Why This Wine Tour Is Different

Georgia isn’t just another wine region—it’s the birthplace of wine itself. For 8,000 years, Georgians have been fermenting grapes in qvevri (giant clay vessels buried underground), a method so unique that UNESCO declared it part of humanity’s intangible cultural heritage.

This isn’t a mass-market bus tour. I’ve personally selected three exceptional organic wineries in Kakheti where passionate winemakers will pour you wines you simply cannot find anywhere else. We’ll taste directly from qvevri, break bread baked in traditional clay ovens, and lunch overlooking the Caucasus Mountains.

After leading this tour 200+ times, I still discover something new every trip. The winemakers have become friends. The wines keep getting better. And every guest leaves understanding why Georgian wine is finally getting the international recognition it deserves.

What Makes This Tour Special

Focus on Organic & Biodynamic Wines

While most Kakheti tours hit the biggest commercial wineries, we visit smaller, family-run estates committed to organic viticulture and traditional qvevri methods. No industrial wines. No shortcuts. Just exceptional terroir-driven wines made the way Georgians have made them for millennia.

Meet the Winemakers Personally

Beqa at Vellino Winery will guide you through his cellar himself. Jenny at Okro’s will explain how she transformed her grandmother’s vineyard into one of Kakheti’s most respected organic estates. These aren’t scripted presentations—they’re genuine conversations with people who live and breathe wine.

Stunning Alazani Valley Setting

Kakheti’s Alazani Valley rivals Tuscany and Napa for sheer beauty, with the snow-capped Greater Caucasus as a backdrop. We’ll lunch at a winery restaurant with panoramic views that’ll make you understand why Georgians toast to “Gaumarjos”—victory—with such passion.

Traditional Food Pairings

Wine without food is incomplete in Georgia. You’ll taste wines alongside fresh shotis puri (Georgian bread) from a traditional tone oven, local cheeses, and a full Georgian barbecue feast. Everything is sourced locally, much of it from the winemakers’ own gardens.

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Complete Itinerary of the Wine Tour in Kakheti

9:30 AM – Hotel Pickup in Tbilisi

Your guide collects you from any Tbilisi hotel in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle. The drive to Kakheti takes about 90 minutes through increasingly beautiful countryside.

11:00 AM – Georgian Bread Bakery Stop

Before diving into wine, we need a proper Georgian breakfast. We stop at a family bakery where you’ll watch shotis puri being slapped onto the walls of a traditional clay oven. Fresh from the heat, torn by hand, paired with local Guda cheese—this is how Georgians start their day.

Duration: 30 minutes

11:45 AM – Vellino Winery (First Organic Estate)

Beqa Jimsheladze represents Georgia’s new generation of winemakers—young, ambitious, but deeply respectful of tradition. His 5-hectare organic vineyard produces some of the most exciting amber wines (white wine made like red wine, with extended skin contact) in Kakheti.

You may taste:

• Rkatsiteli amber wine (6 months in qvevri)
• Saperavi red wine (traditional Georgian grape)
• Special reserve (depending on season)

Beqa will walk you through his cellar, explaining how qvevri fermentation differs from stainless steel or oak barrels. You’ll taste directly from the buried qvevri if timing allows.

Duration: 90 minutes

1:30 PM – Okro’s Wines in Sighnaghi (Second Organic Estate)

We drive 30 minutes to Sighnaghi, the “City of Love,” a beautifully restored hilltop town with defensive walls overlooking the Alazani Valley. Jenny’s winery sits just outside town with views that honestly belong on postcards.

Jenny took over her family’s vineyard in 2008 and converted everything to organic practices. Her wines have won international recognition, but she remains wonderfully down-to-earth. She’ll pour you wines in her tasting room while telling stories about harvest, about challenges of organic viticulture in Georgia’s climate, about why she came back from Tbilisi to make wine.

You may taste:

• Kisi (rare indigenous white grape)
• Mtsvane-Rkatsiteli blend
• Saperavi reserve
• Dessert wine (seasonal)

Duration: 90 minutes

3:30 PM – Traditional Georgian Lunch at Mosmieri Winery

By now, you’re pleasantly buzzed and genuinely hungry. Mosmieri’s terrace restaurant overlooks the entire Alazani Valley with the Caucasus Mountains in the distance. This is where we slow down.

Lunch may include:

• Mtsvadi (Georgian barbecue skewers)
• Fresh salads with herbs from the garden
• Khachapuri (cheese bread)
• Seasonal vegetables
• Unlimited bread
• Two glasses of Mosmieri wine (European-style wines for comparison)

Note: Mosmieri produces excellent conventional wines, not organic, which gives you a perspective on how organic wines compare. This contrast is intentional and educational.

Duration: 90 minutes

5:30 PM – Qvevri Workshop with Master Zaza

The final stop answers a question everyone asks: how are qvevri made? Zaza is one of Georgia’s remaining qvevri masters, crafting these massive clay vessels using techniques unchanged since antiquity. His workshop near Telavi smells of clay and wine.

He’ll show you qvevri in various stages of construction, explain the year-long process, and pour you his own exceptional amber wine. Watching him work, you understand that Georgian wine isn’t just about taste—it’s about preserving an 8,000-year chain of knowledge passed from generation to generation.

You’ll taste:

• Zaza’s personal amber wine (usually outstanding)

Duration: 45 minutes

7:00 PM – Return to Tbilisi

We drive back to Tbilisi (90 minutes), arriving around 8:30 PM. Drop off at your hotel.

Why Choose Highlander Travel

Certified Wine Specialists

Our guides aren’t just drivers—they’re trained wine specialists with Georgian Wine Association certification. They understand viticulture, winemaking techniques, and can answer sophisticated questions about terroir, varietals, and Georgian wine history.

Direct Winemaker Relationships

We’ve worked with Beqa, Jenny, and Zaza for years. These aren’t transactional partnerships—they’re genuine friendships that ensure our guests receive exceptional hospitality and access to wines not typically served on tours.

Small Groups Only

Even our “group” tours max out at 10 people. Most days, we run private tours for couples or small friend groups. You’re never cattle-herded through wineries.

Flexible & Personal

Want to spend more time at one winery? Skip Sighnaghi to maximize cellar time? Buy cases of wine to ship home? We accommodate. This is your day, customized to your interests.