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- Grape picking and stomping — Join whole families in the fields as they pick ripe clusters by hand, then crush grapes the old-fashioned way. It’s loud, messy, communal work: you get sticky hands, a few laughs, and a direct sense of why Rtveli is more than a party — it’s a shared harvest.
- Qvevri winemaking and tasting — Watch clay amphorae (qvevri) being filled, sealed and sometimes buried — Georgia’s ancient winemaking method that gives wine a wildly different texture and color (think amber/orange wines). Tasting these uncensored, earth-driven wines side-by-side with modern styles is a real education for the palate.
- The Rtveli supra (harvest feast) with a tamada — Long, loud, generous feasts where a toastmaster leads toasts, stories and jokes between plates of grilled meat, cheese and fresh
- Grape picking and stomping — Join whole families in the fields as they pick ripe clusters by hand, then crush grapes the old-fashioned way. It’s loud, messy, communal work: you get sticky hands, a few laughs, and a direct sense of why Rtveli is more than a party — it’s a shared harvest.
- Qvevri winemaking and tasting — Watch clay amphorae (qvevri) being filled, sealed and sometimes buried — Georgia’s ancient winemaking method that gives wine a wildly different texture and color (think amber/orange wines). Tasting these uncensored, earth-driven wines side-by-side with modern styles is a real education for the palate.
- The Rtveli supra (harvest feast) with a tamada — Long, loud, generous feasts where a toastmaster leads toasts, stories and jokes between plates of grilled meat, cheese and fresh bread. Expect polyphonic singing to rise up between courses and conversations that stretch late into the night. This is my personal favorite — nothing beats being pulled into the toasts and songs with locals.
- Polyphonic singing and folk performances — Hear three- and four-part harmonies that feel older than language itself. These performances pop up in courtyards and fields during Rtveli, often unamplified and spine-tingling because everyone sings from memory and feeling, not for show.
- Staying with winemaking families and the village atmosphere — Sleep in a homestay or tiny guesthouse among vines, wake to rows of grapes and morning mist. Hospitality is real: you’ll help with small tasks, trade stories over chacha (grape spirit), and glimpse the slow rhythms of rural life — the side of Rtveli that lasts after the music dies down.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.