Shubani

By Mariam Lomidze, GTour desk · Fact-checked against the sources listed · Last checked 17 October 2026 · Editorial policy

Overview

Shubani is a small farming village in the Imereti region of western Georgia, set in the hill country of vineyards and hazelnut orchards between Kutaisi and Baghdati. It lies roughly 4 hours 45 minutes by road from Tbilisi, about 1 hour 25 minutes from Kutaisi and 1 hour 55 minutes from Batumi. The village itself has no major monument or museum; its interest lies in the cluster of small, family-run wine cellars (marani) that keep the Imeretian style of qvevri winemaking alive on a household scale.

Shubani matters to travellers because it represents the working, everyday side of Georgia’s wine culture rather than a staged tourist stop. Several households here press and ferment the local Tsitska, Tsolikouri and other indigenous grape varieties in buried clay qvevri, following methods passed down within families. GTour includes Shubani in private tours on request, usually combined with other villages and wineries in the Imereti region, so that visitors can taste at more than one cellar in a single day.

History

Imereti emerged as a separate kingdom in 1455, after the breakup of the unified Kingdom of Georgia into rival western and eastern realms; the Kingdom of Imereti survived, with varying degrees of independence and Ottoman pressure, until it was absorbed into the Russian Empire in 1810. Villages such as Shubani were administered afterward within the Kutaisi Governorate, their economy based on grain, maize, hazelnuts and vineyards, as was typical across the Imereti region.

Winemaking in Imereti developed its own regional method, distinct from the better-known Kakhetian style: grapes are typically pressed and fermented with a shorter period of skin contact, often using a wooden press called a satsnakheli before the must goes into buried qvevri, as described in general accounts of Georgian wine traditions. The nearby town of Baghdati is recorded as the birthplace in 1893 of the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, then part of the Kutaisi Governorate, a reminder that this stretch of Imereti was already a settled agricultural landscape in the late imperial period.

Through the Soviet era, wine production in villages like Shubani was largely absorbed into collective and state farm structures, with household winemaking continuing on a smaller, informal scale for family and local use. Since Georgian independence in 1991, and especially over the past two decades, small producers across Imereti have returned to marketing their qvevri wine directly, and villages such as Shubani now appear on informal wine routes promoted by guides and tour operators rather than in historical records as named settlements of note.

What to see

Family wine cellars (marani)

The main reason to visit Shubani is to see and taste in a working marani, where qvevri are sunk into the cellar floor and wine is drawn out by hand. Several households here welcome pre-arranged visits, offering a direct look at Imeretian pressing and fermentation methods alongside a tasting of the finished wine.

Vineyard and orchard landscape

The village sits among low hills planted with vines and hazelnut trees, typical of the Baghdati–Vani hill country. Walking between plots in early autumn, during the grape harvest known locally as rtveli, gives a clear sense of how closely village life here follows the agricultural calendar.

Baghdati and the Mayakovsky museum (day-trip extension)

The nearby town of Baghdati, a short drive from Shubani, holds the house where the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky was born, now preserved as a memorial site. It is commonly combined with a Shubani wine visit as a half-day loop from Kutaisi.

Getting there

From Tbilisi, Shubani is about 4 hours 45 minutes by private car or taxi, generally via the Rikoti Pass on the main east–west highway and then local roads south of Kutaisi toward Baghdati; check conditions in advance on the road status page. There is no direct marshrutka to the village; travellers normally take a Tbilisi–Kutaisi marshrutka or train and then arrange a local taxi or private transfer for the final stretch.

From Kutaisi, the drive to Shubani takes roughly 1 hour 25 minutes along secondary roads through or near Baghdati. From Batumi, allow about 1 hour 55 minutes, following the main Batumi–Kutaisi highway before turning inland. Georgian Railway operates regular Tbilisi–Kutaisi services (see railway.ge) for travellers who prefer rail for the long-distance leg and a road transfer for the rest of the journey. GTour arranges private transfers and guided days from Tbilisi, Kutaisi or Batumi with an English-speaking driver-guide; see tours for details.

When to go

Early autumn, from mid-September through October, is the most interesting season, coinciding with the grape harvest and first pressing in the village cellars. Late spring, from April to June, offers green vineyards and mild weather for driving through the hills. Winters are cool and wet, and some small cellars may be less active outside the main production months, so arranging a visit in advance is advisable.

Where to stay and eat

Shubani itself has no hotels or restaurants; overnight stays are normally arranged in Kutaisi or Baghdati, with the village visited as part of a day itinerary. Eating and tasting in Shubani means visiting one of the local marani directly, several of which are listed in GTour’s verified register: Kvirikashvili Brothers Marani, Mirian’s Marani, Shotiko’s Winery, Maximus Wine Cellar, Marani Naturalisti, Nino’s Marani, Saba Pulariani’s Wine Cellar and Marani Nadzveli Onise Kbilashvili. GTour’s verified register lists more hotels, wineries and restaurants across the wider Imereti region below.

Practical notes

Most marani in Shubani are family homes rather than commercial businesses, so visits should be arranged ahead of time through GTour or a local contact rather than attempted as a walk-in stop. Cash is the usual means of payment for tastings and bottle purchases at small cellars. Roads in the area are narrow village lanes in places, and a local driver or guide is useful for finding specific cellars; see the guides section for background on Georgian wine etiquette and tasting customs, and best-of lists for comparing wineries across Imereti before booking.

Questions travellers ask

Is Shubani worth visiting on its own, or only as part of a wider trip?

Shubani is best visited as part of a wider Imereti itinerary rather than as a standalone destination, since it has no hotels, restaurants or formal sights of its own. It works well combined with Kutaisi, Baghdati or other wine villages in a single day.

Can visitors just show up at a marani in Shubani?

Most cellars are private family operations, so an advance arrangement is strongly recommended rather than arriving unannounced. GTour can contact producers directly to confirm a visit and tasting.

What grape varieties are produced around Shubani?

Local winemakers in this part of Imereti typically work with indigenous varieties such as Tsitska and Tsolikouri, pressed and fermented in buried qvevri following the regional Imeretian method.

Is there public transport directly to Shubani?

No marshrutka runs directly into the village. Travellers usually reach Kutaisi or Baghdati by marshrutka or train and continue to Shubani by taxi or private transfer.

How long should a visit to Shubani take?

A visit to one or two cellars, including tasting and conversation with the winemaker, typically takes two to three hours, making it easy to combine with other stops in a single day from Kutaisi.

Is the village accessible for travellers without a car?

Without a private vehicle, the practical option is a pre-booked transfer or guided tour, since local public transport does not serve the village directly. GTour arranges this as part of its private tours.

What is the best season to see winemaking in progress?

Mid-September to October, during the grape harvest and pressing season, is when cellars are most active and the process can be observed firsthand.

Are there accommodation options near Shubani?

There are no hotels in Shubani itself; nearby Kutaisi and Baghdati offer guesthouses and hotels suitable as a base for day visits to the village.

Does GTour arrange guided tours to Shubani?

Yes, GTour organises private transfers and guided days to Shubani and its wineries from Tbilisi, Kutaisi or Batumi, with an English-speaking driver-guide; requests can be made through the tours page.

Sources

• Georgian Railway
• Georgian National Tourism Administration — Imereti region