Babaneuris Marani

Winemaking at Babaneuris Marani follows an 8,000-year-old tradition, burying clay qvevri amphoras in the cellar floor to ferment Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Kisi, and Mtsvane from the estate's 11 hectares. The qvevri method — recognised by UNESCO in 2013 — relies on natural yeasts and extended skin contact, coaxing structure and tannic grip from red Saperavi and amber hues from white Rkatsiteli. Each amphora is sealed with a stone lid and left undisturbed for months, the wine absorbing mineral notes from the earthenware walls. Guests descend into the marani to see the qvevri tops protruding from the ground, still used for every vintage produced on site. Tasting sessions unfold in a room overlooking the vineyard rows, with flights that pair the estate's four signature wines alongside churchkhela, the traditional candied walnut sausage threaded on grape must. During September and October, harvest guests join the picking teams in the morning, then follow the grapes to the cellar for a hands-on qvevri filling demonstration. Winemaking tours explain the amphora construction, the fermentation timeline, and the logic behind burying vessels to maintain stable temperatures year-round. Each tasting includes vertical pours of older Saperavi reserves, showing how the wine mellows without losing its deep garnet colour. Thirteen rooms occupy the main building and a separate guest house, each designed with locally sourced wood and stone that echo the cellar's earthen aesthetic. Windows frame the Greater Caucasus peaks to the north, snow-capped from November through April. The heated outdoor pool remains open all year, a rarity in Kakheti's continental climate. Rooms include private terraces facing either the mountains or the vineyard, and the family-run approach means the same staff who guide cellar tours also prepare breakfast and arrange hiking permits for the adjacent Babaneuri Protected Area. The restaurant sources organic vegetables from nearby farms and serves khinkali dumplings filled with local beef, khachapuri cheese bread baked in a tone oven, and mtsvadi skewers grilled over vine cuttings. Wine pairings match the estate's Mtsvane with sulguni cheese, Kisi with walnut-dressed spinach pkhali, and Saperavi with slow-braised lamb. The kitchen updates classic Georgian recipes without abandoning their structure — expect lighter doughs, less oil, and more emphasis on the produce itself. Hiking trails into the protected area start 200 metres from the gate, winding through oak forest and alpine meadows that bloom with wildflowers in May and June.