Chateau Mere, Kakheti, Georgia • შატო მერე

Chateau Mere a 1,500 sqm (16,146sq ft) stone castle with four pointed towers and wood paneled balconies occupies 15,000 square meters (180,000 square yards) of land, and is located in Kakheti, 1.5 hours driving time from Tbilisi. To accommodate diverse interests of its guests Chateau Mere complex comprises a winery, Georgian restaurants, a conference hall, in-door and two out-door swimming pools,

a spa, and a gift shop. The local weather extends the swimming pool season from May through September. Chateau Mere is a short drive from the main historic sights in Kakheti: Telavi, Akhali and Dzveli Shuamta, Alaverdi, Ikalto, Gremi, Tsinandali. Chateau Mere entertains its guests and visitors with a wide range of activities: picking and crashing grapes, learning about wines and cheese making, making churchkhelas (fruit leather coated walnuts), riding horses, hiking, shopping for local produce, products and hand-crafted gifts. Chateau Mere arranges tastings of the Chateau Mere and Winiveria fine dry white and red wines from Georgian endemic grape varieties such as Kisi, Khikhvi, Mtsvane, Tsinandali, Chinuri, Rose, Saperavi, Mukuzani, and Kindzmarauli. The Mere Restaurant serves Georgian traditional cuisine made from organic food from local produce catered to all pallets. The Winiveria wine company (2005) represents one of the first agritourism attractions in Georgia. Winiveria wines made according to ancient Kakhetian wine-making technology are unfiltered to keep and bring best properties of Georgian wines. Winiveria wines are made in clay jars (kvevri) and preserved in them for fermentation and maturation. The aging process continues in oak barrels or in bottles. Visit Chateau Mere to taste a piece of Georgia in Kakheti.