Saperavi ★ 4.7
Teinturier red variety with coloured flesh, grown across every Kakheti zone. It gives dry reds with ageing potential and also the semi-sweet Kindzmarauli and Akhasheni styles.
The grapes that define Kakheti: the canonical varietals and how the region expresses them.
Canonical grapes of Kakheti
Rkatsiteli ★ 4.5
The leading white variety in Georgia, which the Georgian Wine Association puts at 43 percent of plantings across 20,000 hectares. Native to Kakheti and vinified both ways.
Kisi ★ 4.4
Indigenous Kakhetian white that ripens ahead of Rkatsiteli, in the last two weeks of September. Producers work it in the European manner, the Georgian qvevri manner and occasionally as a fortified wine.
Mtsvane Kakhuri ★ 4.3
Green from Kakheti, a white variety suited to the calcareous soils of the Tsinandali, Manavi, Gurjaani, Vazisubani and Kardenakhi zones. It stands alone in the Manavi designation.
Khikhvi ★ 4.1
Kakhetian white recommended for higher, cooler plantings alongside Mtsvane Kakhuri. It covers light dry, semi-sweet and sweet wines and the fortified Kardenakhi style.
Signature Grapes in Kakheti, FAQ
When is the best time to visit Kakheti for wine?
Peak wine-travel season in Kakheti is spring through autumn, with harvest the standout window.
Do I need an appointment to taste at Kakheti estates?
classified-growth and grand-cru estates require booking days to weeks ahead; smaller family domaines often take walk-ins midweek.
What hours do Kakheti cellars and tasting rooms keep?
most estates open 10:00 to 17:00 by appointment, often closed Sunday and Monday.
How does tipping work at Kakheti tastings?
tipping is not expected at tastings; buying a bottle from the cellar door is the customary thank-you.
What is the one wine to try in Kakheti?
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Kakheti rewards trust.