Georgian Wine: An 8,000-Year Tradition

Georgia is the oldest wine region on Earth — archaeologists have traced winemaking here back roughly 8,000 years, and the traditional qvevri method (fermenting wine in huge clay vessels buried in the ground) is protected by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. For many guests, discovering Georgian wine ends up being the highlight of their trip, so here is the short introduction we give at reception.

What Makes Georgian Wine Different

Most Georgian wine is made from grapes you have probably never heard of — there are more than 500 native varieties. The two you will meet everywhere are Saperavi, a deep, dark red, and Rkatsiteli, the workhorse white. The real curiosity is amber wine (sometimes called orange wine): white grapes fermented on their skins in a qvevri, which gives the wine a golden colour, gentle tannins, and a flavour unlike anything from Western Europe. If you try one Georgian wine, make it an amber Rkatsiteli.

Wine and the Supra

Wine in Georgia is inseparable from the supra — the traditional feast led by a tamada (toastmaster) who proposes long, often poetic toasts to peace, family, and guests. If you are lucky enough to be invited to one, pace yourself: toasts come steadily all evening, and it is considered poor form to sip between them. Homemade wine served from unlabelled bottles at a supra is a genuine tradition, not a tourist gimmick — many Georgian families still make their own.

Where to Taste Wine Near the Hostel

You do not need a tour to taste well. Within a short walk of the hostel in Avlabari and across the river in the Old Town you will find small wine bars and cellars where staff pour by the glass and explain what you are drinking — Wine Code in Avlabari is a favourite with our guests, and the lanes around Erekle II Street in the Old Town are full of tasting rooms. Expect to pay far less than you would for a comparable tasting in Italy or France.

Day Trips for Wine Lovers

If you have a spare day, Kakheti — Georgia's main wine region — is about two hours east of Tbilisi. Group day tours pick up in the city and typically visit Sighnaghi, a monastery or two, and a couple of family cellars with generous tastings. Ask us at reception and we will help you book a reliable one, or explain how to do it independently by marshrutka.

Bringing Wine Home

Bottles make excellent souvenirs and prices are kind: very good Saperavi or amber wine costs a fraction of European equivalents in any supermarket or wine shop. Pack bottles in the middle of your backpack wrapped in clothes, and check your airline's luggage rules. Some shops will vacuum-wrap bottles for flying if you ask.

Staying with us? Ask Eliana for her current favourite amber wine — the answer changes with the season, and there is usually a bottle open in the common room on weekend evenings.