Most people who travel to Georgia, the small country on the edge of the Greater Caucasus, do so for the hiking—or the wine. Or both. Nicknamed “Little Tuscany,” Kakheti, just a two-hour drive from the capital Tbilisi, is not only one of Georgia’s most beautiful regions, with endless views of mountains and vineyards, but also its most famous wine region, responsible for 70% of Georgia’s wine production. As one of the oldest wine-producing territories in the world, its ancient wine-making technique of using Qvevri—aging wine in large clay vessels—dates back over 8000 years and has gained worldwide recognition in recent years. (It has even been declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.) Orange wines, also known as amber wines, are long-macerated white wines and are one of the wine styles for which Kakheti is most famous. They have the freshness of a white with the depth of a red, making them very versatile for cuisines like Georgian, where many contrasting flavors and textures are served at the same time.
Even more so, Georgia boasts some 500 endemic grape varieties, only seven of which were cultivated during the Soviet era. The most common varieties in Kakheti are Mtsvane, Rkatsiteli, and Saperavi. Thanks to its climate—an abundance of sunshine and fertile soil—it’s also home to some of Georgia’s most delicious produce. Think succulent tomatoes, juicy peaches, and nutty toasted sunflower seed oil.
The best time to visit is late summer, when the grapes and produce are at their peak. Kakheti’s vast valleys and vineyards make it ideal for a road trip, with sun-dabbled roads leading from the capital town of Telavi, with its typical stone houses, to the sweeping hills of Sighnaghi.
Here’s how to explore the best of Kakheti.
Where to Stay
Inspired by the wooden architecture of old Tbilisi houses, Nekresi Estate, near the monastery of the same name, welcomes guests to a rural retreat amidst vineyards, as it’s also a winery. Owners Oto Tabatadze and Temo Ninoshvili left the corporate world behind to make their dream come true. Sip a bottle of golden-yellow pét-nat by the pool—Nekresi Estate is one of the few in the region to produce the natural sparkling wine—until dinner rolls around, prepared by none other than one of Georgia’s most famous chefs Tekuna Gachechiladze, making this place a must not only for hotel guests, but for anyone visiting Kakheti. Dishes are finished in an open kitchen next to a vegetable garden, celebrating local fare. On the menu: trout with green bazhe, the Georgian walnut sauce; or fig carpaccio, thinly sliced, garnished with guda cheese, and drizzled with adjika oil, the Georgian chili sauce. Only topped by baked peach with cream, best enjoyed while watching the sun set over the vineyards.
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Just opened in June, the new addition to the Kvareli Lake Resort boasts a stunning location with breathtaking vistas of the Caucasus Mountains on one side and the vineyards of the Alazani Valley on the other, making it the perfect base from which to explore Kakheti. If, in fact, you actually want to leave—the luxury resort’s sprawling 300-hectare forest surrounding Lake Kvareli, striking minimalist aesthetics in warm tones, and delicious cuisine featuring Kakhetian specialties such as catfish with coriander and vinegar from the nearby river are sure to entice you back to the hotel grounds.
Located on the outskirts of Sighnaghi, Lost Ridge Inn bills itself as a boutique inn, craft brewery, and horse ranch. Connected to Pheasant’s Tears (see below) through co-owner and winemaker John Wurdeman, you can be sure you’re in for a real treat. Dinner and breakfast are prepared by the women of the village, using produce from the inn’s own vegetable garden (which also supplies the restaurant). You can also take a cooking class to learn how to make khinkali dumplings or shoti bread. Come here to slow down, enjoy a good meal, and immerse yourself in the surrounding nature.
Where to Eat and Drink
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If you ask anyone in Georgia where to eat in Telavi, they’ll say Doli. Associated with the design-forward Communal Hotels and the popular Tbilisi restaurant Craft Wine, among others, it s easy to see why: Huge platters, called khoncha, emerge from the kitchen, filled to the brim with Georgian specialties influenced by Kakhetian flavors, such as phkali—the ubiquitous walnut vegetable spread, served here with red peppers—delicate tolma, stuffed grape leaves with buffalo yogurt and garlic confit, and silky bean hummus with sunflower seeds. Also, don’t miss the grilled oyster mushrooms with bazhe. Add their famous homemade Doli flatbread and you’re all set for a boozy lunch or dinner with the best natural wines Kakheti has to offer.
With no sign on the street and just two tables outside, Odlisi Cheese is a true hidden gem in a picturesque courtyard in Telavi. One of the few artisan cheesemakers in Georgia, the family business is run by head cheesemaker Rati Rostomashvili, while his wife Maka and daughters welcome guests to the quaint cheese shop and bar next door. Opened in 2022, they now offer up to 32 different types of raw milk cheeses: There’s one with walnuts, nettles, truffles, and even cumin. Book in advance if you want to try the selection of cheeses paired with wine, which takes place within the stone walls of an old schoolhouse, with candlelit rooms full of charm for a one-of-a-kind food experience.
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Famous for being one of the pioneers of the natural wine movement in Georgia and beyond, Pheasant’s Tears in Sighnaghi may be in its 20th year, yet the winery/restaurant is still an all-around wonderful place that creatively highlights local ingredients and champions ancient Georgian traditions. Founded by a group of friends, the winery is helmed by winemaker John Wurdeman, with chef Gia Rokashvili leading the kitchen. The restaurant is set in a 200-year-old house, where everything is cooked on the spot and the menu changes daily with what’s in season. Just trust the chef to come up with delicious dishes like chanterelles simply tossed in butter, salt and a little pepper, or free-range pork roasted with white wine, peaches, rosemary, local chili peppers, and raspberries—washed down, of course, with some unique natural wines from rare endemic Georgian varieties like Vardesperi Rkatsiteli.
While in Georgia’s wine country, how about sampling some… beer? Lost Ridge Brewery, part of Lost Ridge Inn, can be considered one of Georgia’s first, and definitely most experimental, craft breweries. Think beer made in Qvevris with the famous Rkatsiteli grape, for example. Enjoy a beer tasting on the open terrace overlooking the rolling hills and be surprised.
What to Do
When exploring Georgia’s premier wine region, doing a wine tasting is a given. The only question is whether it should be at a marani, a family winery, or a larger producer. What’s special about a smaller winery is that in Kakheti, it was common for houses to have their own winery on the ground floor. Either way, be sure to book in advance. Often there’s no website and some Instagram accounts suggest contacting them via DM.
To fully immerse yourself in the ancient tradition of winemaking, visit one of the few remaining Qvevri makers. Witness the age-old craft of making amphoras in the workshop of Zaza Kbilashvili, who took over the business from his father, Remi Kbilashvili. He only makes about 40 Qvevris a year, so a visit must be scheduled in advance. Since they don’t speak English, it’s best to visit with a local or a guide.
To learn more about Kakheti’s rich history, visit the Batonis Tsikhe Fortress and adjacent Telavi Museum of History and Ethnography in the heart of the city. Built in 1664 and home to the kings of Kakheti and Georgia, the striking Persian-influenced architecture is set in a picturesque park. The museum displays cultural artifacts dating back to the Stone Age, such as Kakhetian clothing and furniture, as well as clay pots used for cooking and daily life.
A stroll through the centuries-old market stalls of the Telavi Bazaar gives you a taste of the fresh produce that lines the colorful isles. Open every day from 7 a.m., it’s a great way to experience daily life in Telavi. What’s more, the most famous Georgian sweet churchkhela—the glistening candy made of walnut kernels covered in grape juice and thickened with wheat flour—hangs from almost every stall, as it does throughout the country, but the traditional method of making it is typical of Kakheti.