Rough Guides has released their top ten countries of the world to visit in 2014. Georgia was fifth on the list. The description includes hiking in the Caucasus Mountains, the taverns of Tbilisi and the resort city of Batumi on the Black Sea. The guide also mentioned that Georgia is not spoiled from mass tourism. So 2014 is a great year to visit this welcoming country.

Qvevri filled with Rkatsiteli grapes at Twins Wine Cellar of Napareuli, Kakheti, Georgia

What wasn’t mentioned in the paragraph description of Georgia are the monasteries, vineyards and wineries. Also the ancient art of making wine in qvevri should be noted. Qvevri winemaking in Georgia has been added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

On March 29th and 30th, the International Wine Tourism Conference will take place in Tbilisi. This conference will bring presenters from Europe, North America and South America. It will also bring together those in the wine tourism industry including food industry and lodging industry. The attendees will have opportunities to taste wines produced in qvevri, sample Georgia foods and learn about this beautiful country and their traditions.

As winemakers and winery owners learn more about qvevri winemaking, some are taking the challenge to make a wine in qvevri. Many qvevri-made wines are natural wines made without adding yeast, nutrients or other winemaking supplies. If you would like to learn more about this ancient wine-making technology, register for the conference.

Cheers,
Terry