Wine Artisans — Wine in Shida Kartli, Georgia

In short

Wine Artisans is a small, family-run winery in the village of Tsedisi, in the Shida Kartli region west of Tbilisi. It is also known online as “Wine Art of Andro Barnovi,” after its founder and winemaker, who makes natural, qvevri-aged wines from vineyards he tends without synthetic chemicals. The winery produces a changing range of amber, red and rosé dry wines each year and welcomes visitors for tastings and food pairings by prior arrangement.

The estate and its history

Wine Artisans is built around the work of one person, Andro Barnovi, who describes the cellar as his home and the place where he lives alongside his wines. According to the winery, the project is rooted in a personal philosophy of “natural wine art”: minimal intervention in the vineyard, qvevri fermentation, and a hands-on, artisanal approach to every stage of winemaking. The website does not give a founding date, but it does describe a working method built up over years of observation and adjustment in the vineyard and cellar.

• Vineyards established in different micro-ecosystems around Tsedisi, described by the winery as “tiny terroirs, sometimes the size of a vineyard itself.”
• Chemical use in the vineyard limited, by the winemaker’s account, to a small amount of sulfur and copper, applied once or at most twice a year.
• Plowing abandoned in favour of regular grass mowing, intended to let fungal networks develop in the soil and connect the vines.
• Drip irrigation not used, so that vine roots are encouraged to grow deep in search of moisture and minerals rather than spreading near the surface.
• The cellar, described as a two-story house built for wine, doubles as the winemaker’s residence.

Vineyards, grapes and method

The estate sits in Shida Kartli, a region of eastern Georgia known for its plains and foothills along the Mtkvari river, traditionally associated with grape varieties such as Chinuri, Goruli Mtsvane and Tavkveri. The winery says it works with a wide varietal base, including indigenous grapes and some international varieties planted alongside them. Fermentation and ageing take place in underground qvevri, the traditional Georgian clay vessels, and the winery states that each year brings 10 to 15 different wines, including dry amber whites, reds and rosés. No vineyard area in hectares or total annual volume is given on the website.

The vineyards are tended, according to the winery, without routine pesticide use; instead, resident insect populations such as ladybirds, praying mantises and spiders are left to control pests that would otherwise damage young vine growth.

The wines

• Chinuri-Mtsvane 2017 — Amber dry, Chinuri and Mtsvane blend, 13.5% alcohol; a signature wine of the estate. GEL150
• Chinuri 2022 — Amber dry, Chinuri, 13% alcohol. GEL60
• Hecate 2022 — Red dry, Tavkveri, 12.5% alcohol. GEL60
• Moira 2022 — Amber dry, Tchkapa, 12% alcohol; a signature wine. GEL60
• Ambrosia 2021 — Described by the winery as an “ultimate amber”; a signature wine. GEL250
• Uroebi 2017 — Rkatsiteli, 13.7% alcohol; a signature wine. GEL150
• Shamshay 2022 — Amber dry, Goruli Mtsvane, 13% alcohol. GEL60
• Limes 2022 — Amber dry, Chinuri and Goruli Mtsvane blend, 11.5% alcohol. GEL60
• Slava Ukraini 2022 — Blend of Chinuri, Mtsvane Goruli and Pinot Blanc; a signature wine. GEL60
• Mosquitos 2021 — Blend of Shavkapito, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Budeshuri and Muscat; a signature wine. GEL50
• Golden 2022 — Based on Chinuri, described as “Chinuri plus”; a signature wine. GEL60
• Eos 2022 — Blend of Chinuri, Pinot Blanc, Tavkveri and Shavkapito; a signature wine. GEL60
• Δio 2022 — Blend of Tavkveri and Shavkapito; a signature wine. GEL60
• Mithra 2021 — Blend of Rkatsiteli, Mtsvane Kakhuri, Kisi and Khikhvi; a signature wine. GEL70

Visiting

The winery offers several bookable experiences, all of which, it says, should be arranged in advance by phone. Listed options include:

• Meet Natural Wine — a tasting-focused visit. GEL110
• Drink and Chow — a combined wine and food visit. GEL150
• Georgian Feast — a fuller food and wine experience. GEL180

The winery also sells a gift card (GEL50) and states that returning customers receive a 10 percent discount on any subsequent purchase over 100 lari. No fixed opening hours are published on the website; visits are by appointment, arranged through the contact number +995 599 981 805.

Food and stays

There is no separate restaurant or guesthouse described on the website. Food is offered as part of the bookable visit packages, such as Drink and Chow and Georgian Feast, which combine tastings with a meal at the cellar. Visitor accounts quoted on the site describe home-style Georgian food served alongside the wines during these visits, hosted personally by the winemaker.

Awards

No awards, certifications or competition results are stated on the official website.

Location and getting there

Wine Artisans is located in the village of Tsedisi, in the Shida Kartli region, west of Tbilisi along the Mtkvari river valley. The exact street address is not given on the website beyond the village name. Shida Kartli is the region surrounding Gori, roughly an hour to an hour and a half’s drive from Tbilisi depending on traffic and route, and the winery can realistically be combined with other regional stops such as Gori town or the ancient cave settlement of Uplistsikhe. Visitors are advised to call ahead to confirm directions, as the winery operates by appointment rather than drop-in hours.

Good to know

• Visits require advance booking by phone, not walk-in.
• Wines are made in qvevri, the traditional Georgian clay vessel, with minimal cellar and vineyard intervention.
• The range changes yearly, with 10 to 15 different wines produced each vintage.
• Food and wine packages (Meet Natural Wine, Drink and Chow, Georgian Feast) are the main way to experience the winery.
• No vineyard area, total production volume, or founding date is published on the official website.
• Gift cards are available for purchase.
• A loyalty discount of 10 percent applies to purchases over 100 lari after an initial visit or order.
• No on-site accommodation or standalone restaurant is advertised.

Questions travellers ask

Do I need to book a visit to Wine Artisans in advance?

Yes. The winery states that its food and wine experiences, including Georgian Feast, Drink and Chow and Meet Natural Wine, should be booked in advance by phone before arrival.

What kind of wines does Wine Artisans produce?

The winery makes natural, qvevri-fermented dry wines across three styles: amber, red and rosé, using a mix of indigenous Georgian grapes such as Chinuri, Rkatsiteli, Tavkveri and Goruli Mtsvane, alongside some international varieties.

Is there food available at the winery?

Food is offered as part of the bookable visit packages rather than through a standalone restaurant. Options such as Drink and Chow and Georgian Feast combine a meal with wine tasting at the cellar.

How far is Wine Artisans from Tbilisi?

The winery is in Tsedisi village in Shida Kartli, a region generally reckoned at around an hour to ninety minutes’ drive west of Tbilisi, making it feasible to combine with other Shida Kartli sights such as Gori or Uplistsikhe on the same day.

Can I buy wine without visiting the winery itself?

The website sells wines directly online, with prices listed in Georgian lari, and also offers gift cards, so bottles can be ordered without an in-person visit.

Sources

• Wine Artisans — official website (abwineart.ge)
• Wine Artisans: RED DRY WINES
• Wine Artisans: AMBER DRY WINES
• Wine Artisans: ROSE DRY WINES
• Wine Artisans: CELLAR DISCOUNTS
• Wine Artisans: MEET WINE ARTISANS
• Wine Artisans: MEET NATURAL WINE

Profiled in depth by the GTour desk on 26 October 2026 from the property’s official website; photographs are the property’s own, from its official website, credited under each image. Not sponsored; tell us if something has changed.