Natural wine tastes better when the person pouring it explains the why. This Kartli day with Andro Barnovi pairs a hands-on cellar visit (including his underground, two-level winery) with a full tasting and lunch at his chateau. I also like the way the morning adds context with the 6th-century Jvari Monastery near Mtskheta, so your wine day feels grounded. One thing to consider: it’s a long, flavor-forward day built around alcohol tastings, so pace yourself if you’re not a big drinker.

You’ll start with views and heritage at Jvari, then head toward the Gori area for lunch and tasting at Andro’s place in Tsedisi. There’s also optional time to add either Stalin’s museum and/or Uplistsikhe caves, depending on your mood. The driver and guide keep the day moving with private transport, so you’re not figuring out routes or timing on your own.

What really makes this experience click is the combination: underground wine-making spaces, a warm meal upstairs (or by the fireplace in winter), and an “all types” tasting that doesn’t just stop at wine. You’ll also sample strong spirits, with explanations along the way—so even if natural wine is new for you, you can follow what’s happening.

Key Highlights You’ll Actually Care About

• Andro Barnovi’s underground, two-level winery tour, with clear explanations as you walk through the process
• Jvari Monastery stop near Mtskheta before you start tasting
• Lunch at the chateau in Tsedisi, paired with local food and the tasting experience
• Freshly squeezed plus vintage wines in one tasting run
• Strong spirits included, not just a wine flight
• Private, air-conditioned transport plus pickup offered for a smoother day

Natural Wine With Andro Barnovi: What the Day Is Really About

This isn’t a quick wine sampler where you get a few sips and a brochure smile. The heart of the day is your time with Andro Barnovi, the founder behind Wine Artisans, who brings natural wine-making to life by showing you the spaces where it happens. You’re not just tasting; you’re seeing how the winery is set up, how the place works, and how the tasting connects back to real choices in production.

Andro’s setup is part of the appeal: his winery is underground and two levels, which changes the feel of the visit right away. Underground spaces tend to keep conditions steadier, and in practice that means the tour isn’t just visual—it’s also about how wine-making is supported by the environment. If you care about why natural wine tastes the way it does, this format gives you a much better mental picture than tasting in a bright tasting room.

Then comes the tasting itself. The day is built around a full spectrum wine tasting, and you’ll also have a chance to try numerous varieties of strong spirits. That matters for two reasons. First, it gives you a broader sense of Georgia’s fermentation and flavor world beyond grape wine. Second, it helps you compare styles so you can recognize what changes when you move from wine to spirits and back again.

A note on pacing

Because the day includes lunch and multiple tastings, the schedule can feel alcohol-heavy if you don’t plan for it. I’d treat this as a full-day experience with a slow start, water breaks, and a mindset of tasting and conversation—not racing through.

Jvari Monastery Near Mtskheta: The Morning Anchor

Before the wine, you visit Jvari Monastery, a 6th-century UNESCO site near Mtskheta. This stop is more than a checkbox. It’s a way to give the day a backbone: Georgian culture, faith, and place, right before you head into a region known for grapes and tradition.

Even if you’re not a big architecture person, Jvari has a strong “get your bearings fast” effect. It’s an early win because it makes the drive and surrounding areas feel tied to something older than the tour itself. You’ll also be fresh enough for the walking and viewpoints—something that later in the day can be harder after tastings.

A practical tip: wear shoes that handle uneven ground. Monasteries often look simple from photos, but the surfaces can be a bit rough, and you’ll want stable footing early on.

Optional Detours: Stalin’s Museum and Uplistsikhe Caves

This experience gives you optional add-ons, and that flexibility is useful because people come to Georgia for different reasons. You can choose to keep it focused on wine, or you can spend more time on history and landscape around the Gori area.

• Stalin’s Museum (optional): The tour description notes this is even a shame for Georgia, which tells you the emotional tone won’t be polished or celebratory. If you want a complete picture of Georgia’s political scars (good or bad), this can add a serious context layer before your lunch and tasting.
• Uplistsikhe Caves (optional): If you’re more into ancient sites and physical history than modern politics, the caves are a strong alternative. They also help break up the day so it doesn’t feel like one long tasting session.

If you’re unsure, I’d choose based on your energy:

• Pick caves if you want a physical, outdoor add-on.
• Pick Stalin’s museum if you want a concentrated cultural/political stop.
• Skip both if you prefer to save your attention for the cellar and tasting.

The Road to Tsedisi: Why the Drive Is Part of the Value

The winery day is centered around Tsedisi, a village about 20 minutes drive from Gori, and the transfer from Tbilisi to this part of Kartli is where the day starts feeling special. The drive is described as breath-taking, and that matches what you should expect when you’re leaving the city and moving toward mountain-adjacent countryside.

This matters because wine tours can sometimes feel static—sit, sip, leave. Here, the road gives you a slow rhythm change. You’ll go from urban pace into open views, then arrive ready for a day that blends scenery, food, and tasting.

Also, since you’re in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with bottled water included, the journey stays comfortable. That’s a real value point in Georgia in general: wine days are more enjoyable when you’re not stressed about transport details.

Exploring Andro’s Underground, Two-Level Winery

This is the centerpiece moment of the day. You’ll explore Andro Barnovi’s unique underground winery across two levels. The tour format is designed for understanding, not just sightseeing. You walk through the spaces, listen to explanations, and connect what you see to what you taste later.

From a practical point of view, the underground setup also changes the pace. It feels quieter and more focused than an above-ground tasting room. It also helps keep the experience from turning into a loud group event—you get a sense of process and craft.

In the reviews-style details that match this tour’s vibe, people especially liked the tour of Andro’s home and cellar as part of the visit. Even without over-claiming specifics, the implication is clear: you’re not being rushed through a single hallway. You’re being hosted and shown around in a way that gives you a real sense of the winemaker’s world.

What to watch for during the winery tour

Listen for the connections between:

• the environment and production choices,
• the way different wines are treated,
• and why the tasting later makes sense.

If you ask questions during the walk, this kind of tour usually rewards that curiosity. The whole day is built around discussion and explanation.

The Tastings: Freshly Squeezed, Vintage, and Strong Spirits

Now comes the part most people booked for: tasting. The day includes a full assortment of Andro’s freshly squeezed and vintage wines, with explanation along the way. You’ll have the chance to taste all types of wine the tour description mentions, plus numerous varieties of strong spirits.

This is where the experience becomes more than a nice meal and a couple sips. A full tasting arc helps you understand how natural wine can express itself across time (freshly squeezed vs vintage) and across production approaches. Fresh wines can feel more immediate and direct, while vintage wines often show more integration and development. You’ll be able to notice those differences within one day, which is easier than trying to infer them from separate tastings.

And the spirits are a bonus that many wine tours skip. Trying strong spirits as part of the same experience can help you pick up flavor patterns Georgia is known for—fermentation, fruit character, and spice-like notes depending on what you sample.

A smart tasting strategy

If you want the best learning-to-pleasure ratio:

• Start with smaller tastes and let the explanations land first.
• Take water breaks, especially after lunch.
• Don’t worry about finishing everything. This is about understanding, not winning a competition.

Lunch at the Chateau in Tsedisi: Outdoors in Summer, Fireplace in Winter

Lunch is served at Andro’s chateau in the village of Tsedisi, paired with local food. The setting shifts by season: in summer you go upstairs to an outdoor hut, and in winter you can enjoy the same general idea but in front of the fireplace.

That seasonal detail is more than comfort—it changes the feel of the day. Upstairs and outdoors in summer keeps things airy and social. By the fireplace in winter creates a slower, cozier mood that fits well after time underground.

Either way, lunch gives your tasting a structure. It’s not just a pause. You’ll eat local food while the wine experience stays the main theme. And because bottled water is included, it’s easier to keep a steady rhythm.

If you’re sensitive to pace, remember: lunch comes after the monastery and after the travel. It’s a good time to reset your stomach and energy before continuing with the tasting.

Price and Value: What $155 Really Buys

At $155 per person, this tour is priced in a way that makes sense for what’s included. You’re getting:

• private transportation (with pickup offered),
• an air-conditioned vehicle,
• lunch,
• bottled water,
• alcoholic beverages,
• and all fees and taxes.

That’s important. Wine experiences can get expensive once you add vehicle costs, lunch, tastings, and entry fees. Here, the package is designed so the main costs are already handled, which makes it easier to decide without tallying extras.

Also, the day is long enough—about 8 hours—that you’re not buying a short, rushed half-day. The underground winery time, the tastings, and the meal are all part of the pricing, not bolt-ons.

Who gets the best value

• People who want a real host-and-learn day, not just a quick tasting
• Wine lovers curious about natural wine and the production story
• Food-and-wine pair folks who enjoy local meals alongside tastings

Who This Tour Is Best For (and Who Should Think Twice)

This fits you best if:

• you want natural wine in a hands-on format with clear explanations,
• you like the idea of visiting a real winemaker’s space (including the underground levels),
• and you don’t mind a schedule that includes both culture and a long tasting day.

It may feel like a lot if you:

• don’t drink much and prefer light tastings only,
• want a strictly sightseeing-heavy day with minimal alcohol focus,
• or would rather spend more time outdoors hiking than in a cellar-and-tasting flow.

If you’re on a team of mixed interests (some drinkers, some not), you can still enjoy it—because the day includes monastery time, optional caves, and a strong cultural setting. But you’ll want to go in with the expectation that alcohol is central.

Should You Book the Andro Barnovi Natural Wine Tour?

Book this tour if you want a natural wine experience that feels personal, structured, and authentic. The underground two-level winery, the full assortment tasting (including freshly squeezed and vintage wines), and the added element of strong spirits make it more complete than most one-location wine tours. Add the Jvari Monastery morning anchor, and the day feels like Georgia, not just wine.

You might skip it if you want a quick, low-alcohol tasting or if you prefer only major, polished tourist stops. This one is intentionally focused on the winemaker, the cellar, and the tasting conversation—so lean into that style.

FAQ

How long is the Natural Wine Tour to Kartli region?

The tour lasts about 8 hours.

Is pickup from Tbilisi included?

Pickup is offered, and the tour uses private transportation.

What does lunch include?

Lunch is included, and it is paired with local food at Andro Barnovi’s chateau in Tsedisi.

What will I taste during the tour?

You’ll have a full assortment natural wine tasting with Andro Barnovi, including freshly squeezed and vintage wines, plus numerous varieties of strong spirits.

Do we visit Jvari Monastery?

Yes. The tour includes a stop at the 6th-century Jvari Monastery near Mtskheta.

What optional stops are available?

You can add Stalin’s museum and/or Uplistsikhe caves as optional add-ons.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. It is a private tour/activity, and only your group participates.

Can I cancel and get a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience starts, the amount paid is not refunded.