From Minister of Defense of Georgia to Presidential Chief of Staff to Governor and Winemaker

Kidnapped By The Wine Gods In The Land Where Winemaking Began​​​​​​​

Meet Andro Barnovi, One of the most recognized political figures in Georgia. 

This is the audio-only podcast edition of the tenth JOURNEYS Webcast—Adventure & Discovery In The Time of Corona, originally Livestreamed on June 15, 2020, from Gori, Georgia with our special guest the former Chief of Staff to President Saakashvili, to Defense Minister of Georgia to Governor of the Khartli Region and Tbilisi University Dean—and now Natural Winemaker and founder of Wine Artisans located outside Gori, Georgia.

​​​​​​​Wine Artisans winemaker, Andro Barnovi, is a former Governor of the region where he now works with grapes. Andro created the National Defense Academy of the country and served as Head of Administration of the outgoing President Saakashvili. He was Dean and initiator of significant reforms in Tbilisi State University and was Georgia’s first representative in NATO defense educational structures. Earlier in his career, Andro was a well-known civil activist and military officer. In 2016, he abruptly quit and left the worlds of politics and academia to spend all his time in the vineyard. Today, he no doubt attracts the attention of a broad public.

We Cover So Many Topics In This Webcast. Listen Now! 

As Deputy Defense Minister of Georgia | What were the drivers and goals of creating the National Defence Academy of Georgia?

The Russian occupation of Georgia | How does this impact the daily lives of the Georgian people?

What makes Georgian wine different the most anywhere in the world?

As senior advisor to former Georgian President Saakashvili | How is it to rule a country with ongoing Russian occupation?

How was the Presidential Library created? | How did it change after Andro’s role as its Chair?

How did the wine gods kidnap Andro? | With such a rich history in winemaking, what does the future hold for Georgian wine on a global scale?

As an academic and student of philosophy | What does Andro see as the future of Georgia in the region and the continued illegal occupation of two areas by Russia?

The Journeys Webcast is a weekly live stream event where travelers, entrepreneurs, vintners, chefs, musicians, authors, speakers, and ordinary people living extraordinary lives come together for an hour of storytelling, inspiration, idea-sharing, and connection.