Kakheti Wine Region: 9 Tastings Day Trip from Tbilisi

Summary

Wine trails in kakheti tasting qvevri wines & walking sighnaghi

You’ll taste nine different wines across two Kakheti wineries — including pours straight from ancient qvevri jars — snack on fresh bread in Badiauri village, walk Sighnaghi’s cobbled streets above Alazani Valley, and hear local stories from your guide along the way. This day trip from Tbilisi leaves you full of flavor and small surprises.

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect to start my day in Tbilisi standing outside Avlabari Metro, holding coffee and squinting for a branded flag — but that’s exactly how it began. The guide (her name was Mariam) waved us over with this easy smile, and suddenly we were a little group of strangers about to spend the day together. I’d read about the Kakheti wine region before, but it all felt more real when we squeezed into the van and headed out past those flat-roofed houses and laundry lines flapping in the early air.

First stop: Badiauri village. The smell hit me before anything — warm bread, yeasty and smoky at the edges. We crowded around an old baker who slid dough into a clay oven with practiced hands. I tried to pronounce “tonis puri” (Li laughed when I tried to say it in Georgian — probably butchered it). Still, tearing off hunks of bread and biting into salty cheese while locals chatted nearby was honestly better than any fancy breakfast I’ve had. The drive after that was quiet; someone dozed off, someone else pointed out the vineyards rolling by.

Bodbe Convent caught me off guard — it’s peaceful but not in a postcard way. There’s this hush under the cypress trees, and our guide explained Saint Nino’s story so simply that even the non-religious among us listened close. You could smell rain on stone, even though it hadn’t rained yet. Then Sighnaghi: winding streets, faded pink walls, old men playing backgammon under grapevines. We walked along part of the city wall (the “Great Wall of Georgia,” Mariam called it), looking out at Alazani Valley where clouds hung low over the Caucasus Mountains. Lunch was khinkali dumplings and eggplant rolls on a terrace — I still think about that view sometimes.

The highlight? A family winery tucked behind apricot trees where we met Giorgi and his mother. They poured Rkatsiteli straight from these buried qvevri jars — cloudy gold wine with a taste I can’t quite describe (earthy? bright?). We tried three wines there, then later five more at KTW Winery (plus chacha, which burned in a good way). It wasn’t rushed; Giorgi told stories between pours, his mother kept refilling plates with walnuts and churchkhela sweets. By then everyone was laughing louder than at breakfast.

I left tired but happy — stained teeth, full stomach, head buzzing from both wine and stories. If you’re thinking about a day trip to Kakheti from Tbilisi, just go hungry and curious. You’ll come back with more than you bargained for…in the best way.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Wine tasting and cultural tour in Kakheti

• Meet guide at Avlabari Metro Station
• Check in at company office
• Visit local bakery in Badiauri village
• Taste Georgian bread and cheese
• Visit Bodbe Convent and take photos
• Walking tour in Sighnaghi
• Discover The Great Wall of Georgia
• Lunch with views of Alazani Valley
• Visit local family winery
• Sample three traditional wines
• Tour KTW Winery
• Taste five wines and Chacha vodka

Top questions

How many wines do you taste on this Kakheti day trip?

You’ll try nine wines total: three at a family winery and five at KTW Winery.

Is lunch included during the Kakheti wine tour?

You can join lunch in Sighnaghi overlooking Alazani Valley; food is available but not explicitly included.

Where does the tour start in Tbilisi?

The meeting point is outside Avlabari Metro Station; look for your guide with a branded flag.

What are the main stops on this Kakheti wine region tour?

You visit Badiauri bakery, Bodbe Convent, Sighnaghi town & wall, a local family winery & KTW Winery.

Are entrance fees included for wineries?

Yes—entrance fees for both KTW Winery and the local family winery are covered in your booking.

What should I wear for visiting churches on this tour?

No shorts allowed inside churches; women need to cover their heads—bring a scarf just in case.

Is transportation provided throughout the day?

Yes—transportation between all stops is included as part of your tour package.

Can children join this Kakheti wine tasting tour?

The minimum age is 5 years old; however, wine tastings are only for adults of legal drinking age.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup near Avlabari Metro Station in Tbilisi, comfortable transport between all sites in Kakheti wine region, guided visits to Bodbe Convent and Sighnaghi town with its famous wall views over Alazani Valley, fresh bread tasting at Badiauri bakery, entrance fees for both KTW Winery and a local family-run cellar where you’ll sample nine different wines (plus chacha), plus time to enjoy lunch overlooking vineyards before heading back to Tbilisi in the evening.