Private Wine Tasting in Old Tbilisi: 300-Year-Old Cellar

Taste five Georgian wines in a centuries-old cellar, then understand how they're made

A private wine tasting in the Karalashvili family cellar in Old Tbilisi, where the owner hosts you through five premium Georgian wines, chacha, and cheese while explaining qvevri winemaking and the family's 14th-century heritage. The cellar is 300 years old and holds wines available nowhere else. Children from age 2 are welcome; guides speak English, Russian and Georgian.

The Experience

Five Georgian wines, chacha, and a cheese board arrive as you step into a 300-year-old cellar in the heart of Old Tbilisi—one of the oldest in the city, with a winemaking lineage that traces back to the 14th century. The owner guides the tasting personally, walking you through where and how each wine was made and why the Karalashvili family's approach matters to Georgian wine culture. This is not a commercial bar; the wines here are exclusive to the cellar, and the storytelling is rooted in actual family history, not a script.

The tasting centers on qvevri winemaking, the traditional Georgian method now protected as UNESCO heritage. You'll learn what makes it different—the clay vessels, the fermentation process, the role of skin contact—and taste the result in the wines themselves. The chacha, a traditional grape spirit, and the Georgian cheese board ground the experience in the food and drink that define the culture, not just the wine as an isolated thing.

The session runs about an hour. Multilingual guides handle English, Russian, and Georgian, so language is not a barrier. Infants can come in a pram or stroller, and service animals are welcome. Old Tbilisi has public transport nearby if you need it to get there.

What’s included

• Five premium Georgian wines.
• Georgian chacha (traditional grape spirit).
• Georgian cheese board.
• personal hosting and guidance by the cellar owner.
• storytelling about qvevri winemaking, the Karalashvili family history, and Georgian wine culture.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Karalashvili's Wine Cellar

Is this one for you?The tasting is seated and unhurried, so it suits anyone who wants to learn without walking or standing for long stretches. Book this one if you're drawn to the history and technique behind wine rather than a quick sampling—the owner's personal involvement and the exclusive wines make it worth the time.

Traveler reviews

4.85★★★★★★★★★★

82 verified traveler reviews

5 ★76

4 ★3

3 ★1

2 ★1

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What exactly is qvevri winemaking and why does it matter?

Qvevri is the traditional Georgian method of fermenting wine in large clay vessels buried underground, a practice dating back thousands of years and now recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The clay and the fermentation style create wines with a distinct character, and the Karalashvili cellar uses this method for the wines you'll taste.

Can I bring young children or a baby to this tasting?

Children are welcome from age 2, and infants can come in a pram or stroller, so you don't need to arrange childcare. The owner's personal hosting and the family-cellar setting make it a more relaxed experience than a formal wine bar.

Are these wines sold anywhere else, or only in this cellar?

The wines available here are exclusive to the Karalashvili cellar and are not sold commercially elsewhere, which is part of what makes the tasting distinctive—you're tasting something you cannot get anywhere else.

How long does the tasting take?

The experience runs about an hour, leaving time to taste the five wines, try the chacha and cheese, and hear the stories behind the family's winemaking without feeling rushed.

What languages do the guides speak?

Guides are multilingual and conduct tastings in English, Russian, and Georgian, so you can book in whichever language you're most comfortable with.