Wine tunnel of Khareba in the Kakheti Region of Georgia

In Alazani Valley in Meurneoba district, Kvareli, among the famed Kakheti Region of Georgia – the centre of wine making – is Winery Khareba’s wine tunnel – the Gvirabi.

Constructed in 1959, the wine tunnel opened in 1962 as part of the World Wine Congress. It was carved into the side of the Caucasus mountain range, hence the rock is known as Caucasus rock. In Soviet times, the wine tunnel held all of Georgia's wine.

There are two parallel wine tunnels: (1) a tunnel for tourists and wine tours, and (2) the working or industrial tunnel where the wine is stored. There are also 13 smaller perpendicular tunnels linking the two long parallel tunnels. In total the cumulative length of the tunnels is 7.7 kilometres (4.8 miles).

The temperature of the industrial tunnel is 12-14 degrees Celsius (53-57 Fahrenheit) and the humidity is 70% all year round.

The wines are aged in French oak barrels and stored in bottles and steel tanks. About 25 million litres of wine is currently stored in the wine tunnel of Khareba in the Kakheti Region of Georgia.

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