Kakheti is considered to be the heart of winemaking in Georgia and Alazani Valley is the soul of Kakheti. I have no hesitation in saying that the feast of the grape harvest is the most important holiday there.
The period of celebration varies from year to year because the date of grape harvest depends on what the weather will do this year. And it is never easy to predict.
🔼 Saperavi grape
🔼The vineyards surrounding the castle of Gremi
Usually the date of grape harvest falls between the end of September and early October and lasts about a week.
🔼A truck full of grapes
🔼A truck full of grapes
We were lucky to be in the right place at the right time and take part in the grape harvest. I would like to tell you how it was. We met with the owners of vineyards when we were waving down in Telavi to get to the Castle of Gremi.
🔼Our friends
🔼View of the castle of Gremi
We got to talking about the production of wine, Georgian traditions and festivals dedicated to the harvest time. Inspired by these conversations we gladly agreed to spend the night in a lodge in the vineyards and to join the celebration of the harvest the next morning.
🔼The road through the fields to grape plantations
We agreed to meet up with our friends at dawn. Much work needed to be done and we were going to finish this by evening to have time to celebrate. After seeing our friends, we we were left alone in the lodge enjoying the juicy and delicious grapes.
🔼 Sunset
🔼 The lodge in the vineyards
The nights in late September were already cool. But the at dawn first rays of sun that were shining past the mountain have begun to keep us warm.
🔼 At dawn
🔼 Sunrise
There were different varieties of grapes grown together in the vineyards of our friends: Saperavi, Rkatsiteli and others. It seems to me that the Saperavi is the most common grape in Georgia. This grape is used in the production of wine with many different flavors, but it is always very thick and tart.
🔼The vineyards of our friends
🔼 Waiting
Early in the morning we met the owners of the plantation and saw a few trucks of workers. Women were picking grapes into buckets between the rows of vines and men were emptying them into a truck.
🔼Harvested grapes
🔼Harvested grapes
The sun was already high, and it was getting hot. But the work was still in full swing. Trucks gradually moved between the rows of vines.
🔼Grape Harvest
🔼The rows of vines
And we were happy with a feeling of having touched something unusual. We went on our way to the monastery Nekresi, but that was another story.
🔼The Grape Harvest
Many thanks to our new friends for the chance to touch previously mysterious for us Grape Harvest!
P.S. Would you like to participate in the harvest of grapes? Or maybe you tried to make home wine by yourself? Come on, tell me about it =)