Keda

Keda is the first sizeable stop on the road from Batumi into the Adjarian mountains, a small town on the Adjaristskali river framed by steep slopes of forest, vines and hazelnut. The municipality around it is the heart of Adjara's modest wine scene. Families in the villages above the valley grow Tsolikouri, a white grape common across western Georgia, and Chkhaveri, a local pink-skinned variety that gives pale, fresh and often semi-sweet wines. A number of family cellars receive visitors for tastings, especially in late summer and during the autumn harvest.

Keda also works as a base for the lower valley. Makhuntseti Waterfall and its medieval arched bridge are a short drive downstream, and more stone bridges and small village mosques stand in the side valleys. The road continues east to Shuakhevi and Khulo, so many travellers stop here for lunch and a glass of wine on the way up to the highlands. Ask in town or at your guesthouse which cellars are open, and use a driver if you plan to taste properly.