Kakheti, Sighnaghi, Alazani Valley. Family wineries, qvevri wine, snacks from the hosts. Private guide, groups up to 7, transport included.
Georgia is the birthplace of wine. For 8,000 years, winemakers in the valleys of Kakheti and the slopes of Kartli have been fermenting grapes in clay vessels buried in the earth — a tradition that UNESCO inscribed on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013. While the rest of the world was still learning to cultivate vines, Georgians were already ageing their harvests in hand-crafted qvevri amphorae.
Today, Georgia produces what the world calls "orange wine" — amber-coloured whites made with prolonged skin contact that sommeliers in London, Tokyo and New York are chasing. But no bottle from a wine shop comes close to tasting it straight from the qvevri at a family winery, with homemade bread and cheese offered by a host who learned the craft from his grandfather. Our wine tours in Georgia are built around exactly that experience.
Two itineraries focused on wine — from a full tasting day in Kakheti to a complete gastronomic experience with dinner at a Georgian family home.
Sighnaghi — the "City of Love", Bodbe monastery, 2 family wineries with qvevri tastings. Alazani Valley vineyards up close. A complete day through Georgia's premier wine region.
A daytime tour with a winery visit finishes with a home-cooked dinner at a Georgian family: qvevri wine, khinkali dumplings, mtsvadi, suluguni cheese. The deepest gastronomic immersion in one day.
A method 8,000 years old — and UNESCO's recognition of its cultural significance.
A qvevri is an egg-shaped clay vessel ranging in size from 200 litres to 3 tonnes, coated inside with beeswax. Grapes are crushed together with skins, seeds and stems (the whole cluster), poured into the qvevri and buried up to its neck in the ground. The earth maintains a constant temperature of 14–16°C — ideal for slow fermentation without artificial cooling.
After fermentation, the qvevri is sealed with beeswax and left for up to 6 months. The prolonged skin contact gives white wines — especially Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane — their signature amber colour, rich tannins and the ability to age for 10–20 years. This is the so-called "orange wine" that natural wine bars worldwide are now seeking to replicate in oak or acacia barrels.
At family wineries in Kakheti, qvevri vessels stand in cellars beneath the house — often passed down through generations, some dating to the 19th century. These are the wineries our Georgia wine tours visit: not commercial tasting rooms, but living households where winemaking is still a family tradition.
18 protected appellations and 4 main regions — each with its own character.
70% of all Georgian wine. Alazani Valley, Telavi, Sighnaghi, Mukuzani, Kindzmarauli. Powerful reds from Saperavi and amber whites from Rkatsiteli — this is where we go on the wine tour.
Vineyards around Gori, Mtskheta and Kareli. Light, elegant whites from Goruli Mtsvane and Shavkapito. A cooler climate produces wines of finesse and acidity — a refined alternative to powerful Kakheti.
Kutaisi and surroundings. A midpoint between the Kakhetian and European styles: qvevri is used but skin contact is shorter — 2–6 days. Main variety: Tsolikouri, light golden with floral notes.
Rare semi-sweet wines Khvanchkara and Tvishi from high-altitude vineyards. Kindzmarauli — semi-sweet Saperavi from the Alazani gorge. Stalin sent cases of Khvanchkara to Churchill at wartime summits.
Georgia has over 500 indigenous grape varieties. Here are the key ones you will encounter during the tasting on our tour.
The flagship of Georgian winemaking. Deep, powerful, rich in tannins. Mukuzani, Teliani, Alazani Valley. Ages beautifully for 15–20 years.
The most widely planted Georgian white. In qvevri it produces the famous orange wine with aromas of quince, coriander and almond. The backbone of the Kakhetian style.
"Green" in Georgian. Aromatic, with notes of acacia blossom and fennel. Often blended with Rkatsiteli, adding freshness and elegance to the wine.
Legendary semi-sweet from the Kindzmarauli appellation in Kakheti. Rich, with raspberry and cherry flavours. Stalin's favourite wine — he shipped cases to the Kremlin.
From the mountain region of Racha. Lighter and more delicate than Kindzmarauli, with aromas of cherry and rose. Natural sweetness — residual sugar from unfinished fermentation, no added sugar.
The main variety of western Georgia. Light, golden, with floral and fruity notes. Less skin contact than in Kakheti — closer to the European style of white winemaking.
Everything that comes with the tour — no surprises.
Not included: additional wine purchases, souvenirs, personal drinks beyond the tasting. For the dinner tour (₾213) — dinner is included in the price.
Kakheti welcomes visitors year-round, but each season has its own appeal.
Harvest season — the most alive time in Kakheti. Vineyards are laden with grapes, you can join the picking, tread grapes by foot and watch the wine poured into qvevri. The air smells of fresh juice. Rtveli is Georgia at its most festive.
Vines are budding and peach orchards are in bloom. The previous year's wine is ready for tasting. Mild weather, fewer tourists than summer. Perfect for a first visit.
Hot (up to 38°C in the valley) but the vineyards are lush and green. Peak season — book in advance. Tastings continue uninterrupted in cool underground cellars.
Kakheti without tourists — quiet and intimate. Winemakers have time for long conversations. New wine is ready and tastings are generous. Snow on the Greater Caucasus peaks adds dramatic scenery.
Private guide, group tour or independent — what makes sense?
| Parameter | Private guide Sakhva Travel |
Group tour Bus 15–30 people |
Self-guided |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | from ₾170/person | ₾60–100/person | ₾80–150/person (taxi + entry) |
| Family wineries | ✓ Authentic | ✗ Commercial | ✗ Hard to access |
| Tasting | ✓ 5–8 wines included | Often extra charge | Pay separately |
| Group size | up to 7 people | 15–30 people | just you |
| Language | ✓ English | Mixed | — |
| Flexible itinerary | ✓ Fully flexible | ✗ Fixed schedule | ✓ Fully flexible |
| Transport | ✓ Included | ✓ Included | ✗ Extra cost |
| Wine buying help | ✓ Guide assists | ✗ On your own | ✗ No market knowledge |
Message Timur — reply within 15 minutes. Free cancellation 24h before. Groups up to 7 people.
Practical articles on Georgian wine, winemakers and the best places in the region — written by your guide from firsthand experience.
Best wineries, what to taste, how to get there — everything you need for a perfect wine day in Kakheti.
Sighnaghi, Bodbe, Alazani Valley and two wineries — how to fit the best of Kakheti into a single day.
Why September and October are the best months to visit Georgia's wine country — and what to expect during Rtveli.