We explored Georgia‘s traditional and famous Full Day Wine Tour to Kakheti from Tbilisi. Kakheti is an eastern part of Georgia, a favorite for its fertile lands for cultivating wine grape varieties. It is believed that Grapevine was developed in Georgia about 8000 years back and produces 500 varieties of grapes.
The word “wine” is derived from the Georgian language called “ghvino”. Also, many people term Georgia as “Cradle of Wine” because Archaeologists have discovered ancient winemaking clay vessels dating 5th-4th B.C. from this region. Therefore Full Day Wine Tour to Kakheti from Tbilisi is worth doing for all first-timers to Georgia.
Now we start our Full Day Wine Tour to Kakheti from Tbilisi -Georgia – Tbilisi to Kakheti
We visited the local winery by private car guided by an English-speaking Georgian guide. The duration of this trip is around 9 to 10 hours. We saw “Winery Khareba,” which is 7.7 km long, a man-made tunnel under the Caucasus mountain range in the Kakheti region/town about 85km from Tbilisi(capital city of Georgia) a major airport of this country).
As this journey along the mountains, the road overlooks beautiful Alazani Valley and many lakes.
After a few stops in between for viewing different historical places like Fort, David Gareja Monastery, Signaghi, the Lover’s city, and Lopota Lake, we reached Khareba Winery.
Packages at Khareba Winery | Full Day Wine Tour to Kakheti from Tbilisi – Georgia – Things to do in Georgia
Khareba Winery offers four different packages for visitors to purchase – the best wine tour in Georgia
- Only viewing of tunnels and no Tasting.
- Tunnel Visit & tasting 2 types of Qvevri Wine Tasting.
- Tunnel Visit – Tasting 4 types of Wine and Learn to Bake of Georgian Bread.
- Same as the Third one with 3 add-on varieties to taste plus a barbeque.
We took the 2nd option, which is costing about 15 Lari(6 USD Dollars) per person.
All listed packages are inclusive of Guide. We can opt for English or Georgian-speaking guided tours across the winery. Blankets are provided at the entrance, as tunnels are chilled because of the natural temperature of the Caucasus. Read some wine-tasting tips and wine tasting outfits so that you don’t ruin your whole day.
After borrowing blankets, our English-speaking guide took us to the tunnel part. There are 15 man-made tunnels interconnected and have a natural temperature of 10 degrees Celsius to 11 degrees Celsius all year round.
She explained the special method of making the Georgian Wines. This method includes grapes pressed (but not filtered) and is kept together for some time. They are then buried underground in clay jars. These clay jars are called “QVEVRI”. The natural temperature of the Caucasus mountains helps in the fermentation of grapes juice turning into specially flavored wine. It is said, that in Georgia, many houses have small underground Wine-cellar.
After visiting tunnels and observing the winemaking process, we came to the Wine Tasting part. It is a lightly dimmed part of a tunnel with many varieties of wine and Georgian cheese. Tbilisi to Kakheti is a perfect day trip for all foodies. Therefore it is one of the best things to do in Georgia.
CHEERS !
Really, it is very much true that Georgian Wines are amazingly sweet.
After tasting we took a small elevator from the tunnel to the top floor for viewing of picturesque countryside, farms, and fields of grape wines surrounding Khareba Winery. Therefore Full Day Wine Tour to Kakheti from Tbilisi is really worth doing for first-timers in Georgia. The road trip from Tbilisi to Kakheti is also very beautiful with farms all around and many nature attractions.
At the exit of Khareba Winery, there is a small shop selling wines, Grape Oil, Cognac and natural forest honey.
Flora and Fauna of this place – Tbilisi to Kakheti
Read about how to ruin a day of Wine Tasting by clicking here…. (Pun involved )
After this beautiful and lovely full-day Wine tour to Kakheti, we returned to Tbilisi at night. Click this link to read other interesting things to do near Tbilisi in Georgia. Visiting Georgia in winters is also fun. Click this to read about what to do in Georgia when it snows.
Before going to Georgia read these tips what you should know……………
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Looks interesting! I have always wanted to do a wine tour. Hope to do one soon.
yes it is interesting to know the making of wine and how grapes are fermented
Are the best wine came from this country?
I don’t know about best.. but it is said that Georgia is cradle of wine means wine making process started in this region in ancient times
You had me at wine tour! What a fun way to spend the day and such a unique wine making process. How did the wine taste? I’ll admit, we would have had to gone for the tour including the food making as well since I’m a chef and always trying to learn new foods and techniques 🙂 Georgia is such a beautiful country!
Georgian wine is sweeter in taste just like grapes juice
This is extremely nice! I visited Georgia almost 2 years ago also, but I hadn’t had the chance to visit any wineries… we were on a tour of Georgia and Armenia and we were on a very tight schedule. I love wine and I would love to go back there and get this tour. I bookmarked your article, so that I can use it later on 🙂
I will visit Tbilisi in January but I don’t think a wine tour would be possible then? If they are possible I’d love to take one, I’d love to visit the sites on the way there too. The packages available are interesting, I’d have to go for one which involved wine tasting as well – maybe the BBQ option too!
You can visit them in Jan. too but you will not see greenery around. All snowy
So interesting! I didn’t know Georgia had this wine history. How fascinating learning about the winemaking process – especially how it is stored in the underground clay pots. Great experience!
This is lovely and reminds me a lot of the tours my husband and I took when we visited California’s wine country a few years ago. We took a train that went 36 miles all around Napa Valley, stopping at some pretty amazing wineries along the way. Not only was the scenery incredible, but the wine was as well! x
So interesting! I didn’t know Georgia had this wine history. How fascinating learning about the winemaking process – especially how it is stored in the underground clay pots. Great experience!
This is a kind of travel I love to do. A day trip to this winery ,tasting it with local and spending a day there , what else do you want. I loved the vineyards and the landscapes around it. The top shot of that tall building is superb. Thanks for sharing. Loved reading about it.
Amazing wine tour… I also love to travel a lot.. I m certainly going to be glued to your blogs..
A wine tour seems like a great way to spend the day, especially perfect for those who love wine! I love rustic feel of the tunnels but all the beautiful greenery on the outside. Will keep this winery in mind if I find myself in Georgia!
This tour is definitely worth taking. The title cradle of wine itself promises what a lot it has to offer!
Though not a regular wine taker I do love to taste the different varieties. Need to get to Georgia some day.
I have never experienced a wine tasting before, but I think the process behind how they make wine is completely fascinating and a real artistic component to it. I actually just met a couple on the train to Berlin who were from Georgia and were the sweetest, most laid back people. I will definitely be looking into visiting this country in the near future.
What a beautiful place for wineries! The grapes look huge, and the mountains in the background are gorgeous. This would be a wonderful place for a wine tour. It looks like you had a great time!
This blog has been a good find for me, I literally had no idea that Georgia was so famous for its wine, and I LOVE wine! Very interesting to know the origin of the word too. Thanks for sharing this 🙂
We are wine lovers and so this sounds right up our street! Would love to try the different wines, it looks so pretty and picturesque from your pictures. Will definitely keep this in mind if we make it to Georgia!
Looks like a fantastic tour. I’m not a huge fan of sweet wine, but when in Georgia, I would love to try their wines just for the experience. I’ve been hearing a lot about this area and the wines here. Looks like a full fun day!
What a fascinating tour and the prices are really affordable. I have had Georgia on my bucket list for a while and would love to do this kind of tour. I know nothing about wines or vintages but I know I like a sweet wine so this sounds perfect for a non wine loving person like me…lol….love your pictures as well by the way.
I guessed you have a great travel to Georgia. Seems am travelling too. Cool to know about this place and about its wine too. Thanks for sharing.
I never would have pegged Georgia as a place to visit for wine. The tours seem very reasonably priced. Did you find that was the case for most things in Georgia?
Aww what a lovely place! I adore your pictures, I wish I could go there one day. We actually managed to buy Georgian wine once in the UK and it was lovely, sweet as you mentioned.
We have heard a lot about the wine in Georgia. Not only it, but the great cheese coming from each little village around the country. We can’t imagine the mix of the two and can’t wait to be able to go soon!
Wine trails like these are so enriching. I had heard good things about Georgia but no one talked about this. Even I would have chosen the second option. At just 6 USD per person, it is quite reasonably priced as well.
I’ve never been on a wine tour before! The location of this one looks incredible though. I’m sure I could tempted to sip a good grape in a beautiful setting like this 🙂
Louise x
Tasting wine on such a beautiful environment would be a feeling I’ve never experienced. And it’s nice that they have such a treat as you had for the less. I’d love a visit to Khareba winery and treat myself to a wine tour.
I never thought that Georgia would have such good wine before reading this. So interesting to know it was the cradle of wine. Khareba winery and the surrounding landscape looks great, one to really add to my list.
Now that is a tour I would love, seeing the grape vineyard and then the whole aging process. Well covered by you in this post. Those pictures must have been hard to take given the low lights. Did you use the flash for it?
Yes through flash and somewhere the winery had kept spot lights for illuminating the process.
There is nothing I love better than to spend a weekend touring a winery. I haven’t been to one in a while so I am planning on going to one now.
I love wines and you had me at wine tour! I am totally up for this experience. I haven’t been to a winery before and your post made me so excited to give it a try!
Georgia is on my bucket list & this wine tour looks like something I should add to my list!!
Being a wine lover, I’d totally love to visit this place. Full day wine tour would be just perfect. I’ve been to whisky and beer tours but never a wine tour. I’ve actually never heard of Georgian wine, when compared to Spanish or French wines! Its also priced so economical, that’s super cool. I won’t miss it when I visit Georgia.
Wine tours are my favorite things to do on vacation! That place looks so inviting, would love to go there someday!
xx, Kusum | http://www.sveeteskapes.com
I don’t drink wine, but I love touring wineries. It’s such an amazing part of a country’s culture and history, and every winery is uniquely beautiful. The Alzani Valley is stunning and I wouldn’t mind touring around there! Or visiting Georgia for that matter!
What a fun experience! The view from Alzani Valley is breathtaking! I would probably opt for the 2nd option as well, and for only $6 it’s a steal! I’m usually not a big fan of sweet wines, but I would give these a try! Definitely adding it to my list of things to do in Georgia when I finally make it there!
Oh this a gorgeous kind of tour! One of my dream tour. Hope manila imports wine from Georgia.
oh the winery seems like heaven! I really enjoy wine, and enjoy the different taste from one place to the other, so that would be a perfect place for me to visit in Georgia!
What an amazing experience! I’ve wanted to go to Georgia for ages, but it always makes me think of mountain views and hiking, not wine. Definitely something to add to the list for when we finally make it!
I am a big wine person, and there is nothing better than spending a day at a winery.
I’m so sad I wasn’t able to spend more time in Georgia when we drove through. It really looked like such a beautiful country. I had heard a lot about Georgian wine as well; though I’m allergic so I’ll never be able to taste :(! Woe is me.
That looks like the most amazing wine tour! Their technique is so different from wine making in the US. I’d be so curious to taste their wines.
Wine tours are my favorite and if the route to reaching there is so scenic, then it is just an added bonus! The photographs look gorgeous and I loved reading about your experience 🙂
Oh I would so love to do a wine tour!! Of course the wine tasting would be a bonus…!
I would have never guessed that Georgia is the cradle of wine. Since there’s a long history of wine making in this country, I am sure the wine is divine. I prefer rose wines. Did they have any?
I just did a three-day wine tour in Italy and I loved discovering new things and tastes of wine. But I did not hear anything about wine being buried underground in clay jars. I guess it’s a special Georgian technique. Sounds like a fun tour! 🙂
It looks like you had an interesting tour. The price for the tour tour you took is very good for what you got. I personally probably would of gone for the BBQ option! I was surprised at how cold it was.
My friend recently returned from Georgia and did not claim too much of the place to see. Will show this post to her, just to show her what she missed. I do know she loves wine.. so:)