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Harvest: Sep/Oct

From₾390 GEL

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Wine harvest tour (Rtveli 2023 Gerogia): Food / wine / culture tour. Visit Georgia’s most popular wine region, Kakheti, pick grapes and crush them by foot, learn about the wine harvest traditions, visit a qvevri (wine amphorae) builder, learn how to make khinkali enjoy home cooked traditional food and taste a variety of artisan qvevri wines. Also bookable as an on-demand or private tour.

We also have Real Family Rtveli dates available to book (weather dependent) which fall on different dates from these simulation Rtveli tours. Sat 16th and Sat 23rd Sept have been replaced by Real Rtveli – but if you want this simulation Rtveli instead on those days, please contact us.

8:30 am to 9 pm (1 Day)
Max People : 7
Wines: 8+
Every Tue / Thu / Sat (Sep & Oct)
Pickup: Your Central Tbilisi Accommodation
Min Age : 18+

Visit a family winery to experience the traditional wine harvest festival (Rtveli): picking grapes, and crushing by foot. A homemade traditional dinner (small "supra" feast) with the winemaker and/or family members.
Meet the winemaker and taste his wines at a micro-producing (<15,000 bottles per year) artisan home winery. Learn about Georgia's 8000 year history of winemaking - the oldest on Earth.
Stop at a home qvevri production workshop, learn how this ancient wine making equipment is made.
Get lessons from mother on making khinkali (soup dumplings), a national food of Georgia.
Visit a high class wine estate. Compare wines made from Georgian grapes in different styles (qvevri method, and classic European method). Dine on Georgian specialties from the the in-house chef.
Taste artisan honey next to the hives on Gombori mountain pass (available to Tbilisi departures only)

The above summary relates to scheduled tours. For private tour bookings, this itinerary can run on any date year in harvest season (September + October), alternative start time, pickup location, under 18s (with guardian), groups larger than 7 etc. Select private or custom tour below. Prices may vary.

The initial listed price based on 1 adult traveling in a group of 2 to 4 people on a scheduled tour. Groups of 5 or more adults receive discounts, even when not booked as a group. If you booked at full price and your tour ends up with 5 or more people after you booked, we will inform you and refund you any owed savings on the day of the tour. Prices vary for private and custom tours as well as any extras you may book.

Important: Wine tasting servings are big. No budget sip and go tastings with our company. Monitor your own drinking and enjoy a fun wine day!

Location

From Tbilisi to Kakheti (Telavi) and back. Pickup & Drop Off in Telavi / Tsinandali is also possible.

Tour Time

8:30am to 9pm (12.5 Hours). Tue / Thu / Sat (September to October). Or book a private version of this tour any day or time of year (surcharge may apply in some cases)

Pickup / Drop off

Yes, from all central Tbilisi accommodation. Pickup from Telavi is possible, please ask when you book. Pickup from Signagi is not possible as it is more than 1 hour’s drive each way from Telavi – but we can book you a taxi if you want ~120 GEL each way. Alternative starting point? Book a private tour.

Price Includes

All food (light lunch, larger early dinner, snacks and tastings), alcohol and soft drink as listed in the itinerary below. Typically more than listed.
Safe driver, with modern, well maintained vehicle, working seatbelts and aircon.
Diet: Includes pork or veal, dairy / walnuts / gluten | Alternatives & vegetarian options by advanced request.
Entry fees to all locations.
Bottled water
Taxes.

Price Excludes

Purchase of products to take home (Wine, food, souvenirs etc.)
Additional food and premium wine beyond the inclusions (but really, there will be plenty already, and we do buy extra in almost all cases where requested).
Insurance (liability & travel/health). You should travel with your own insurance.
Tips – non-compulsory. Suggested for guides: 90 GEL (30USD) per day per tour group. This is optional, or you can tip more or less.

Private Tour Options (subject to availability and surcharge)

If you need customizations or a different date when this tour is not scheduled to run, book a private or custom tour instead of using the booking calendar.

Vehicle choice: sedan, 4x4 / SUV, minivan, minibus.
Custom itinerary / pickup location. (Note: Pickup en route from Tbilisi to Telavi is normally possible for the scheduled tours)
Specialist trained sommelier guide or social host.
Choose your start and end time.
Any group size (1 to 28 persons, but more on request) or age (under 18s are welcome on private tours).
Done this tour before? Book an entirely unique variation with different wineries.

What to Expect: Wine Harvest (Rtveli 2023) Tour

Taste Georgia’s 8,000-Year Wine History Surrounded By Vines & Mountains In The Kakheti Wine Region. Experience the traditions of the Rtveli (wine harvest festival).

The harvest experience will take place at an independent family winery, they show you all the activities of the real harvest but they do not always make wine from the grapes you pick, it will depend on the sugar level in the grapes on the day as it if it is worth making wine. If you are looking to experience the real Rtveli and make wine, you need to book one of our Real Rtveli dates – but these are weather dependent and subject to change, so if you do not have flexible dates, it’s better to stick with the scheduled Rtveli.

You are ready to explore Georgian natural wine but don't want to push your boundaries too far.
Moderate / low level of physical activity. The only active part of the day is picking grapes and stomping them, but you can take this at your own pace.
Fast paced trip packing lots of wine, fun and activities into 1 day.
Focused on amber & red wines but you will also get to taste a Georgian white wine. Rosé sometimes available. Other options available by special request on a private tour booking.

Pricing: Wine Harvest (Rtveli 2023) Tour

The pricing listed in the booking form is the maximum price you will pay. As the tour fills up, we can offer additional discounts. Even if you book solo, if enough other people join the group, you will pay less. We email you the final price a day or 2 before your trip commences.

2 to 4 Adults	5 to 6 Adults	7 Adults
465 GEL pp	410 GEL pp	390 GEL pp

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If traveling with children under 18, you must book a private tour.

Photos: Wine Harvest (Rtveli) Tour

Itinerary: Wine Harvest (Rtveli 2023) Tour

8:30amPickup & depart Tbilisi (please be ready 10 minutes before)

9:30amArtisan honey tasting on Gombori mountain pass.

10:30amDzveli Shuamta - Monastery Complex

Visit one of Georgia’s oldest Orthodox monastery complexes which was mostly constructed from the 5th to 7th centuries. Learn about Georgia’s history as the 2nd country in the world to adopt Christianity as it’s state religion.

11:30amMeet the qvevri builder at his workshop

Learn about the qvevri (clay amphorae) right where they are made, at a family home workshop. Taste his wines and a special aged “chacha” (local spirit).

12:45pmVisit historic Telavi

Visit the 900 year old plane tree and learn about King Erekle II at Telavi fortress, the last king of Georgia.

1.15pmVisit a high class independent vineyard for tasting & lunch.

Tour the cellar, discover traditional Georgian wine making side by side with European classical wine making. Taste and compare the difference of amber wine and white wine. Enjoy a light lunch and wine tasting with views of the Caucasus mountains.

3.30pmHarvest (Rtveli) Experience at a family run independent vineyard

Head to the vines at a family run vineyard to pick grapes, then stomp them by foot. Learn about the traditions of the Rtveli (wine harvest) and the winemaking process.

5.00pmContinue your Rtveli with a cooking class and mini supra (feast)

Learn how to make khinkali (traditional dumplings) and eat them! – Vegetarian/vegan option must be pre-ordered. Enjoy a hosted dinner with the winemaker, Taste 3 wines and 1 chacha.

6.45pmDepart for Tbilisi

~9 PMArrive to Tbilisi.

Exact arrival time depends on how much fun you were having at the last winery!

FAQ

Is this tour weather dependent?

Mainly not a problem. Only picking of the grapes during heavier rain can be problematic, but it will be down to guests to decide if they want to head out and pick in the rain. September is typically dry, but not always. Bring an umbrella.

What currency do I need to bring?

The only currency accepted by vendors for buying wine/gifts etc. to take home, is the national currency GEL. You can get this from any ATM and your driver will be happy to stop at one.

Purchase of our tours is normally in GEL based on the current exchange rate for the USD pricing of the tours. We’ll advise you of the exchange rate by email shortly before the tour date.

Some vendors take credit card, but certainly not all of them.

If I book at full price then the bus fills up, will I get a rebate? And when?

The initial standard price listed on our tour webpages is based on 1 adult traveling in a group of 2 to 4 people on a scheduled tour. Groups of 5 or more adults receive discounts. If you booked at full price and your tour ends up with 5 or more people after you booked, we will refund you any owed savings. This is done on the morning of the tour to ensure we know the exact number of people who actually took the tour, and can account for last minute sign ups and no-shows when calculating the final price.

The final discount will vary depending on the exact number of guests in the vehicle. We always honor discounts and will normally contact you about the expected final price the day before your tour, if it has changed since you initial booking.

Prices vary for private and custom tours (we’ll give you an exact quote based on what you want to book) as well as any extras you may book in addition to the scheduled tours.

How are your tours priced?

The core difference between our tours and cheap trips is that we take you to exclusive, authentic, private and high quality places, rather than cheap mass tourism wineries and restaurants that offer kickbacks to tour companies that bring tourists. Small groups (max 7) rather than a big bus (10 to 30 people). All-inclusive, extensive wine and food tastings, rather than hidden costs and pay as you go extras at budget venues.

The price you pay is the exact price it costs us to run the service (paying guides and vendors for what they provide etc.) plus a margin of 10% to 30% to cover marketing costs, office staff, and so we run at a profit (otherwise we’ll go out of business!). The margin depends on the amount of people, and type of tour. We actually subsidize tours with only 2 people on, out of our margin, to keep our pricing competitive, and because we’d rather have our guides out and getting paid, than get greedy and penalize small groups.

We always try to price transparently and as fairly as possible and to pay guides and vendors above average in order to retain the best people.

What is your cancellation policy?

Information on cancellation and refund policy is here: https://eatthistours.com/terms-conditions-of-service/

Rtveli 2023 Wine Harvest (Simulation): 1 Day Kakheti (Telavi) Food & Wine Tour

$1 USD = ~₾2.75 GEL

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