Experience the Grape Harvest (Rtveli)

★★★ Rtveli — Georgia's Most Beautiful Festival

The Rtveli (რთველი, grape harvest) in September and October is not just a harvest, but Georgia's most important seasonal festival. All of Kakheti is in turmoil: families, friends, and neighbors gather to hand-pick the grapes, stomp them in traditional stone basins (Satsnakheli), and fill the juice into Qvevri.

For travelers, the Rtveli is the most authentic way to experience Georgian hospitality:

• Picking grapes: Helping in the vineyards — Georgians appreciate every helping hand and reward you with food, wine, and stories.
• Stomping grapes: In some family businesses, grapes are still stomped barefoot in stone basins — you can join in!
• Supra: After the harvest, there's a celebration. The festive table with freshly grilled Mtsvadi (pork skewers), mountains of cheese, bread, and of course endless wine is legendary.
• New wine: Freshly pressed grape juice (Madjari), just beginning to ferment — sweet, slightly sparkling, dangerously drinkable.

The Rtveli lasts from mid-September to mid-October, depending on the grape variety and weather. The Saperavi harvest (red wine) starts a bit later than the Rkatsiteli harvest (white wine). Ask at your guesthouse — almost every family in Kakheti participates in the Rtveli and gladly welcomes guests.