Georgia | Ancient Varieties & Qvevris
Wine Tours in Georgia | Ancient & Modern!
Our wine tours in Georgia give you access to many of the great wineries in the Kakheti wine region. We highly recommend staying two or three nights away from Tbilisi, giving you plenty of quality time to relax and taste. We can show you wineries close to Tbilisi on day trips, and also take you farther afield to the regions of Kartli and Imereti. Our main focus is on Kakheti, however, and quite rightly so as our clients will see!
- Visit wineries that use both traditional Qvevri and modern methods.
- Enjoy many examples of amber wine and learn all about how it is made.
- Tour with owners and winemakers – learn directly from the experts.
- Taste many grape varieties that will be new to you.
- Stay at lovely vineyard and winery-based hotels.
- Georgian cuisine is superb – and you have plenty of opportunities to enjoy it.
- We blend in some visits to historic churches and historic monuments.
Remember: Everything we do is private and customizable – just let us know if there is something you wish to add, edit or remove.
Example Kakheti Wine Tour:
We start the day by heading out of Tbilisi for two hours to reach the heart of Kakheti. Our first visit could be to Shumi Winery, which is a well-oiled, visitor-friendly setup and the perfect introduction to quality Qvevri wine. A tour of the winery will be made, followed by a tasting. Then we will head farther into the countryside for about 30 minutes to visit the boutique Qvevri winery Chubini. We will be having lunch here with the owners, Tornike and Lika. This couple is a delight to spend time with, and they will proudly show you what they do, and you will try their wines during lunch, relaxing in the garden.
You probably will not want to leave Chubini, but there is more to see and taste. We will drive another 15 minutes to the historic Chateau Eniseli winery, which will also be our home for the night. This place is fascinating and exudes historical importance and Soviet influence. The story behind this winery is too long to recount here; suffice to say you will find it very interesting during a tour of this very unusual facility. You will enjoy a tasting of Eniseli wines, brandy, and chacha and be free to relax for the evening in this very tranquil place.
Telavi & Sighnaghi | Overnight stays
For our two-night wine tours in Georgia, we would have you stay in the Telavi area the first night, then in Sighnaghi for the second. Several wineries around the towns will be added to the schedule according to your tastes: white, red, semi-sweet, Qvevri, oaked…the area has them all. But before we get to Sighnaghi for the night, there is much to do, see and taste.
After breakfast, we will visit the spectacular Gremi Fortress and enjoy a quick look at the museum inside the impressive structure. After visiting Gremi, we will drive for15 minutes to the Shilda winery. This is a total contrast to what you have experienced at Eniseli; this winery was built in 2015. We will have a look at the production area where modern stainless steel is being used to produce high-quality wine from Kakheti grapes. The company also uses Qvevri for some of its wines, and we will taste both styles.
While we are here at Shilda, we will learn about and try making traditional Georgian Shoti bread in the ubiquitous circular ovens, plus Georgian Khinkali dumplings and also Churchkhela sweets. This is a great hands-on experience and a lot of fun. In this area, the Schuchmann winery is also a great option for a visit and an overnight stay; this will all depend on the route you choose and your budget. In any case, we could visit the winery.
If you have a three- or four-day trip, we will explore some classic estates such as Tsinandale and Mukuzani on our way to another winery, which will also be our lunch spot for today, Numisi Cellar and museum.
This is a very quirky place, and while the wine may be the standard of Shumi or Shilda, the experience is an interesting one. If the owner is around, then we can meet him and hear, through the guide, a little about the place. We will enjoy a tour of the Qvevri cellar and the many museum pieces that are on show, then have a tasting during a lunch of traditional Georgian BBQ.
After this last guided visit, you will be ready to head to your hotel, so we drive up the hill to the lovely town of Sighnaghi, get you checked in and leave you free till after breakfast.
Keep going – Keep tasting!
The Pheasant´s Tears winery has a lovely tasting room in this quaint hilltop town, and we will have a tour and tasting here after giving you time to wander a little in the town after breakfast. We will then leave Signagi and drive for 45 minutes or so to reach the small village of Badiauri. Here we will visit one of the traditional bakeries, where they are producing bread the old-fashioned way.
After the bakeries, we will head to the tiny rural village of Kakabeti to visit the fantastic Vellino boutique winery. The Qvevri wines here are superb quality and delicious. We will enjoy being educated on the local terroir by the young owner and enjoy a premium tasting.
After Vellino, there may be one more winery visit in the Khashmi area before heading back to Tbilisi, but this will depend on how we are going for time. Being a private tour, it gives us the chance to adapt to local opportunities and for your guide to suggest a place en route. We will go with the flow (of wine)!
Why not extend your time and try our amazing Birthplace of Wine tour triangle, taking in some of the best wine regions of the Caucasus.