Dream to Travel from NCM

Grape to glass: Telavi. Schuchmann Wines Chateau and Villas,

Mike and I left early for Telavi. Telavi is the main city and center of Georgia‘s eastern province of Kakheti. Kakheti is Georgia’s foremost wine region (previous post—Sighnaghi is also located in the Kakheti region). Again, it produces nearly three-quarters of the country’s wine grapes, which are grown on land that has been dedicated to viticulture for thousands of years. Telavi is located on the foothills of the Tsiv-Gombori Range at 500–800 m (1,600–2,600 ft) above sea level.

Our way to Telavi. Russia is on the other side of these snow-capped mountains.

Fermenting grapes for wine is a custom that’s been practiced in Georgia from as early as 6,000 BC. At the heart of the operation has always been the qvevri: the rotund clay vessel with a tapered bottom that’s buried up to its neck in the earth. Grapes are plucked by hand and crushed by foot in a satsnakheli winepress, then channelled — seeds, skins, stems and all — into the qvevri to ferment. Mike and I are going to Schumann Wines Chateau, Villas and Spa. They produce wines Georgian style, European style and a combination.

Schuchmann Wines Chateau, Villas and Spa.
From my balcony. No swimming this time of year.
A peek at the vineyards.
Still from my balcony.
Our walk into Telavi from the chateau.
Another vineyard along our walk into Telavi.
Snow-capped mountains. Again, Russia is on the other side of these mountains.
Along our walk.
Telavi. We made it. King Erekle II’s castle and monument. Reminder, the Georgians love this guy.
Entrance to the palace.
Outside the palace gate.
Entering the palace grounds.
This history museum is inside the palace gates.
Autumn in Kakheti, J. Khutsishvili. Oil on canvas.
Portrait of Ketevan Iashvili. Grigol Jashi (1914 – 1996). Oil on canvas.
From 1963 to 1977, Ketevan Iashvili donated her entire collection – about 200 exhibits to the Telavi Historical Museum. On May 11, 1963, an exhibition was opened in Telavi, where painted canvases and antiques were presented, a total of 45 exhibits
Maprasha (kit-bag from Tusheti). Telavi. Beginning of the 20th century.
King Erekle II’s palace. The complex includes this renovated Persian-style palace where Erekle II was born and died, two small churches, the royal baths, and a state-of-the-art combined history and art museum
In this room in 1720 King Erekle II was born and in 1798 he died in this room.
Painting of the mourning of King Erekle II.
The throne.
Getting ready to head back to the chateau.
This giant tree is more than 900 years old. Height: 46m; diameter: 3.6m; width: 12m. What a photo op.

Tomorrow wine tour, tasting and spa.

dreamtotravelfromncm

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