Bread, and Wine, and Cheese! (more photos later)

 03-14-2022

Breakfast together and off to the lobby to wait for George! Daviti decided that we would be better off doing a private tour with George in case we needed to make some modification, and we're tickled! He's borrowed his buddy's Kia and it's quite comfortable.  And it's snowing!  All day!!

These ladies make breakfast such a treat!

First things first - the boys want to stop for coffee and a smoke!  Male bonding at its finest!

Now we're off to go wine tasting at the KTW Wine Shop.  We're a little early so I get to play in the snow and George (I just learned that he really goes by Gio!) takes some photos.  He's laughing like crazy and it isn't until I see them that I know that Ammar has been acting crazy behind my back!

You've got to look closely to find Waldo in this one!

It's our turn, now, and our guide, Natalia, leads us through the treacherous snow to the enormous storage building.  She's a hoot and has a story for each of the four wines, and the "brandy" that we taste.  One of the reds has "tears" which we call legs, and she says that if the woman is crying it is the man's fault!  Another is called the "wife" and it's a good thing if is sweet! The brandy we sample is ten years old and aged in French oak barrels.  It is equivalent to French cognac but, of course, no one can use the name outside of France. She tells us that she and her husband, who also works there, agree that one of them will be the designated driver; but it never works out and they have to call a friend to pick them up!

Ammar wasn't going to drink but both Gio and Natalia assured him that Georgian wines are medicinal!  And Natalia also suggested the Borjomi mineral water for his tummy.  We have some in our room.

That's Natalia's husband!  And there are eight of these enormous storage buildings 
around the country!  They are the largest distributor!

We do a little shopping and wait outside for George. He comes out with a bag and we figure it was his thank you for bringing us.  Maybe it was, but he gives it to us!  

Next stop - Vineria Kakheti. There's a black and white kitty and snow, so it doesn't matter to me that they seem to be in the middle of a tasting when we arrive.  Presently Gio takes us outside to a gentleman who lets us sample chacha and shows us how it is distilled.  And he lets us sample a green flower that is only picked for ten or fifteen days a year and is quite a delicious delicacy!  Soon it's time for another kind of tasting - wine!! the young man is part of the family and is studying management at he university so he can go into the family business.  We sample nine different wines!!  Okay, I sampled nine. Ammar is still being a little cautious with his tummy; but I'm so tickled that he was able to come today and we are having a ball! The last wine is amazing and is similar to ice wine in that it is very expensive to produce and comes in tall skinny bottles.  I don't know how much it costs;  but Ammar buys me a bottle to take home and remember him.

Enough alcohol!  It's off to bread-making class!  And I actually get to stick my load against the inside of the oven!  And oh my goodness it's hot in there!  And there is cheese to sample and eat with "my" bread! Ammar buys a huge wheel of the saltier version to take home to Jordan!  He thinks it will last him about a year :) It weighs 4.5 kilos!

Sighnaghi is the City of Love and you can still see the old fortress walls.  There is a story about a poor man who loved a rich woman and sold all his possessions to give her the money. We have lunch here, with a roaring fire to counteract the snow's chill.  Katchapuri and bbq pork and sheep, and Georgian salad, of course!

We're heading back home now and the snow is really coming down in large flakes! Like all good field trips, the return is pretty quiet. Ammar and Gio talk a bit and I drift in and out (yeah, it's the wine, I know!)

We are delivered safely to our door and Gio reminds us that we can call on him for anything.  He's going to pick us up and take us to the airport tomorrow night (Wednesday early early early morning). It's an early night tonight, after our all day adventure.  Maybe I'll add some photos later!