Khareba Winery

Winery Khareba stands as a prominent distributor of fine wines, both within Georgia and on the international stage. Founded in 2004, this esteemed winery boasts nearly 1,000 hectares of fertile land where they cultivate around 25 diverse grape varieties. This rich selection allows them to produce an impressive array of 50 different wines, featuring beloved varieties such as Tsitska, Krakhuna, Tsolikouri, Mukuzani, Kindzmarauli, and Akhasheni.

Khareba has successfully preserved its reputation for high-quality wines through a unique blend of ancient winemaking techniques and cutting-edge technology. This harmonious integration of traditional practices and modern innovations results in distinctive flavors and exceptional wines that are highly sought after. While the winery has multiple locations throughout Georgia, its flagship branch in the Kakheti Region is particularly popular among tourists, offering a variety of wine tastings, immersive tours, and hands-on workshops.

At Winery Khareba, visitors can explore an extensive collection of wines, including red, white, rosé, and even sparkling varieties. When tasting Khareba wines, you will discover floral notes in the younger wines, while the aged selections present a more nuanced, harmonious profile.

For their red wines, Khareba primarily utilizes Saperavi grapes, Georgia’s premier red variety. Grown mainly in the Kakheti Region, this exceptional grape yields a dark garnet wine with rich aromas and the elegant characteristics of barrel-aged wine.

The winery’s white wines are crafted from Rkatsiteli, Mtsvane, and Krakhuna grapes, resulting in vibrant, acidic, yet well-balanced wines that are often enjoyed as table wines in Georgia.

Khareba’s rosé wines are characterized by light, fruity aromas and a lingering sweetness. The winery predominantly uses Aladasturi, Saperavi, and Otskhanuri Sapere grapes for this delightful variety, which pairs beautifully with fresh fruits or cheese, particularly strawberries and cherries.

The Tsitska grape, one of the oldest white varieties in western Georgia, is used to create the winery’s sparkling wines. Following the classic aging process akin to that of champagne, these sparkling wines exhibit a distinguished aroma and floral flavor that is not to be missed.

In addition to its indigenous offerings, Winery Khareba also produces European grape varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet, Pinot, Muscat, Sauvignon, and Chardonnay.

The Kvareli branch of Winery Khareba, nestled in the stunning Alazani Valley near the majestic Greater Caucasus, is the crown jewel of the company. This remarkable establishment features a unique wine tunnel, originally opened in the early 1960s to store wine at a consistent temperature. In 2011, the complex underwent renovations to enhance its appeal to tourists, centering around the Wine Tunnel while also housing Restaurant Khareba, a sprawling recreational park complete with a river, an old Georgian water mill, a traditional bakery, a chacha distillery, and a historic cellar equipped with winepresses.

The Khareba Wine Tunnel is a remarkable manmade cellar carved from solid rock. It maintains a natural temperature of 12-14 degrees Celsius and 70% humidity year-round, creating ideal conditions for the storage and aging of wine. Spanning 7.7 kilometers, the tunnel features two entrances—one for visitors and another for staff—though only selected sections are open to the public. Additionally, a bottled wine cellar houses over 25,000 premium bottles, showcasing the winery’s extensive collection.

Khareba Restaurant offers breathtaking views of the Alazani Valley and Kvareli vineyards from its spacious verandah. The menu is a celebration of local flavors, featuring traditional Georgian dishes such as mtsvadi (kebabs), khinkali (dumplings), and a delightful assortment of khachapuri (cheese breads), including Imeruli, Megruli, and oven-baked varieties with Sulguni cheese. With a capacity to accommodate up to 300 guests, Khareba Restaurant is the perfect place to conclude your winery tour.

Winery Khareba offers a variety of tour packages designed to cater to different visitor preferences:

• Wine Tunnel Excursion: A guided tour without wine tasting.
• Standard Package: A tour of the Wine Tunnel, including a tasting of two Georgian wine varieties.
• Classic Package: A tour of the chacha distillery, a tasting of four wines, and masterclasses on baking bread in a traditional Georgian clay oven and preparing churchkhela (a nut beaded confection cooked in flour-thickened grape juice).
• Georgian National Package: This immersive experience includes a tasting of four types of qvevri wine (wines fermented and stored in traditional earthenware vessels) along with masterclasses on making khinkali (Georgian dumplings), traditional bread, churchkhela, Georgian BBQ (mtsvadi), and the national cheese bread (khachapuri).
• Premium Package: For the true wine enthusiast, this package offers a tasting of six different wines, along with masterclasses on distilling and tasting chacha, baking bread, preparing churchkhela, making Georgian BBQ, and wrapping khinkali dumplings.

Each of these packages includes a knowledgeable guide, ensuring that your experience at Winery Khareba is both informative and enjoyable.

Winery Khareba has established a presence across Georgia with shops in Batumi, Poti, Terjola, Kazbegi, Mtskheta, Kvareli, and Tbilisi. Most of these shops not only offer a selection of Khareba wines but also feature grape seed oil and include a cozy wine bar where customers can savor the winery’s offerings in a tranquil environment.

When visiting Georgia, make sure to indulge in the exquisite flavors of Khareba’s wines and consider picking up a bottle or two to share with family and friends back home. For those unable to travel to Georgia, Khareba wines are available in over 20 countries worldwide, including France, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, Turkey, Russia, and Japan.