Natural Wine Tour to Kartli region, lunch & wine tasting at Andro Barnovi

The main draw here is Andro Barnovi’s winery, a private chateau in Tsedisi where wine tasting feels like a personal introduction to Georgian wine rather than a polished cellar presentation. You’ll explore a two-level underground winery, taste fresh and vintage wines, and hear Andro explain his methods and ideas in person.

I like the pairing of wine with a home-style Georgian lunch, and I like that the day begins at Jvari Monastery, one of the country’s most important historic sites. The private vehicle, included lunch, bottled water, and wines make the $155 price easier to justify, though the long tasting can feel like too much if you are mainly interested in sightseeing.

Key points to know before booking

• Andro Barnovi leads the centerpiece of the day, with tastings in his underground winery and at his chateau in Tsedisi.
• You taste a broad range of drinks, including natural wines, newer wines, vintage bottles, and several strong spirits.
• Jvari Monastery comes first, giving you a major Georgian sight before the wine portion begins.
• Lunch changes with the season, taking place in an outdoor hut during summer or beside a fireplace in winter.
• The tour is private, so only your own group takes part, with private transportation from Tbilisi.
• Stalin’s Museum and Uplistsikhe are optional, so ask how they fit into the day before booking.

Why Andro Barnovi’s cellar is the heart of the day

Georgia is often described as one of the oldest wine-producing countries in the world, but this tour gives you something more useful than a broad historical claim. It puts you in front of a working winemaker with a clear personal approach to natural wine.

Andro Barnovi is the founder and spirit of Wine Artisans. His chateau sits in Tsedisi, a village about 20 minutes from Gori, surrounded by mountains and open views. The setting matters. You are not simply stopping at a shop to sample bottles. You are visiting the place where the wines are made and sharing food in the same setting.

The winery itself is a memorable feature. It extends over two underground levels, and the visit includes an explanation of the cellar as well as tastings. You can expect the conversation to cover both the wines in front of you and Andro’s wider view of Georgian winemaking.

That personal contact is the reason to choose this experience over a standard tasting room. Andro is described as enthusiastic, good-natured, and passionate about his work. If you enjoy asking questions and comparing styles, you should get more from the visit than a quick sample followed by a sales pitch.

From Tbilisi to Jvari Monastery near Mtskheta

The morning begins with private transportation from Tbilisi and a visit to Jvari Monastery, a 6th-century site near Mtskheta. Jvari is also a UNESCO-listed sight, so this is not just a scenic pause on the way to lunch.

The monastery gives the day a useful first chapter. Before talking about natural wine, you see a place tied to Georgia’s early Christian tradition and its older cultural identity. The location near Mtskheta also offers broad views, with the monastery set above the surrounding area.

Your guide provides historical context during the day. Past visitors have particularly valued explanations that connected Georgian history and current life, including difficult subjects such as politics and the 2008 war. That makes the guide important here. This is not only a driver taking you from one stop to another.

The exact amount of time at Jvari is not specified, so you should ask before departure if you want a long visit for photographs or quiet viewing. The tour is built around Andro’s winery, with Jvari as the opening stop, not as a full-day monastery excursion.

Reaching Tsedisi and the Wine Artisans chateau

After Jvari, the route continues toward the Kartli region and the village of Tsedisi. The drive from Tbilisi is part of the appeal, since the road takes you away from the city and into a more rural setting near Gori.

The tour description places Andro’s property about 20 minutes from Gori. You will find the chateau surrounded by mountain views and open countryside. Since transportation is private and air-conditioned, you can focus on the scenery and the conversation rather than managing a rental car after a day of tastings.

The setting also makes this a better choice for people who want a slower Georgian food and wine experience. You are not rushing between several commercial wineries. The main visit happens in one place, with enough time for the cellar, the tasting, and lunch.

That focus has a tradeoff. If you want to visit many vineyards in one day, this is not that kind of tour. The value comes from spending substantial time with one winemaker and tasting the full range of what he produces.

Tasting natural wines, vintage bottles, and spirits

The tasting is designed to cover the full assortment of Andro’s wines. That includes freshly made wines and vintage wines, along with different types of wine rather than a single narrow style.

The natural wine focus will appeal to you if you like wines that show the character of their grapes, cellar, and maker. You should also expect variation from one bottle to the next. Natural wines can be less uniform than highly standardized commercial wines, which is part of their appeal for some people and a possible drawback for others.

The tasting does not stop with wine. You will also be offered several types of strong spirits. That adds range to the experience, but it also means you should pace yourself. Lunch and bottled water are included, which helps, but this is still a substantial day of alcohol tasting.

Andro’s explanations are a major part of the value. Instead of simply listing the names of the wines, he gives you a chance to understand his work and taste across different stages and styles. Ask questions if you have them. The format is personal, and the best use of your time is to take advantage of that access.

The wines may not all suit your taste. That is normal, especially with natural wine. You should book this tour if you enjoy discovery and discussion, not if you want every glass to be familiar and predictable.

Lunch in an outdoor hut or beside the fireplace

The wine tasting leads into lunch at the chateau. In summer, the meal is served in an outdoor hut. In winter, the setting moves indoors in front of a fireplace.

That seasonal change is a small detail, but it affects the feel of the day. Summer gives you an open-air meal surrounded by the countryside, while winter offers a warmer, more intimate pause after time in the underground cellar.

The menu is described as delicious local food, but the exact dishes are not provided. You should not book this expecting a fixed restaurant menu or a detailed culinary itinerary. Instead, think of lunch as part of the home and winery experience, with Georgian food served alongside the wines.

I like this arrangement because it gives the day a natural rhythm. You visit Jvari, travel into Kartli, explore the cellar, taste the wines, and then sit down to eat. The meal is not an extra add-on squeezed into the schedule. It is part of the reason the visit feels personal.

If you have allergies, dietary restrictions, or strong food preferences, ask about them before the tour. The information provided confirms lunch is included but does not specify accommodation for special diets.

Optional stops: Stalin’s Museum and Uplistsikhe

Two additional stops are offered as options: Stalin’s Museum in Gori and the cave town of Uplistsikhe.

The museum deals with Joseph Stalin, who was born in Gori. The tour description takes a strongly negative view of Stalin, calling him Georgia’s greatest shame. You should expect the stop to carry political and moral weight, rather than being a simple celebrity birthplace visit.

Uplistsikhe offers a very different subject. It is an ancient cave settlement carved into rock, and its inclusion could add an archaeological element to a day otherwise focused on wine and Christian heritage.

The practical point is that both are optional. The information does not state whether extra entrance fees are included, how long each stop takes, or whether both can fit comfortably into the eight-hour schedule. Ask your guide to confirm the route, timing, and costs before choosing them.

Adding both stops may make the day feel packed, especially since the winery is the main event. If you have one priority, I would protect time for Andro’s cellar and lunch first.

What the private format means for your day

This is a private tour, so only your own group participates. That gives you more control than a large coach excursion. You can ask questions without competing for the guide’s attention, and the pace can be more suitable for your interests.

Private transportation is included in an air-conditioned vehicle. Pickup is offered, and mobile tickets make the booking simple once confirmed. All fees and taxes are included, along with lunch, bottled water, and alcoholic beverages.

The eight-hour duration is long enough to make the trip feel worthwhile from Tbilisi, but it is still a full day. You should allow for a steady schedule that includes driving, sightseeing, cellar time, tasting, and lunch. The tour is not a quick half-day outing.

The guide also adds value beyond the winery. The strongest descriptions of the experience point to clear, passionate explanations of Georgian life, history, and politics. That means the quality of your day depends partly on the guide assigned to your group, as well as on Andro himself.

Most people can participate, and service animals are allowed. The tour information does not give detailed accessibility notes for the monastery, winery, hut, or cave site, so ask directly if you need step-free access or other assistance.

Is $155 a fair price?

At $155 per person, this is not the cheapest way to taste Georgian wine. It is also not a basic transfer with one glass at the end. The price covers private transport, an air-conditioned vehicle, all fees and taxes, lunch, water, and alcoholic beverages.

The strongest value comes from the combination of access and variety. You get a private day from Tbilisi, a UNESCO site, a rural Kartli setting, a two-level winery, a personal meeting with Andro Barnovi, a full wine tasting, spirits, and a meal.

A group of wine enthusiasts can find the price especially reasonable because the winery visit is the focus rather than an afterthought. The tour also works well for a company outing or small private group, since everyone travels together and can share the same tasting and meal.

The value is weaker if you are not interested in natural wine or if you want a packed list of famous sights. You are paying for time with one winemaker and for the private format. If that sounds appealing, the price is sensible. If you mainly want Uplistsikhe or Stalin’s Museum, compare the schedule and costs of a sightseeing tour built around those sites instead.

Who should book this Kartli wine day?

I would choose this tour for wine drinkers who want to understand the person behind the bottle. It also suits people who prefer a private day with a local guide, a proper meal, and one substantial winery visit instead of several brief tastings.

Couples, small groups, and company groups can all make good use of the format. The private vehicle removes the need to arrange a driver after drinking, and the included lunch gives the day a comfortable center.

You should think twice if you dislike strong spirits, long tastings, or wines that may be less familiar in style. The tour includes more than one type of alcohol, and the experience is built around tasting rather than simply looking around a cellar.

Book at least 24 hours ahead if you want the option of a full refund. Cancellation less than 24 hours before the start time is not refundable, and changes made within that period are not accepted.

My verdict on Andro Barnovi’s natural wine tour

I like this experience because it combines three different sides of Georgia without making any one of them feel like filler: the Christian heritage of Jvari, the rural setting of Kartli, and Andro Barnovi’s personal world of natural wine.

The best reason to book is the winery itself. You get a rare chance to taste fresh and vintage wines, sample spirits, walk through an unusual underground cellar, and hear directly from the winemaker. The private format and included meal make the $155 cost easier to defend.

Book it if you want a relaxed, wine-led day with strong cultural context. Skip it if your main goal is a long archaeological tour or a fast route through many attractions. For the right kind of visitor, this is a thoughtful introduction to Georgian wine, with a real person and a real place at its center.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts approximately eight hours.

Where does the tour take place?

It begins in Tbilisi and visits Jvari Monastery near Mtskheta before continuing to Andro Barnovi’s chateau in Tsedisi, in the Kartli region.

Is pickup available?

Yes. Pickup is offered as part of the experience.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your own group participates in the activity.

Who is the winemaker?

The winery visit is hosted by Andro Barnovi, founder of Wine Artisans.

What is included in the price?

The price includes private transportation, an air-conditioned vehicle, all fees and taxes, lunch, bottled water, and alcoholic beverages.

What will I taste?

You can taste a range of Andro Barnovi’s wines, including freshly made and vintage wines, as well as several varieties of strong spirits.

Are Jvari Monastery, Stalin’s Museum, and Uplistsikhe included?

Jvari Monastery is part of the planned tour. Stalin’s Museum and Uplistsikhe are optional visits. The supplied tour details do not specify whether additional admission fees apply.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience begins. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refundable, and changes within that period are not accepted.