Georgian feasts: the supra and the world's oldest wine

In the Caucasus nation of Georgia, where Europe and Asia blur, food and wine are not merely sustenance but the heart of a culture, expressed most fully in the supra — the traditional feast that can stretch for hours in a joyous, structured celebration of hospitality.

A supra is presided over by a toastmaster, the tamada, who leads the table through a series of elaborate toasts to everything from peace and ancestors to love and friendship, each accompanied by wine. The table groans under a profusion of dishes meant to be shared.

Georgian cuisine is a revelation to the uninitiated: khachapuri, the boat-shaped bread filled with molten cheese and often topped with an egg; khinkali, the juicy soup dumplings eaten by hand; walnut-rich sauces; and fresh herbs and vegetables in abundance.

And then there is the wine. Georgia is widely considered the birthplace of winemaking, with a tradition stretching back some 8,000 years. In much of the country, wine is still made in the ancient way, fermented in large clay vessels called qvevri buried in the ground, a method recognised by UNESCO.

To sit at a Georgian table is to be embraced by one of the world's great traditions of hospitality, where the stranger is honoured, the glass is never empty, and the simple act of sharing a meal becomes a celebration of life itself.