Georgia's Caucasus wines ready for China

Traditional snacks are available on many street corners. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"And don't forget walnuts," says the chef, whose TV programs have made her the country's version of Julia Child. "We use walnuts in everything!"

Georgians love their food and drink. At a Georgian supra (feast), a huge assortment of dishes is prepared－always with large amounts of wine.

"As a child, I was always happy when one of my grandmother's old neighbors died," Gachechiladze tells us with a sheepish grin, "because my grandma would make a lot of wonderful dishes for everyone to eat."

At most dinners, there will almost certainly be singing. The role of the tamada (toastmaster) is an honored one. He or she also decides what wine is next to be drunk.

That could be intimidating in a country with 525 documented grape varieties, hundreds of wineries and charming wine bars on every corner. Most of the market, however, is driven by a few known grapes－especially for export.

Saperavi is the most common red at home and abroad－a robust red that produces high-quality dry red wines that age well, plus sweet, semi-sweet and rose vintages. Other grape wines in the export market include takveri, which boasts aromas of wild roses and red fruit; the strong-bodied shavkapito; and otskhanuri sapere, which generally produces a raspberry-colored wine that's a bit rough in young vintages but ages into an elegant, rich beauty with a long finish.