Georgia is home to one of the oldest continuously documented winemaking traditions in the world. Discover qvevri wine, the Rtveli harvest, Kakheti and the grapes you should taste.
Georgia is more than breathtaking mountains, ancient monasteries and legendary hospitality. It is also home to one of the oldest continuously documented winemaking traditions in the world. Archaeological evidence traces winemaking in Georgia back roughly 8,000 years, while the traditional Georgian qvevri method remains alive today.
For travellers who want to experience the country beyond the usual sightseeing routes, Georgian wine offers a direct connection to its history, families, food and traditions. With Locate Georgia, you can discover this culture where it belongs: inside vineyards, family wine cellars and traditional Georgian homes.
Georgia — The Cradle of Wine
Wine is deeply woven into Georgian identity. It appears at celebrations, family gatherings, religious traditions and, most importantly, the Georgian supra — the traditional feast where wine and toasts bring people together.
Georgia has hundreds of indigenous grape varieties, including some that are found almost nowhere else in the world. Among the best-known are Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Kisi, Mtsvane, Khikhvi, Tsolikouri, Tsitska and Alexandrouli. Georgia Travel identifies more than 500 native vine varieties across the country.
When you travel with Locate Georgia, Georgian wine becomes more than something you taste. It becomes a way of understanding the country itself.
What Is a Qvevri?
Perhaps the most distinctive symbol of Georgian wine is the qvevri — a large, egg-shaped clay vessel traditionally buried underground.
Grapes are pressed and the juice is placed inside the qvevri, often together with grape skins, seeds and other solid material depending on the winemaking tradition. The vessel's underground position helps maintain relatively stable conditions while the wine ferments and matures.
The traditional Georgian qvevri winemaking method was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013. UNESCO notes that the knowledge surrounding qvevri wine and the vessels themselves has traditionally been passed from generation to generation.
With Locate Georgia, you can visit traditional wine cellars — known locally as a marani — and see these remarkable clay vessels for yourself.
How Traditional Georgian Wine Is Made
Traditional winemaking starts in the vineyard.
After the grapes are harvested, they are pressed. Historically, this could be done in a traditional wine press called a satsnakheli. The juice is then transferred into qvevri buried beneath the floor of the wine cellar.
In the traditional Kakhetian method, the grape juice may ferment together with skins, seeds and stems. Extended contact with the grape material can produce deeply structured wines and, in the case of white grapes, the distinctive amber wines for which Georgia has become internationally recognized.
Visiting a family marani with Locate Georgia gives travellers the opportunity to see a process that has survived for generations rather than simply reading about it.
Rtveli — Georgia's Grape Harvest
One of the most memorable times to explore Georgian wine culture is during Rtveli, the traditional grape harvest.
Usually taking place during late summer and autumn depending on the region and grape variety, Rtveli brings families and communities together to harvest the year's grapes.
Visitors may have the opportunity to:
- Pick grapes directly from the vineyard
- Learn how grapes are pressed
- See traditional qvevri winemaking
- Taste local wines
- Enjoy homemade Georgian food
- Meet local winemakers and their families
- Experience traditional Georgian hospitality
For anyone visiting Georgia in autumn, Locate Georgia can incorporate authentic wine and harvest experiences into a private or tailor-made itinerary.
Kakheti — The Heart of Georgian Wine Country
If you only visit one Georgian wine region, Kakheti is an excellent place to begin.
Located east of Tbilisi, Kakheti combines vast vineyards, small family cellars, established wineries, historic towns, monasteries and spectacular views across the Alazani Valley. It is Georgia's best-known wine-producing region and home to many important wine appellations and indigenous grape varieties.
A Kakheti wine journey with Locate Georgia can combine wine tasting with destinations such as Sighnaghi, Bodbe Monastery, Kvareli, Telavi, Tsinandali and the Alazani Valley.
Instead of simply moving from one winery tasting to another, Locate Georgia can create a complete experience combining Georgian history, cuisine, landscapes and local hospitality.
Georgian Wines You Should Try
Saperavi
One of Georgia's signature red grape varieties, Saperavi produces deeply coloured wines that can range from fresh and fruit-forward to powerful, structured and age-worthy.
Rkatsiteli
One of Georgia's most important white grape varieties. Depending on the production method, Rkatsiteli can produce fresh European-style white wines or complex amber qvevri wines.
Kisi
An increasingly popular Georgian variety known for aromatic and expressive wines. It can be particularly interesting when produced using traditional qvevri techniques.
Mtsvane
Often associated with Kakheti, Mtsvane can produce fragrant wines with fresh fruit and floral characteristics.
Khvanchkara
A naturally semi-sweet red wine associated with the Racha region and traditionally produced from Alexandrouli and Mujuretuli grapes.
Tsolikouri
A major western Georgian white variety, particularly associated with regions including Imereti and Racha-Lechkhumi.
Exploring these wines with Locate Georgia allows you to discover just how different Georgian wine can taste from one region, grape variety and winemaking method to another.
Wine Beyond Kakheti
Although Kakheti receives much of the attention, Georgian wine culture extends across the country.
Imereti has its own winemaking traditions and varieties such as Tsolikouri, Tsitska and Krakhuna.
Racha-Lechkhumi is known for mountainous vineyards and celebrated wines including Khvanchkara and Tvishi.
Kartli, the region surrounding Tbilisi, produces both traditional and contemporary wines and is increasingly interesting for travellers looking for wineries close to the capital.
Western regions including Guria, Samegrelo and Adjara also preserve distinctive local grape varieties and winemaking traditions, illustrating the extraordinary diversity of the country's viticulture.
Locate Georgia can build wine routes around different regions depending on your interests, schedule and preferred wine style.
Wine, Food and the Georgian Supra
To truly understand Georgian wine, you should experience it alongside Georgian food.
Wine plays a central role in the traditional supra, where a tamada, or toastmaster, leads a sequence of meaningful toasts.
At a Georgian table, wine may be accompanied by dishes such as khinkali, khachapuri, mtsvadi, pkhali, lobio, fresh Georgian cheeses and regional specialties.
This combination of food, wine, conversation and hospitality is one of the experiences travellers often remember long after leaving Georgia.
With Locate Georgia, a wine tour can become an opportunity to sit around the table with local hosts rather than simply visiting another tasting room.
Experience Georgian Wine with Locate Georgia
Whether you are a serious wine enthusiast or simply curious about Georgian culture, a wine journey can become one of the highlights of your trip.
Locate Georgia creates tailor-made private and group experiences that can include vineyards, traditional qvevri cellars, boutique wineries, established wine estates, Georgian cooking, local families and historic landmarks.
From your first glass of Saperavi overlooking the Alazani Valley to opening a traditional qvevri inside a family marani, Locate Georgia helps you discover the people and traditions behind Georgian wine.
Discover Georgia through its wine. Discover it with Locate Georgia.
