Tsinandali, Georgia:
The historic town of Tsinandali is located in the Kakheti region, between 80 and 100 kilometres from the capital Tbilisi, depending on the route chosen. The journey by car takes around 2 hours. This small town is known for its wine production and wineries. The first Georgian wine was bottled here over 200 years ago. Zinandali played an important cultural role in the 19th century.
Aristocrats, artists and philosophers from all over the region, occasionally even from Moscow and Paris, Berlin or London, gathered here. Today the castle hotel is home to a marvellous park, unique in its quality. With a little imagination, you can picture tsarist gentlemen chatting amongst their peers in the 19th century. The setting fits!
Tsinandali wine estate has been transformed into an imposing castle hotel
Today, the entire region is a hotspot for Georgian traditions and the age-old methods of winegrowing. The wine from the region enjoys an excellent reputation among connoisseurs and gourmets. The flavour intensity of Georgian wine is more intense and everything is included in the production process, even the grape seeds.
Wine was already being produced here 8000 years ago
Travel tip: Visit various wineries in the region and taste some of the best Georgian wines. Learn more about the history of the Chavchavadze family at the local museum. Music and art have always been very popular in this region. There are numerous artefacts from the past in the museum, including the first grand piano ever delivered to Georgia.
A glimpse into the region in the middle ages
Historical sources mention the village of Tsinandali as early as the 15th century, but it was under Prince Alexander Chavchavadze in the late 17th century that the Tsinandali estate with its current museum, magnificent gardens and vineyards experienced a real boom. Tsinandali flourished, became a gateway to European culture and tradition, promoted music and poetry and became a must-see for anyone visiting Georgia. From Dumas to Pushkin, Tsinandali Estate has welcomed renowned guests from all over the world. The history of European classical music in Georgia also began in Tsinandali, and Georgia’s first grand piano can still be admired in the local museum.
Prince Alexander was a poet and winemaker
Prince Alexander, a poet, winemaker and dignitary, was active in many aras of public life; he is remembered as a builder who designed the historic centre of Tbilisi, as a publisher who developed and virtually reinvented the printing industry in Georgia, and as the founder of ‘modern’ Georgian viticulture, the first to bottle Georgian wine and age it in oak…
Since 2007, Tsinandali Estate has been under the auspices of the Silk Road Group, a company with a diverse portfolio of activities. In autumn 2007, the founders of SRG decided to rehabilitate the historic complex and transform it into a luxury tourist destination as well as a cultural and educational centre.
Radisson Collection hotel
The hotel complex also includes the amphitheatre and the theatre – the two outdoor and indoor concert halls, which can accommodate up to 1200 and 600 guests respectively. The hotel has exclusive suites, is situated in a scenic mountain landscape and has all the comforts of an excellent hotel.
Cultural centre for art and music
In recent years, the Tsinandali Estate has hosted literary events and masterclasses, exhibitions and concerts by various prominent Georgian and foreign artists and performers.
On 14 September 2017, the legendary maestro Zubin Mehta, Khatia Buniatishvili and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra inaugurated the new amphitheatre with a magnificent performance to the delight of the Georgian audience and international guests.
This was also the preparatory concert for the Tsinandali International Festival of Classical Music. The Tsinandali Festival is the result of a successful partnership between the state and the private sector, the Georgian government and the Silk Road Group. The aim is to preserve and maintain historical cultural assets and expertise.
So is the trip to Kakheti worth it?
Definitely, especially if you can spend a few days in the beautiful grounds of ‘The Tsinandali Estate’. Probably the best hotel complex in the country, it has now become somewhat famous and rooms are booked out very quickly, especially at weekends. It is therefore advisable to enquire a few days in advance and book if necessary.
