Kakheti Wine Day Trip: Sighnaghi, Bodbe and Kindzmarauli Cellars in Kvareli

15 Abano St, T'bilisi

A white bus and the guide wait in front of the SPAR market.

Bodbe Monastery of St. Nino

Bodbe is a Georgian Orthodox monastic complex and the seat of the Bishops of Bodbe, 2 km from Sighnaghi in Kakheti. It was first built in the 9th century and was heavily remodeled, above all in the 17th century.

Sighnaghi

Sighnaghi goes by the name City of Love. Couples can marry here at any hour, and the town is tied to the story of Georgian painter Niko Pirosmani, who is said to have covered the streets with flowers for the woman he loved, the tale behind the song "A Million Scarlet Roses". The streets have an Italian look, the defensive wall is the longest in Europe, and the terraces overlook the Alazani Valley.

Lunch in Sighnaghi

Lunch is at a small restaurant in Sighnaghi with a balcony over the Alazani Valley. The menu is traditional Georgian and Kakhetian dishes made with local ingredients. A complimentary tasting of local wine and chacha, both made from regional grape varieties, goes with the meal.

Costo extra

Kindzmarauli Corporation Wine House

Kindzmarauli Corporation, founded in 1533, is one of Georgia's oldest wineries and sits in Kvareli. The visit covers the wine cellars and production areas, and shows Kakhetian winemaking methods handed down over generations. The tasting is of four signature wines from the Kindzmarauli microzone, whose climate and fertile soil suit Saperavi grapes.

Costo extra

Manavi

On the way back to Tbilisi, a churchkhela masterclass shows how this traditional Georgian sweet is made from natural grape juice and nuts. The stop also includes a tasting of several local honeys, an explanation of how honey is produced, and a free wine tasting.