Cheese · Kakheti
Also labelled კალტი
A whey cheese sheep's milk cheese from Tusheti, Akhmeta municipality, Kakheti.
Kalti is the whey cheese of Tusheti's shepherds. When they make Tushuri Guda in summer, the leftover whey is cooked over a flame and stirred continuously, then squeezed hot in a cloth bag, shaped into small balls and dried on a grate out of direct sun. Slow Food, which lists it in its Ark of Taste, says shepherds make it in small batches only for their own consumption and eat it at the start of a meal with local beer, often home-brewed. English Wikipedia names kalti and ghee as the filling of kotori, Tusheti's khachapuri.
Made in: Tusheti, Akhmeta municipality, Kakheti
A distinct smell, a soft consistency and an almost spicy taste, according to Slow Food's Ark of Taste entry. It is cooked whey, squeezed hot and dried in small balls, and is eaten at the start of a meal.
Wine and cheese
Kalti is seldom sold: Tusheti shepherds make it in small batches for their own table. Where it is offered, its soft texture, distinct smell and almost spicy taste meet a dry Saperavi rose, medium-bodied with high acidity and no tannin.
The grapes behind these winesSaperavi
Seasonal route from Alvani over the 72 km Abano Pass road to Omalo, in the area whose summer pastures supply chogi and Tushetian guda. georgia.travel gives late May to September as the open season, with the pass closed by heavy snow the rest of the year; Wikivoyage says May or June to October. A small shop in Omalo sells basics including bread and cheese.
Sunday-morning market in the village beside Tsnori, a 20-minute taxi ride from Sighnaghi. Wikivoyage lists cheeses among its fresh produce, meats, crafts, clothes, livestock and farm goods. The listing is undated, so confirm the market is running before a special trip.
Tusheti. Slow Food's entry gives Kakheti as the region and Tusheti as the production area.
Rarely. Slow Food says shepherds make it in small batches exclusively for their own consumption, so it is seldom offered for sale.
Slow Food says it is eaten at the start of a meal with local beer. English Wikipedia lists kalti with ghee as the filling of kotori, Tusheti's khachapuri.
Same cheeseboard
Plan the trip
Tastings and tours where it is made, and somewhere to stay.
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Sources: www.fondazioneslowfood.com, en.wikipedia.org. The drawing is made from the cheese's recorded shape, rind and paste, not a photograph.
