Fall or Spring, a weekend in Sighnaghi is the answer to a relaxing weekend away from Tbilisi filled with wine and beer tasting galore. The area also offers horseback riding, ancient monasteries to explore and plenty of hiking opportunities. It is part of the Kakheti region, and is one of the most significant wine producing regions of Georgia, home to a number of Georgian wines.
The weekend was started off at Pheasant's Tears Winery and Vineyard, owned by American artist John Wurdeman, with a tour and a harvest of the autumn grapes. After some time pruning grape vines in the sunshine, we collected our baskets and loaded them into the trucks. We then met the trucks back at the main winery building and took part in some grape stomping. I highly recommend if you ever get the opportunity, it was a great stress reliever and despite being a little messy, it was a LOT of fun.
Once the grapes were stomped and the wine juices had been collected they would be stored to be fermented and aged in a qvevri, a unique Georgian vessel. Qvevri were the first vessels ever to be used for wine fermentation, with archaeological finds dating back to 6000 BC. Qvevriare clay vessels are lined with beeswax and completely buried under the ground where the temperature stays even though out the year, allowing the wines to ferment in the natural coolness of the earth.
After learning about harvest, wine stomping, and traditional Georgian wine making, we were treated to a traditional Georgian lunch at the winery. We then were given time to head back to our hotels to freshen up and explore the small, yet beautiful town of Sighnaghi.
At dinnertime, our group was invited to the Pheasant's Tears restaurant that is in the town of Sighnaghi for a full wine tasting and Supra. A Supra, which literally means “table-cloth”, is a festive meal, accompanied by Georgian wine and food, during which the tamada — or toastmaster — celebrates life and death with toasts.
After a very long night of celebration, the next morning was spent exploring the Monastery of St. Nino at Bodbe. The Monastery of St. Nino at Bodbe is a Georgian Orthodox monastic complex and the seat of the Bishops of Bodbe, located 2 km from the town of Sighnaghi. It is also the burial place of St Nino, the Enlightener of Georgia. It offers outstanding view of the area, and the buildings are composed of beautiful architecture that house both historic pieces and works of art.
After our morning walk through the monastery, we ventured to Lost Ridge Inn, Brewery & Ranch for a beer tasting, followed by lunch and a Georgian bread making demonstration. The brewery offers a rotating selection of natural craft beers brewed on site and served on tap or in the bottle. They often use local Georgian honey, spices and fruits. They craft and age the beer in their own on-site beer cave. Lost Ridge offers the brewery, a restaurant and bar, hotel rooms that are pet friendly, and a horse ranch that offers trail riding adventures. They also have super comfy hammocks available for those who need a nice nap post lunch.
I highly recommend the town of Sighnaghi if you need a quick weekend getaway from the city. Depending on traffic it's 1.5 - 2 hours outside of Tbilisi, and it's well worth the drive.
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