National Geographic: Best Fall Trips 2016 – Kakheti, Georgia

Georgia’s Kakheti region is the number one place to visit this autumn, according to the National Geographic.

With around 6.8 million monthly readers from issues published in over 40 languages, the National Geographic is regarded as one of the world’s most read magazines. The magazine’s content is published online too.

The Travel section of the National Geographic website released a list of the top 10 places to visit this autumn. Georgia’s Kakheti region ranked number one, ahead of Ireland, Mexico and the Pacific Islands.

For wine connoisseurs, Kakheti province in Georgia is the best place to visit at this time of year, says the magazine.

"While France and Chile are classics when it comes to wine, expand your horizons in Georgia and you'll know what all the buzz is about”, says the piece.

October is Ghvinobistve ("month of winemaking”) in the republic of Georgia, where the wine heritage has been rooted in the soil for thousands of years.

"Traditional Georgian wine is skin-fermented and stored underground in egg-shaped clay jars called qvevri. The winemaking method was added to UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013, and it is being promoted by a new crop of artisanal winemakers.

In wine regions, such as Kakheti in the east and Imereti in the west, you can tour qvevri cellars and taste buzz-worthy qvevri-aged varietals, such as the ruby red Otskhanuri Sapere and the smoky Rkatsiteli Tsarapi.

The magazine quotes Sarah Grunwald, co-founder and owner of Taste Georgia, who says: "No trip to Georgia would be complete without visiting a winemaker who uses the traditional qvevri vessel to make wine.”

"Georgians have been making wine for well over 8,000 years in the same way. Wine is essential to the Georgian identity, so expect to be offered a lot and expect to drink it.”

The National Geographic list offered information about why you should go there, where it is, how to get there, where to stay, what to eat and cultural tips.

Ranked second behind Georgia was Ireland, which the magazine said was the best place to visit this autumn for festivalgoers. Mexico ranked third for its offering as a fun family holiday destination.

Read the full article here: www.nationalgeographic.com