Wines of Georgia

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The earliest evidence of winemaking was found in Georgia. Reaching back 8000 years, and despite the Soviet Union's best attempts to erase it, Georgian wine culture remains incredibly diverse and still in a state of revival. From the East you will find dry and full bodied reds and ambers, to the lighter and more subtle reds and whites of central Georgia. From this small country, anyone can find wines to love and cherish, and take inspiration from a practice that is deeply embedded into all levels of society. 

This tour can be run out of Tbilisi or Kutaisi, depending on your route. All that has to be changed is the order of events.

Sample itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Tbilisi, transport direct from airport to hotel for rest and organisation. A relaxed day to soak into the city and get your bearings on Georgia. A relaxed dinner followed by sampling some wine in one of the city's beautiful, library-like wine bars.

Day 2: A tour of the emerging wine region south of Tbilisi. On this tour we will visit first the village of  Asureti with its distinctive architecture, originally built by German settlers during the 19th century. German grape varieties still persist in this rugged area of Georgia. Next we visit Kojori, favoured by senior members of the Communist party during Soviet times, featuring some beautiful old houses and a partially ruined castle. Finally we will visit the wineries Gotsa and Tannini, tucked away in the quaint village Kiketi, to sample the wines and enjoy a well-deserved dinner. Return to Tbilisi that evening.

Day 3: A walking tour of Tbilisi, to fully experience the historical and contemporary culture of the city. 

Day 4: Travel by minibus to Sighnaghi in the Kakheti region, the cradle of wine. We will use Sighnaghi as a launchpad for this part of the tour. Today will be devoted largely to sightseeing, including some of the most beautiful and imposing churches and vistas Georgia has to offer. We will visit the grand Alaverdi monastery, dominating the landscape around it, and still producing wine. 

Day 5: This is the big wine day. We will visit a variety of independent wineries, from the most traditional, to those blending Georgian traditions with modern and foreign influences. Pet-nat, a traditional French method of sparkling wine is really exploding in Georgia (sometimes literally).

Day 6: A more sedate day. After a chance to relax in the morning, we can go on to visit the monumental St Nino monastery nearby, or the border town of Lagodekhi at the foot of the Caucasus, with a huge forest in its national park. 

Day 7: Travel to central Georgia, the beautiful village of Didi Ateni sporting its own microclimate and distinctive rugged landscape. Staying at Nika Vacheishvili's Guesthouse, Nika is an art historian who makes incredible and distinctive wines using less well-known grape varieties.

Day 8: Travel to Baghdati via a visit to Gori, best known as the childhood home town of Ioseb Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili. Better known as Joseph Stalin, parts of Georgian society take a slightly optimistic view of someone whose bloody legacy might be overshadowed by his being a local who reached the very top of the Soviet hierarchy. In Baghdati we will visit Baia Abuladze, one of the leading lights in younger women making wine in Georgia.

Day 9: Return to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. Final meal in the evening, visit recommended wine shops with a relaxing tour of whatever you might be interested in. Fly back.

There are other wine regions that this sample itinerary does not hit. Racha, in north-central Georgia, and Adjara in the south-west each has its own wine culture, grape varieties and climates. All are very worth a visit. 

This tour can be tailored to your needs, and a rest day can be built in at any point. The proportion of wine to other activities can be altered.