The marani in Tskhemlara is a traditional wine cellar arranged as a museum. The heart of it is the qvevri buried in the ground, the press and the tools used by several generations of one family. The owners show how wine is made by the household method and tell the story of the cellar.
The cellar sits in Tskhemlara, a mountain village in the Keda municipality, away from the main road along the Adjaristsqali. Around it are terraces, vineyards of local grape varieties and the wooded slopes typical of upland Adjara. The road to the village is narrow and winds uphill, but the views along the way repay the climb.
The marani is private, so it is worth arranging a visit in advance through locals or a guide. Allow about an hour for the cellar and a conversation with the owners. A tasting depends on the season and on whether the owners are there.
Tips
- Arrange the visit in advance, turning up unannounced may not work
- Plan for September or October, harvest time is the most interesting here
- Drive a car with decent clearance, the village road is rough in places
How to get there
- From Batumi through Keda along the Adjaristsqali valley, about an hour and a half by car
- Public transport reaches Keda, beyond that you need a taxi or your own car
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