This article is part of the Mukhrani Village Experience, a community-based tourism initiative in the country of Georgia developed through a partnership between the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and the Foundation for Regional Economic Development of Mukhrani. Since 2024, our collaboration has integrated research, documentation, and youth engagement to create immersive, hands-on tourism experiences that invite visitors to explore Mukhrani’s cultural traditions.

In 2017, the global wine community was taken by surprise: Georgia, a small country of just 3.7 million people located in the rugged folds of the South Caucasus, was crowned the birthplace of wine. This was due to the discovery of residual wine compounds clinging to clay jars—vessels that held humanity’s first wine.

The news was not particularly surprising for many Georgians. To them, wine is not merely a drink; it is a living tradition, one of several foodways that, together, have formed the country’s distinctive cultural identity for centuries. From time immemorial, Georgian families have been making wine with traditional qvevris (clay jars), a method that has been passed down through generations and recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Carved images of grapes and vines are often seen on older churches and early Christian stelas. Across Georgia’s many winemaking regions, selling grapes to local wineries is one of the primary incomes for families.

Today, thousands of Georgians own vineyards and produce their own wine. The drink is an inseparable part of famous Georgian supras (feasts). During these feasts, someone is designated as tamada. The tamada says one toast after another, often in a certain order—covering different aspects of life and human experience: a toast for parents or the household, a toast to peace or love, a toast to the departed and life. Often, huge quantities of wine are consumed during these traditional gatherings.   

Georgia’s wine is the heartbeat of a culture, intertwined with feasts of dazzling cuisine and hospitality so profound that strangers are welcomed as kin. The country’s rich food and hospitality culture was at the heart of the Mukhrani Village Experience, a community-based tourism project supported by the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and the Foundation for Regional Economic Development of Mukhrani. The project engaged, among others, artisans who carry the traditions of Georgia’s culinary arts.  

Winemaking at Old Mukhrani Winery

The importance of winemaking to Georgians is clearly visible in the historic village of Mukhrani, located in the Kartli region, an area with some of the highest diversity in grape varieties in the country. Symbols connected to wine are found almost everywhere in this area: in traditional qvevris lying next to the old churches and houses, or the ancient mosaic of Dzalisa (a neighboring village) depicting Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and festivities, a remnant of the Hellenistic influence on the region.

When the Mukhrani Village Experience project team searched for a local expert who could speak to Georgia’s history of winemaking, Aleksandre Dalakishvili was at the top of the list. For Dalakishvili, and many others in Georgia, winemaking is a family tradition passed down through each generation. He grew up watching his uncle make wine for their household and learned the craft through observation and guidance. By 2021, Dalakishvili built Old Mukhrani Winery from the scratch after clearing an old factory that stood on the site. The team approached him at a perfect time, as he was keen on developing Old Mukhrani’s capacity to host visitors.

“I have always had ideas to expand, purchase more equipment or cutlery, and do more for the winery,” Dalakishvili said. “But for small wineries like ours, it is not always possible. I’m often mistrustful of many of the projects that claim to help the local entrepreneurs, but I am hopeful we could do something with this one, and I’ll always be grateful for the help!”

In addition to offering marketing guidance and connection to global markets, the Mukhrani Village Experience supported Dalakishvili in purchasing additional cutlery to accommodate larger groups, producing a short promotional video, creating high-quality social media content, and designing wine bottle labels.

With the help of young winemaking expert and assistant Giorgi Cherkezishvili, Old Mukhrani produces both red and white wines, including Kisi, Rkatsiteli, Goruli, Chinuri, chardonnay, Shavkapito, and muscat, but also fruit brandy and chacha—dubbed by some as the Georgian grappa.

Dalakishvili and Cherkezishvili are working on reviving and popularizing local varieties, like the white grapes Goruli Mtsvane and Mukha Mtsvane and the red grape Shavkapito, with plans to explore lesser-known varieties in the future.

To the Old Mukhrani team, working on the local varieties is important as it connects to their great sense of belonging to the region of Kartli. Many of the lesser-known varieties could easily be lost or forgotten in the competition with nationally and internationally more popular grape varieties, so Old Mukhrani is taking steps to preserve and popularize them.

Now, Old Mukhrani includes a vineyard, cellar, outdoor and indoor tasting spaces, chicken farm, and fruit garden. Its team receives visitors with open hearts and plenty of wine and local food. They host groups from around the world—including, recently, Germany, Poland, Kazakhstan, and Israel. Dalakishvili and Cherkezishvili feel their winery is growing in popularity and reputation and are excited for what the future holds.

“Recently, a small group of Americans visited,” Cherkezishvili said. “I was surprised when they told us that they used some AI programs to find us. They asked one of these about a good, small winery in the area, and Old Mukhrani Winery showed up! We were excited to hear that our place is becoming more recognizable, and the Mukhrani Village Experience has surely helped with this.”

Dried Fruit Making at Pomona

Around the world, wine is often enjoyed with dried fruits such as figs, apricots, raisins, and plums—delicacies that have graced festive tables for centuries. In Mukhrani, renowned for its vineyards and noble estates, this tradition continues to flourish. Dalakishvili’s winery produces wine-soaked dried fruits that pair well with his wine selections, but the most famous dried fruit producer in the area is Mariam Tatishvili, the founder of Pomona.

Pomona—named for the Roman goddess of fruit trees, gardens, and orchards—is Tatishvili’s dried fruit business. She produces dried kiwis, persimmons, oranges dipped  in chocolate, tomatoes, apple chips, and several varieties of tklapi (traditional puréed, sun-dried fruit leather). But the star of the show is her trademark black plums, which she harvests from her family’s garden.

Drying fruits as a method of preservation is a common practice throughout the region and has been for generations. In the past, people would dry fruits and store them to be consumed during winter or used as medicinal supplements. Some of the most common dried fruits included apples, plums, and figs. There is written evidence suggesting that some people used tonebi (traditional ovens), but more often fruits were sun-dried. Many houses throughout Georgia have fruit gardens, and, occasionally, locals still dry their homegrown fruits.

Holding a master’s degree in agriculture, Tatishvili studied crop and farming practices through traditional academic pathways. But her work was inspired by her family, which owns a plum farm and continues to support her in the business. Her mother, Shorena Tatishvili, works with her daily on all aspects of managing and growing Pomona.

One of the important milestones in Pomona’s success was winning the “Produce in Georgia” grant, a government program that supports local entrepreneurship. The fund provided Pomona 10,000 Georgian Lari, helping the company strengthen its production processes.

Today, Tatishvili uses a modern, electric drying machine that circulates cold and hot air to dehydrate produce. This method ensures that fruits dry evenly, safely, and without any chemical additives. Using a low and controlled temperature, this process allows the fruit to retain its natural aroma, color, texture, and nutritional value—vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This approach is closest to the traditional method of natural sun-drying but has the benefits of more hygienic and standardized conditions.

Through the Mukhrani Village Experience, Tatishvili refurbished her space and promoted Pomona with high-quality social media content.

“Participating in the project gave us an opportunity to develop Pomona’s touristic potential and create a space where visitors can take part in the production of dried fruits,” Tatishvili said. “This allowed us to significantly improve our infrastructure, develop our visitor area, renew our company branding, carry out marketing activities, and create wonderful new videos and photos of our space.”

Tatishvili notes that with the help of the program, Pomona is now more recognizable, and there is an increased interest from visitors both locally and internationally.

“Our current goal is to become more recognizable as a brand, so that more people get to know our history and production,” she said. “We are eager for Pomona to become a space where visitors not only purchase our produce but actively take part in producing them. We want it to become a place where nature, taste, and new experiences meet each other.”

Traditional Meals in Lia’s Green Ezo

In the ruins of old fortress walls and next to the eighteenth-century citadel of Mukhrani sits another important place stewarding Georgia’s culinary specialties: Lia’s Green Ezo. Its founder, Lia Ghvedishvili, is one of the leading chefs specializing in Mukhrani’s local foodways. Guests to Ghvedishvili’s ezo (Georgian for garden or yard) are in for an immersive journey through local specialties and diverse Georgian cuisine.

Ghvedishvili welcomes guests with the best traditions of Georgian hospitality. Her expertise and warmth come from deep connections to her family’s roots; she is a seventh-generation cook who inherited her culinary talent from her ancestors, chefs of Mukhranbatoni, the noble family of Mukhrani.

During the nineteenth century, when lords held estates in various areas of the country, Prince Ivane Bagration, the Lord of Mukhrani, enjoyed a delicious meal in the outskirts of Tbilisi. He inquired about the cook and learned the meal was prepared by local chef Iakop Kench’iashvili. Bagration asked the chef to resettle to Mukhrani and become his personal chef. Kench’iashvili agreed. He would visit the grand estate house of Mukhranbatoni, on the edge of the village, during big feasts and prepare the lord’s favorite dishes.

Kench’iashvili was Ghvedishvili’s maternal great-grandfather. She not only keeps his memory alive through sharing stories with her guests but continues in his steps by cooking many of the local, delicious dishes.

Since Ghvedishvili’s relatives come from across Georgia, she is able to offer a wide variety of regional dishes. Visitors to Lia’s Green Ezo start their experience by tasting a popular Georgian dish: khachapuri (a cheese-filled bread). This pastry comes in various forms and shapes, with many regional variations. Ghvedishvili prepares a classic khachapuri along with ch’akhrakina (bread often filled with cheese and beet greens) and pastries with various other fillings.

For sweeter pastry options, Ghvedishvili offers kada—a sweet pie often prepared during local religious festivals. Additionally, she offers and teaches classes on how to prepare another popular dish, khinkali—traditional Georgian meat-filled dumplings.

Hospitality lies at the heart of Georgian culture, and, over the centuries, countless visitors have felt the warmth and generosity extended to guests—whether they arrive from nearby or distant lands. Ghvedishvili exemplifies these traditions, and with help from Mukhrani Village Experience, she has been able to refurbish her space to make a welcoming environment for guests.

“These days, most of my visitors are local, but there have been one or two instances of some foreign guests, and they seem to be always in awe of some of my local dishes,” she said. “They say they never tasted something like this, and I think it’s because some of the Georgian food can be so different from what many people experience elsewhere. But it’s not only about food. Many locals have also told me that they love this little green space that I have created with my own hands. They love all the plants and feel relaxed here.”

Ghvedishvili is grateful for projects like the Mukhrani Village Experience and thinks they are important for the locals.

“One of the most important things that this project has given me is the inspiration to work on developing my little place,” she said. “One of my wishes is that this also inspires our local young people. I want them to have new ideas but also to take care of what already exists here. There is more work to be done, and I’m sure if all goes well, we will be able to attract more visitors to this area.”

Overall, initiatives like this hold tremendous value for the community in Mukhrani and beyond. Beyond the practical support they offer, such projects instill hope and inspiration in participants and those around them. They have the power to uplift the community, fostering and enriching spaces where people come together to share food, wine, and the timeless traditions of hospitality.

Alexander Kavtaradze is a researcher with the Mukhrani Village Experience and a historian with a PhD in cultural studies. His research focuses on the Caucasus, the Udi community, and the ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity of Georgia.