David Nozadze Gastronomic Group Tour in Samtskhe-Javakheti

David Nozadze Gastronomic Group Tour in Samtskhe-Javakheti Day 1 Our journey begins with a visit to the “Elkana” Seed Ark - a unique space where local heritage grains and legumes are cultivated for both conservation and sustainable use. Here, our hosts will share the story of their organization, explaining how economically neglected grain varieties were saved from extinction and are now being reintroduced into contemporary Georgian cuisine. We will learn about ancient legumes and wheat varieties that have been cultivated across the Caucasus for millennia. Our next stop is in Akhaltsikhe, where we will explore the region’s distinctive gastronomy, starting with one of its most unique delicacies - snails. This experience will be paired with local natural wines fermented on skins in traditional kvevris, produced from grapes grown on vines over 400 years old. At Giorgi Natenadze’s restaurant, we will enjoy amber and red wines alongside handmade local noodles, dry-cured beef dumplings, and a contemporary interpretation of Meskhetian cuisine flavors rarely found elsewhere in Georgia. After lunch, we will visit the Akhaltsikhe History Museum and the recently restored Rabati Castle. The museum features remarkable exhibits spanning from the Stone Age to modern times, with a particular focus on Bronze Age cultures and their connections to neighboring ancient agricultural societies. We then continue to the mountainous village of Chobareti, continuously inhabited since the Bronze Age. Here, we will visit a 300-year-old traditional Meskhetian household, where our hosts will demonstrate the intricate and labor-intensive craft of Tenili cheese-making, as well as bread baking in a massive basalt stone oven known as a “purne.” Guests will also have the opportunity to participate in filo dough preparation. The visit concludes with a hearty homemade meal featuring khachapuri, traditional stews, and the unique Tenili cheese. We end the day with a sunset over the Mtkvari River gorge, viewed from the megalithic site of Saro village. Overnight stay at the agro guesthouse “Valodia’s Cottage.” Day 2 Breakfast at the guesthouse, followed by a walk through the gardens, orchards, and surrounding landscape with our hostess Tamar the driving force behind the property. After check-out, we continue our journey. We begin with a guided walking tour of Vardzia and the nearby village of Chachkari, exploring cave dwellings and observing a 400-year-old fruit-bearing vine. Next, we visit vineyards in Khertvisi and enjoy lunch at Pheasant’s Tears Winery - one of Georgia’s pioneers of natural wine. The meal will feature seasonal, foraged ingredients such as wild asparagus and field mushrooms, paired with natural wines. The setting is exceptional: vineyards planted on hand-built basalt terraces, a medieval fortress in the background, restored historic dwellings, and a traditional distillery where we will taste local fruit spirits. We then travel to the Javakheti Plateau to visit the Dukhobor community, an ethnic and religious minority. Our local host will guide us through their community center and prayer house, sharing the story of how they settled in this remote region in the 19th century. We will make photo stops at Saghamo and Paravani lakes. The journey concludes in the village of Gandzani, home to Georgia’s Armenian community. Here, we will enjoy a traditional Armenian feast featuring dishes such as tolma, khorovats, and freshly fried fish from Javakheti’s volcanic lakes, hosted by a local family. • Meeting Point: Wine Uphill • Start Time: 09:30 • Return to Tbilisi: 22:00 • Price: 850 GEL per person • To conduct the tour, a minimum of 6 people must be registered. The maximum group size is 10.Price Includes: • Transportation • Professional guide services • Entrance fees to museums and historical sites (Akhaltsikhe, Vardzia, Seed Ark, Dukhobor settlement) • 2 lunches and 2 dinners • Wine and fruit spirit tastings as described in the program