(with Ramaz Nikoladze and his wife Nestan, harvesting Tsolikouri at dusk in Imereti) Autumn can arrive very swiftly in Georgia; after a hot and dry summer, with temperatures averaging between 90-100F (through September), the first week of October was refreshingly, suddenly mild, with cool evenings and hints of rain. Due to the nature of the summer and the speed of the change, grape harvest began earlier than usual in many regions. Our harvest tour began in western Georgia,

(L-R: Archeologists Steven Batiuk (CAN), Mikhael Abramishvili (GEO), and JQ, at an ancient qvevri pit. Mikhael shows how tall the original vessel would have stood under the earth.) You don't have to travel far from Tbilisi to find an historical record of ancient wines; in fact, you don't need to leave the city at all. Before exploring the wine villages near Khvanchkara in northern Racha this week, we drove 20 minutes from our apartment to join archeologists Steven and Mikho