May in Georgia is a particular kind of chaos — the good kind. The mulberry trees are dropping fruit onto the pavements, the mountains have lost their snow at the lower elevations, and seemingly every weekend someone somewhere in the country is uncorking something worth traveling for. In 2026, the month of May has quietly turned into the most concentrated wine calendar Georgia has seen in years.

If you’re the kind of traveler who arranges flights around fermentation schedules, this is your month.

What’s On: The Full May 2026 Wine Festival Calendar

Here’s everything confirmed so far, from ticketed salons in Tbilisi to free festivals out in the regions.

May 1–2: Zero Compromise Natural Wine Exhibition

One of the tightest-curated natural wine events on the Georgian calendar, Zero Compromise does exactly what its name suggests — no sulfites beyond minimal, no fining agents, no concessions to commercial palatability. The producers here are the kind of people who will argue passionately about spontaneous fermentation before you’ve finished your first glass.

Two days, two very different paces. Day one tends to be more exploratory; by day two, the conversations get longer and the pours more generous.

May 3: Sherekilebi — Wine Salon at Iago’s Winery

Iago Bitarishvili’s winery in Chardakhi is one of those places that made Georgia’s natural wine reputation before the rest of the world caught on. His Chinuri — an ancient white grape variety fermented on skins in qvevri — is the kind of wine that makes sommeliers go quiet for a moment.

Sherekilebi (the name means something like “the rascals” or “the mischief-makers”) is the annual salon he hosts at the marani. It’s less of a formal tasting and more of a gathering — producers poured alongside each other, no hierarchy, no branded tablecloths. Space is limited. Book early.

May 3: Saamuri Natural Wine Salon at Fabrika

On the same Saturday, Tbilisi’s Fabrika complex — the converted Soviet sewing factory that now houses cafés, studios, and a hostel around a central courtyard — hosts Saamuri, another natural wine salon running parallel to Sherekilebi. If you’re in the city and can’t make it to Chardakhi, this is your May 3rd.

The Fabrika setting suits it well. You can move between producers inside and out, and the courtyard means there’s space to breathe — useful after a few amber wines.

May 3: Wine Ambassadors Festival at Sheraton Grand Metekhi Palace

The same day, a very different register. The Wine Ambassadors Festival at the Sheraton Grand Metekhi Palace brings a more formal, hotel-ballroom energy to the occasion — think international buyers, export-facing producers, and wines that have been cleaned up for a more commercial audience alongside those that haven’t.

The Metekhi location, above the Mtkvari river with the old city spread below, is genuinely one of the better festival backdrops in Tbilisi. If you’re interested in what Georgian wine looks like when it’s presenting itself to the world, this is the event for that conversation.

May 8: Georgia’s First National Wine Day — Free

This one is new. Georgia has been producing wine for eight millennia and has somehow only just established an official National Wine Day in 2026. The National Wine Agency is marking the occasion with two simultaneous programs in Tbilisi — one in Abanotubani (the old sulfur bath district, 2:00 PM) and one at Gudiashvili Square (3:00 PM).

Entry is free, which means this will be busy. Come early, especially if you want to claim a spot at Gudiashvili Square before the evening crowd settles in.

  • Venue: Abanotubani and Gudiashvili Square, Tbilisi
  • Tickets: Free
  • Info: Facebook event

May 9: Merab Kharbedia New Wine Festival on Mtatsminda — Free

Named after Merab Kharbedia, the festival on Mtatsminda (Tbilisi’s forested hill, reachable by funicular) is one of the more atmospheric free events in the city’s calendar. New wine — this year’s harvest, young and still rough around the edges — is the point. It won’t be the most polished drinking of the month, but it might be the most Georgian.

Bring a jacket. The hill is cooler than the city below.

May 16–17: Ioram Tarkhnishvili Wine Festival at Chateau Mepe Kalaki

One of the country estate events of the season. Chateau Mepe Kalaki (literally “King’s City”) provides the kind of backdrop — vines, old walls, wide skies — that makes you understand why Georgians have been making wine in this landscape for so long.

The festival honors Ioram Tarkhnishvili, and the two-day format gives it a more relaxed pace than the single-day Tbilisi events. The pricing is modest enough that going both days makes sense if you’re not rushing anywhere.

  • Venue: Chateau Mepe Kalaki
  • Tickets: 20 GEL per day / 30 GEL two-day pass
  • Book: tkt.ge (event link)

May 30: Merano Wine Festival at Chateau Mukhrani

Chateau Mukhrani is one of the grand estates of Georgian wine — a 19th-century royal palace and winery in the Kartli region, restored and producing again after the Soviet interruption. The Merano Wine Festival here is priced (tickets not yet published at time of writing), which usually signals a more curated, smaller-scale event than the free public festivals.

Watch for ticket announcements closer to the date.

  • Venue: Chateau Mukhrani, Kartli
  • Tickets: Priced — amount TBC
  • Info: Check Chateau Mukhrani’s channels for updates

May 31: Bolnisi Wine of Origin Festival — Free

Bolnisi, in the Kvemo Kartli region south of Tbilisi, is better known internationally for its 5th-century Bolnisi Sioni basilica — one of the oldest surviving Christian buildings in the country — than for its wine. That’s beginning to change. The Bolnisi Wine of Origin Festival is part of that shift: a regional event celebrating wines that carry the Bolnisi geographical indication, free to attend.

It’s a good excuse to make a day trip out of Tbilisi and see a part of the country most wine tourists skip.

  • Venue: Bolnisi town
  • Tickets: Free

At a Glance: May 2026 Wine Festivals in Georgia

Date Festival Location Entry
May 1–2 Zero Compromise Natural Wine Exhibition Tbilisi 30 / 50 GEL
May 3 Sherekilebi at Iago’s Winery Chardakhi 40 GEL
May 3 Saamuri Natural Wine Salon Fabrika, Tbilisi 30 GEL
May 3 Wine Ambassadors Festival Sheraton Metekhi, Tbilisi 30 GEL
May 8 National Wine Day Abanotubani & Gudiashvili Sq, Tbilisi Free
May 9 Merab Kharbedia New Wine Festival Mtatsminda, Tbilisi Free
May 16–17 Ioram Tarkhnishvili Wine Festival Chateau Mepe Kalaki 20 / 30 GEL
May 30 Merano Wine Festival Chateau Mukhrani TBC
May 31 Bolnisi Wine of Origin Festival Bolnisi Free

Practical Notes Before You Go

A few things worth knowing if you’re traveling specifically for the wine events:

  • Book tickets in advance. The smaller salon events (Sherekilebi especially) sell out weeks ahead. Don’t assume the 30-lari price tag means low demand — it doesn’t.
  • May weather in Tbilisi is generally warm and dry, but afternoon thunderstorms happen. Pack a light layer for evening outdoor events and one thing waterproof.
  • Lari (GEL) is the currency. At current rates, 30 GEL is roughly equivalent to 10–11 EUR. Most wine festivals accept cash only or have limited card facilities — carry some on you.
  • Rideshares are plentiful. Bolt and Yandex operate widely in Tbilisi. For out-of-town venues like Chateau Mukhrani or Bolnisi, a shared taxi or organized transport is the practical option — coordinate with your accommodation or book through a local tour operator.
  • Qvevri wines can be strong. The amber wines made in traditional clay vessels are often 13–14% and come with more tannins than most white-wine drinkers are used to. Eat before you go.
  • Georgian hospitality at festivals means seconds. When a producer refills your glass without asking, it’s not a service error. It’s normal. Have a strategy.

Why May, Specifically

Spring is when Georgians themselves tend to go out and drink, before the heat of summer sets in and before the harvest crush of September–October. The festival calendar reflects that rhythm. You’ll be drinking alongside locals who are just as engaged as any visiting wine professional — and usually more opinionated.

The month also means the countryside is at its greenest and most photogenic. If you’re planning to combine festival visits with a drive through Kakheti or Kartli, the landscapes are worth the detour on their own.

Know of another festival happening in May that isn’t on this list? Leave a comment below and it’ll be added — this is meant to be a living list for anyone trying to plan around Georgia’s wine month.

This article will be updated as more ticket information becomes available for Merano and other events still to confirm dates. Last updated: April 2026.