Old Vine in Kvareli: A Kakheti Wine Stop for October

By Mariam Lomidze, Culture & Events Reporter · 24/10/2026

October is the month when Kakheti’s vineyards shift from the frenzy of harvest to the quieter work of pressing and fermenting, and Old Vine, a small wine venue on E. Takaishvili Street in Kvareli, sits right in the middle of that rhythm. The register description points to a cozy, comfortable environment with attractive seating areas, grape picking, pressing in a wine press, tasting of different wine types, and a traditional Georgian table with master classes — a compact, informal introduction to the winemaking tradition for which Kvareli is known.

Kvareli itself is one of Kakheti’s recognizable wine towns, set amid vineyards not far from Kvareli Lake, the Ilia Chavchavadze house-museum, and the Khareba winery, whose cellar tunnels are carved into the hillside nearby. For a traveller building an October itinerary around Georgian wine, Old Vine works well as a human-scale counterpoint to those larger, more structured stops: less a tour, more a seat at the table.

Who it suits

This is a good fit for travellers genuinely curious about Georgian wine culture rather than just tasting it — people who want to see grapes handled, understand pressing, and sit through an unhurried explanation rather than a rehearsed pitch. It also suits those who prefer a relaxed, informal setting over a polished tasting room, and anyone combining a short Kvareli stop with a longer loop through Kakheti’s vineyards and historic sites.

Getting there is straightforward: Kvareli is reachable by road from both Telavi and Tbilisi, which makes it a realistic addition to a day trip or a multi-day Kakheti route rather than a destination requiring special planning. Many visitors approach from Telavi, folding in Gremi and Nekresi along the way, or come directly from Tbilisi for a focused day in the eastern wine country.

Once in Kvareli, it is easy to pair Old Vine with the town’s other draws. The Ilia Chavchavadze house-museum offers a literary and historical angle on the region, Kvareli Lake provides a calmer, scenic break between wine stops, and the Khareba tunnels add a different, more theatrical take on cellar touring. Together they make a sensible half-day or full-day sequence, with Old Vine serving as the more personal, slower-paced chapter.

Listed in the Georgian National Tourism Administration register and checked by GTour on 17 October 2026, Old Vine is a modest but concrete entry point into Kakheti’s wine life — worth the detour if your October plans already have you moving through Kvareli.

Read more on gtour.ge: Kakheti · Old Vine — Wine in Kakheti, Georgia

Wine of the day — a daily GTour desk feature drawn from the verified-place register and our destination guides. Not sponsored.