quality, gives you the opportunity to have an extraordinary vacation experience.
