Private Organic Wine Tour from Kutaisi, 2 Tastings and Lunch

Georgia’s wine culture comes alive in the cellar, not just in the glass. This private outing from Kutaisi introduces you to qvevri winemaking, the old Georgian method of fermenting wine in large clay vessels, through personal visits with winemakers Giorgi Mshvenieradze and Aidan Raftery.

I like the direct access to small producers and the chance to taste wines made in tiny quantities. I also like that lunch is part of the day, with local dishes served at organic winery Oda House in Martvili. The main drawback is the price: at $180 per person, this is a serious outlay for a seven-hour tour, especially if you are not deeply interested in wine.

Key points to know before booking

• Two personal winery visits: Meet Giorgi Mshvenieradze and Aidan Raftery, rather than simply tasting anonymous bottles.
• Qvevri production: Learn how Georgian wine is fermented in clay vessels using old regional methods.
• Limited-production bottles: Taste several organic and natural wines that may be produced in only a few thousand bottles.
• A full food experience: The gourmet lunch at Oda House in Martvili is one of the strongest reasons to consider the tour.
• Private transport from Kutaisi: Pickup is available anywhere in town, with a 10 a.m. start.
• A relaxed but full day: Allow about seven hours, including driving, tastings, explanations, and lunch.

Why This Kutaisi Wine Day Feels Different

Many wine excursions are built around a tasting room and a sales pitch. This one is more personal. You visit working winemakers, hear how they came to their craft, and taste wines connected to their own vineyards and cellars.

The Georgian angle matters. Qvevri are clay vessels used for fermentation and storage, and they are central to the country’s traditional wine practice. You are not just sampling grape varieties. You are learning how local producers use an old method in a modern wine business.

The private format gives the day a useful advantage. Your group is the only group on the activity, so the pace and conversation should feel more flexible than on a large coach tour. The supplied information does not promise a specific guide from Traffic Travel, but the winery visits are led by the producers themselves, Giorgi and Aidan. That is where much of the day’s character comes from.

You leave Kutaisi at 10 a.m. Pickup is offered from any location within the town, and private transport is included. Bottled water is provided for each person. Plan to give the whole day to the outing, since the stated duration is approximately seven hours.

Meeting Giorgi Mshvenieradze in His Cellar

The first stop is Mshvenieradze winery, where you meet Giorgi Mshvenieradze in his wine cellar. He makes organic and natural wines from his own vineyards in western Georgia, using qvevri fermentation.

This is the sort of visit that can make a wine tour worthwhile even if you know little about wine. Giorgi explains how his wines and sparkling wines are made, giving you a chance to connect the finished drink with the vessel, grapes, and method behind it.

You taste three or four wines, depending on what is available. That qualification is important. Giorgi’s production is described as very limited, so you should not expect a fixed menu of bottles every time. The selection may change with availability, which is part of visiting a small producer rather than a large commercial winery.

The tasting ends with chacha, Georgia’s grape vodka. It is a potent finish, so take small sips and keep the water nearby. If you are not comfortable with spirits, the tour information does not say that you must drink it. You can ask about the tasting when you arrive.

I like this stop because it puts a face to the wine. You are not only hearing about Georgian traditions in the abstract. You are meeting a winemaker who uses his own vineyards and has built his work around organic production and qvevri methods.

The visit lasts about an hour. That makes it focused rather than exhausting. You get an introduction, a cellar conversation, several wines, and chacha before moving on.

The Story Behind Igavi Wines in Zeindari

The second stop takes you toward the village of Zeindari, home to Vintners & Vagabonds, also known as Igavi Wines. The winery is run by Aidan Raftery, a winemaker from the United Kingdom who moved to Georgia with his wife and settled in the Imereti region.

Aidan’s story adds a different perspective to the day. Giorgi represents a Georgian producer working from his own vineyards in the western part of the country. Aidan is an outsider who chose Georgia and Imereti to help restore traditional qvevri winemaking. Hearing both viewpoints should give you a broader picture of why this method remains important.

At Igavi Wines, you taste two or three western Georgian varieties, depending on availability. The winery’s output is very small, with only a couple of thousand bottles produced. Much of the wine is exported to European Union countries and Australia, so this is a chance to taste bottles that may be difficult to find during a casual visit to Georgia.

The tasting lasts about two hours and includes lunch. That longer block gives the stop a slower rhythm. Instead of standing through a short flight of wines and then rushing back into a vehicle, you have time to eat, listen, and compare the wines with local food.

The exact menu is not listed, so I would not book this expecting a particular dish. What is clear is that the meal is described as gourmet and based on local cuisine. A strong meal can make a major difference on a wine day, especially after a morning tasting and road travel.

Why the Lunch at Oda House Matters

The included lunch is served at the organic winery Oda House in Martvili. The tour description identifies this as a separate lunch location, while the main winery visits are Mshvenieradze and Igavi Wines. It also describes wine tastings at three locations, so the day may include a tasting connected with Oda House, depending on the exact arrangement.

The meal is one of the most praised parts of the experience. One written comment called it possibly the best meal of that person’s time in Georgia. That is a strong endorsement, though you should still remember that menus can change and no specific dishes are promised.

For you, the value of Oda House is not only the food. Lunch gives the tour a cultural center. Georgian cuisine is a major part of the country’s appeal, and eating local food alongside regional wine helps make the tasting feel less technical and more connected to daily life.

The meal is also practical. A seven-hour tasting day needs food, not just small bites. Including lunch means you do not have to search for a restaurant between wineries or interrupt the schedule to arrange your own meal.

What You Are Really Paying $180 For

The listed price is $180 per person. That is not a bargain wine outing, but the comparison depends on what you would otherwise need to arrange.

The price includes private transportation, pickup within Kutaisi, wine tastings, bottled water, and a gourmet lunch at Oda House. It also buys access to a private format, rather than placing you in a larger shared group. If you are a couple or a small group that values comfort and personal conversation, those inclusions make the cost easier to defend.

You are also paying for access to very small producers. Limited production usually means less predictable availability and fewer bottles to sample, but it can also mean a more personal visit. The point is not to race through a long list of wines. It is to understand how these particular winemakers work.

The price is harder to justify if you have little interest in wine or if you are mainly looking for sightseeing around Kutaisi. This is a wine day first. The meal and countryside driving add variety, but the central activity remains tasting and talking about wine.

For a group, the private arrangement may offer better value than booking separate transport and trying to locate small wineries on your own. The data provided does not list the vehicle type, group size limit, or exact distance from Kutaisi, so you should ask Traffic Travel LLC if those details matter to you.

The Pace, Driving, and Practical Side

The tour starts at 10 a.m. and lasts approximately seven hours. That is a comfortable start for most people, but it still gives you a full day away from Kutaisi.

Pickup is available from any location within the town. Private transportation is included, which removes the need to navigate rural roads or arrange a driver after several tastings. Do not plan a tightly timed afternoon commitment unless Traffic Travel confirms the return time, since the duration is approximate.

The schedule includes driving to Zeindari and Martvili, but exact drive times are not provided. You should expect part of the day to take place on the road. That is normal for small winery visits, since producers are not always close together or located in the city.

Water is supplied, which is welcome on a day involving several alcoholic drinks. I would still pace yourself. You may taste three or four wines at the first stop, two or three at the second, and possibly wine at a third location. The chacha at Mshvenieradze adds another alcoholic drink to the mix.

The confirmation is issued within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. Free cancellation is available until 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not refunded, and poor weather can lead to a different date or a full refund.

Who Will Enjoy This Most

I would recommend this tour to wine lovers who want to understand Georgian production rather than simply drink Georgian wine. It is especially suited to people interested in natural wine, organic vineyards, small producers, and traditional fermentation.

It also works well for visitors who want a private day with food included. You do not need to organize transport, restaurants, or winery appointments yourself. The producers provide the personal element, while Traffic Travel handles the movement between stops.

Couples and small groups are the natural audience. The private format lets you ask questions without worrying about slowing down a busload of people. It may also suit food-focused visitors who care as much about the Oda House lunch as the tasting itself.

I would be more cautious about booking it for children or for anyone who does not drink alcohol. The provided information says most travelers can participate, but it does not give a non-drinker price or a specific alternative program. Ask the provider before paying if that is a concern.

A Few Limits to Keep in Mind

The tasting lists are not fixed. The first visit offers three or four wines, and the second offers two or three varieties, both depending on availability. That is typical for small wineries, but it means you should not book with a particular bottle in mind.

The itinerary also does not specify the exact third tasting location, despite including wine tastings at three locations. If knowing every stop in advance matters to you, contact Traffic Travel LLC before booking.

There are only three written ratings provided, all giving the experience five stars. That suggests a very positive response, but it is still a small sample. The strongest praise focuses on the private wine visits and the lunch, so those are the parts I would use when judging the tour’s value.

Finally, wine tastings can be tiring. Three or four wines at one stop, two or three at another, possible extra tasting, chacha, lunch, and road time add up. You will get more from the day if you taste thoughtfully rather than treating it as a drinking contest.

Should You Book This Kutaisi Wine Tour?

Book it if you want a personal introduction to Georgian qvevri wine, enjoy meeting producers, and value a proper local meal. The visits with Giorgi Mshvenieradze and Aidan Raftery give the day a human focus, while the limited-production wines make it different from a standard tasting-room stop.

The strongest reason to go is the combination of small-scale winemaking and a highly praised lunch. The strongest reason to hesitate is the $180 price and the fact that the exact wines and third tasting details can change.

For a private group that wants an easy, food-and-wine day from Kutaisi, I think the package makes sense. If you are mainly seeking low-cost sightseeing, choose another outing. This tour earns its price through access, transport, and the quality of the food and conversations, not through a long list of attractions.

FAQ

What is the starting time?

The tour starts at 10 a.m.

Where can pickup take place?

Pickup is available from any location within the town of Kutaisi.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately seven hours.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Private transportation is included.

How many people take part in the tour?

This is a private activity, so only your group participates.

Which winemakers will I meet?

You will visit Mshvenieradze winery and meet Giorgi Mshvenieradze. You will also visit Vintners & Vagabonds, or Igavi Wines, run by Aidan Raftery.

How many wines will I taste?

At Mshvenieradze winery, you taste three or four wines, depending on availability. At Igavi Wines, you taste two or three varieties, also depending on availability. The tour information also includes wine tastings at three locations.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A gourmet lunch at the organic winery Oda House in Martvili is included.

Is chacha included?

Yes. The first winery visit ends with a sampling of Georgian grape vodka called chacha.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded. If poor weather causes the tour to be canceled, you are offered a different date or a full refund.