Tsinandali Estate

წინანდალი

The elegant 19th-century estate of Prince Alexander Chavchavadze, featuring a restored manor, landscaped English garden, and historic winery. It is the birthplace of European-style Georgian winemaking and a lovely place for tastings.

Things to do

• Tour the Chavchavadze Manor House — Walk through the restored 19th-century home of Prince Alexander Chavchavadze, filled with period furnishings, family portraits, and Georgia's aristocratic history.
• Stroll the English Landscaped Garden — Wander the sprawling park laid out in European style with rare trees, winding paths, and shaded avenues planted by the Chavchavadze family.
• Visit the Historic Winery and Cellar — Descend into the estate's old marani where the first European-method bottled Georgian wine was produced, home to a vintage collection dating back to the 1800s.
• Wine Tasting Session — Sample Kakhetian wines including the estate's own Tsinandali white blend made from Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane grapes.
• See the Antique Bottle Museum Collection — View one of the oldest bottled wines in the vinotheque, including bottles from the mid-19th century preserved in the cellar.
• Explore the Estate Museum Exhibits — Learn about Prince Alexander Chavchavadze as poet, statesman, and pioneer who hosted figures like Alexander Griboyedov, who married his daughter Nino.
• Relax at the On-Site Restaurant and Café — Enjoy Georgian cuisine on the terrace overlooking the gardens after your tour.

Food to try

• Tsinandali White Wine — The estate's signature European-style dry white blend of Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane, the wine that made the property famous.
• Qvevri Wine — Traditional Kakhetian amber wine fermented in buried clay vessels, a UNESCO-recognized winemaking method you can taste locally.
• Khachapuri — Warm cheese-filled bread, a Georgian staple often served fresh at the estate café and nearby Telavi restaurants.
• Mtsvadi — Kakhetian-style grilled pork or veal skewers cooked over grapevine cuttings, a regional specialty.
• Churchkhela — String of nuts dipped in thickened grape juice, a sweet snack tied to the wine harvest and sold around the estate.
• Chakapuli — A spring stew of lamb or veal with tarragon, green plums, and white wine, popular across Kakheti.

Local customs & good to know

• Come with an appetite for supra toasting — Georgian feasts follow a toastmaster (tamada) tradition, so if invited to a table, expect heartfelt toasts and never drink out of turn.
• Combine with a Telavi visit — Tsinandali sits near Telavi, the capital of Kakheti, making it easy to pair with other wine-region stops in one day.
• Book tours and tastings ahead in peak season — Summer and autumn harvest months are busy, so reserve manor tours and tastings in advance to secure a slot.
• Respect the vintage cellar — The historic bottles are irreplaceable, so follow guide instructions and avoid touching the aging collection.

Nearby

• Telavi — 8 km
• Gremi — 10 km
• Kvareli — 21 km
• Nekresi Monastery — 21 km