The Alaverdi Monastery is a must stop. Here winemaking has taken place at least since 1011 and the cathedral still contains fragments of XI century frescoes. A Georgian Orthodox monastery, Alaverdi appears like a fortress, housing ancient olive trees and vineyards, where the monastics grow over a hundred grape varietals. Here monks continue to make wine using qvevri, carrying out a historical tradition that has been around in Georgia for over 8,000 years. The original 11th century qvevri, aged and cracking at the mouth, is still on display. At the time, the monastery was making between 2,000 and 4,000 liters of wine annually. The traditional wooden press where winemakers crushed grapes with their feet still stands at the marani.