Telavi & Wineries

★★ Telavi — Capital of Wine

Telavi (approx. 20,000 inhabitants) is the capital of the Kakheti region and the administrative center of Georgia's wine country. The town itself is not spectacular but pleasant — a wide main street, a 17th-century fortress (Batonis Tsikhe), a market with mountains of Churchkhela and fruit, and an 800-year-old plane tree (the largest in Georgia, 12.40 m trunk circumference).

Telavi is primarily the starting point for winery visits in Kakheti. Dozens of wineries are located in the vicinity — from small family businesses that have been making wine in Qvevri for generations to modern wineries.

The Qvevri Method (UNESCO World Heritage)

What makes Georgian wine unique is the Qvevri method: The grape juice is filled together with the grape skins, seeds, and stems into a Qvevri — a large, egg-shaped clay vessel buried up to its neck in the earth. There, the wine ferments for 5–6 months at a constant earth temperature. The result is the characteristic amber wine (from white grapes, amber-colored due to skin contact) — intense, tannin-rich, completely different from Western European wines.

The Qvevri method was recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013. It is the oldest known winemaking method in the world — archaeological finds in Georgia prove winemaking 8,000 years ago.

Wineries in Kakheti

• Pheasant's Tears (Sighnaghi): One of Georgia's most famous natural wineries, founded by American painter John Wurdeman. Excellent Qvevri wines, plus a restaurant with outstanding Georgian cuisine. Tastings from 25 GEL.
• Schuchmann Wines (Kisiskhevi): German-Georgian winery with a modern cellar, boutique hotel, and restaurant. Perfectly organized tours and tastings. Tastings from 20 GEL.
• Twins Wine House (Napareuli): Two brothers, a cellar full of Qvevri, great amber wines. Authentic and personal. Often with spontaneous food and Chacha.
• Kindzmarauli Corporation: Large producer of the famous semi-sweet Kindzmarauli red wine. Factory tour and tasting possible.
• Small family wineries: Families all over Kakheti open their cellars to visitors. Ask at your guesthouse — they know the best ones. Often free, a tip or wine purchase is expected.