If you are traveling in Samtskhe-Javakheti there are a number of places where you can taste and also take part in making Tenili cheese.
Taste this savory Georgian-style cheese, which is used to fill traditional light and airy Georgian-style flatbread. The name of this cheese is – Tenili and it is made of cow milk. Tenili cheese is a National Cultural Heritage of Georgia and everyone in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region is proud of it. It can be found inside puff pastry which is sold on the open market.
Aluda Jvaridze, a farmer from Aspindza municipality, began restoring Meskhetian oda houses a few years ago. He enjoys living in Chobareti village and today manages an agritourism farm, Meskhuri Oda, in the village.
“I think that we should observe traditions and keep them for future generations. I try to save money in order to keep them alive… Some years ago I moved to the city but came back to the village. In the city, time flies but here time is slow, accordingly, I have more time to do things”, says Aluda. He owns livestock, producing Meskhetian tenili cheese, using almost forgotten cheese-making skills from childhood. Aluda decided to revive this tradition and established a small business in the village.
Today Meskhuri Oda is an agritourism farm, hosting visitors who come to enjoy Meskhetian culture and hospitality and locally grown fruits and vegetables. Visitors can see how tenili cheese and bread are made. Their hosts make Kada, Apokhti and Meskhetian Khachapuri using a purne that is two and a half centuries old.
Monastery Food, Monastris Nobati in Georgian, is a joint venture by three monasteries in the old village of Meskheti-Ude. The monasteries make a variety of products such as wine, meat products, honey, bread, snails and handicrafts. In one of the three religious houses, Ude Convent, visitors can taste traditional Meskhetian cuisine, wine, dishes made from snails and many others, all prepared by the gentle nuns in the monastery.
Ude Convent started making wine in 2010. Gradually the sisters developed other products and today they make dry meat (jerky) varieties called apokhti from pork, beef, chicken and duck. The nuns have their own snail farm and you can taste original snail dishes prepared by them. Marinated snails in elegant jars are also on sale.
In 2020 as a result of hard work and the initiative of Archimandrite Grigol, the Father Superior of these monasteries, the first Meskhetian vineyard was planted in Adigeni Municipality. There are nine grape varieties such as Tamari Vine, Black Aspindzuri, Meskhuri Mtsvane, Kharistvala, Klertmagari. The nuns and monks make the wine using their own secret methods and techniques, passed down through the decades.
Along with selling their produce, in 2017-2019 Ude Convent opened a tasting centre for visitors. You might sit at a table with Archimandrite Grigol to hear interesting stories about Meskheti, wine, grapes and so on. As well as tasting the wine you can buy some to take home together with other food products from the monastery that will remind you of your visit each time you taste them.
“I have spent much of the past decade traipsing through mountain forests in search of ancient vines growing the way nature intended – close to trees. I found some vines that are more than 100 years old and one that I reckon is more than 400 years old”, says Giorgi Natenadze.
While searching for those vines, Giorgi discovered 40 rare grape varieties in the forests to the south of the country, near the border with Turkey and has identified 24 of them so far. Centuries ago the valuable local grape species were lost and in 2009 Giorgi restored the tradition of winemaking in the Meskheti region. Soon after, he poured the first Meskhetian wine, made in a qvevri using traditional Georgian winemaking methods and as he believes, the first ever wine made in the Meskheti (Samtskhe-Javakheti) region.
Today Natenadze’s Wine Cellar produces 14 types of red and white wines and the citizens of 11 countries across the world can enjoy unique Georgian wine. Giorgi’s wines are very quaffable and tasty with low alcohol and well balanced acidity. Each year he makes a different wine from these ancient varieties. Giorgi uses organic processes, dry-farming all grapes manually using no irrigation. He combines his curiosity to rediscover forgotten skills and knowledge with a passion to revive lost traditions and the ability to bring all this to a new, younger target audience in a modern, contemporary way. The labels on his wines are designed in street-art style and speak a fresh and unconventional language.
Apart from winemaking, Giorgi has developed a gastronomic facility in the historic Rabati district, where authentic Meskhetian dishes and wine occupy a leading place. He is a member of the Georgian Gastronomic Association and takes part in the world’s largest gastronomic exhibitions and competitions.
Zaza is an entrepreneur and owner of a brewery in Aspindza. He produces Amphora Beer in Georgian amphoras (qvevri). Initially, brewing was a hobby and he brewed beer at home for family and friends. Later on, he turned his hobby into a business and established a small beer business in 2017. Zaza explains how they use their own technology. The liquid stays in qvevri for two weeks, until it turns into so called “green beer”, an immature beer that is then poured into tanks.
The company uses only high quality ingredients to maintain the quality of their beer. They produce eight different types of light and dark beer, each with its own unique taste.
As well as beer, in 2020 the company launched a new product – malt bread, a zero waste product as it is made using the malt left over from the brewing process.
In 2021, Zedgenidze’s family opened the Brewery House Hotel where guests can enjoy plenty of local amphora beer, malt bread baked in a Meskhetian oven, local cuisine and a unique beer spa.
Making wine has been a centuries-old tradition for the Mumladze family in Atskuri village and the business is now run by father and son, Gia and Davit Mumladze. Previous generations of winemakers were also good craftsmen in clay and their qvevris (amphoras or vats) were well known throughout the region. Davit Mumladze relates that the family still has ancient winemaking equipment used by his grandfather which they show to visitors when telling the story of how their love of wine and winemaking comes from earlier generations.
Five years ago the family decided to turn a hobby into a business, turning the basement of the family house into a wine cellar. Each year they made further renovations to the house and this year completely renovated the first floor, restoring it to its original authentic style. They installed nine qvevris and built a tasting venue where visitors can try the wine and hear the family story of an ordinary Meskhetian man. At present the winery has the following varieties: Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Kakhuri Mtsvane and Muskati.
Mumladze’s wine is very popular within and beyond the region. They consider it their duty to maintain the family traditions and in future they plan to extend the business and preserve Meskhetian traditions related to wine.
Niko Khachapuridze and his family manage their wine cellar in the village of Kvabiskhevi, Borjomi Municipality. It is a traditional Georgian cellar dating from the nineteenth century. The Meskhetian fireplace, a very old wooden winepress and qvevri enjoy pride of place here. The wine cellar appears on the Wine Map of Georgia and is very popular in the region and beyond.
Father and son started making wine in 2015 and since then host guests from all over the world. Here you can taste different Georgian and European wines such as Chinuri, Goruli Mtsvane, Rkatsiteli, Pinot, made according to Georgian traditions. Besides their wine, the family produces chacha and offers hands on classes in Meskhetian cuisine where visitors can bake bread in Meskhuri purne or make mtsvadi.
The Khachapuridze family has set up the Marani as a museum with a large collection of weapons, vessels and local historic exhibits such as carpets, agricultural and winery tools, as well as a variety of handmade crafts.
The family is noted for its hospitality. During your visit you can hear Georgian folk songs, try local wines, taste delicious food and discover more about winemaking in the region.
