We know, we have definitely heard of the the venerable Racha ham and lobiani, like nothing any chef can create in Tbilisi …
The police cars stand on the main roads, controlling all the passing cars, checking if anyone brings in or takes any grapes?! It’s the grape picking season, and not even a single foreign grape should be mixed with the unique Racha grape varieties – or it will spoil their distinctive, authentic taste and qualities.
It is a full moon, the fog that has set in the Tskhrajvari gorges adds a sense of mystery and lonesomeness to an already icy colored moon.
No plan, as usual, we sleep where the night catches up with us, we stay the first night at Shaori. The night is so cold there that we cannot even look out of our sleeping bags. The morning greets us with such fog that, as the saying goes, we cannot touch the tip of our nose with our finger. As the sun rises the red and yellow trees are covered in dew, the night departs and everything gets back to life.
We follow a narrow winding path, to the place of origin of our favorite wine. I have the kind of anxiety that my heart is clenched and there is a weird feeling under my tongue. We inspect the winery signs in Khvanchkara, there are wineries almost at every step of the way, we select the most humble-looking house and step in. A large shepherd dog greets us with deafening barking, the host meets us and takes us into his dominion.
A young man, who has transported ancestral wooden house from a mountainous Racha village and has set up a hostel in it, is in the middle of picking grapes. Of course, the table is set nearby and appetizing aromas glide through the air. We begin the tasting, the setting is very relaxed, no tension, we get a feeling that we have known each other for our whole life. The wine tasting, naturally, turned into a feast…
At the same time in the kitchen: you must have seen something like that in the movies – a large old oak table, a setting for large-scale preparation before the a large holiday; a havoc in here and the hostess is directing the younger girls. There is such commotion that there is no place for a newcomer in there. The process is set up like a clockwork and must not be disturbed.
They bring out the lobianis prepared on clay ketsi. The thin crunchy dough covers abundant filling which has distinct and varied seasoning.
Despite the delicious food, it’s time to move on.We have almost reached the beginning of a hiking route that will take us to the monument that we have heard of, though have not seen. You go higher and higher, the coolness of the forest is pleasing and we collect fresh mushrooms after the rain. We come out in the open and right below us we see three pillars, much like three demon’s claws rising from the ground – the Sairme pillars, with eagles flying back and forth among them. Such a vast space is open in front of you that you feel like spreading your wings and flying.
When you drink Khvanchkara in the evening, you wake up feeling as if someone gave you an energy drink and vitamins the night before. You are flying, hungrily breathing in the cold Racha air…
The next stop was supposed to be Tsageri, but we miss the turn, follow the bank of roaring Rioni river and after spending some time on an off-road path below a rock, we find ourselves in Tvishi. On the way we enjoy some white grapes we stole from one of the vineyards. These are definitely the most distinct grapes we have tasted – they have a thicker skin, a sweet filling and almost pile-less seeds. Tvishi aged in Kvevri is heavier than the mass-produced one, but it doesn’t have the added sweetness, which leaves you with more pleasant feelings and citrus or mint aftertaste.
Here, too, the hospitality, hospitality of Tvishi dwellers, invitations for tasting awaits, but the lack of time hastens us … The snake like tortuousness of the off-road path takes us down to Kutaisi. There is a police car on the road, guarding the grapes…
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