Discover Georgia’s Timeless Hospitality: Wine, Food, and Culture in the Caucasus

 

Peering across Georgia’s expansive Alazani Valley, grasping the rail and shuffling carefully across an icy wall, I look up to the snow-packed peaks of the Caucasus Mountains. The mountains across the valley are enormous and so is the valley. The vast nation of Russia rolls away on the other side. 

I’m standing atop part of a fortress erected in 1762 by King Heraclius II, designed to keep out the marauding Dagastani tribesmen. Georgians have been repelling invaders for nearly their entire history, and the spirit of resilience continues to define the national character today. 

My careful maneuvering along the frozen wall during a February visit is my unexpected introduction to Sighnaghi, Georgia’s “City of Love.” The city sits on the western edge of Georgia’s largest wine producing area, and it’s our second stop on our EatThis!Tours’ day trip from the capital city of Tbilisi.

Read the whole article here: Food, Wine, Travel Magazine