Vino Underground

Vino Underground is a natural wine bar at 15 Galaktion Tabidze Street in central Tbilisi, Georgia, near Freedom Square. It is a basement bar run by a collective of artisan winemakers, and has operated since 2012. The aim is to present small family-made Georgian wines that are rarely exported, with a list of about 100 qvevri wines. Qvevri winemaking, in which grapes are fermented and aged in buried clay vessels, is a Georgian tradition recognised by UNESCO, and the bar is among the more accessible places in Tbilisi to taste a wide range of producers in one sitting. The menu is built around wine rather than a kitchen: qvevri wine flights are the signature order, while cheese and charcuterie plates provide food to accompany the glasses. Staff are used to explaining grape varieties such as Rkatsiteli, Saperavi, Mtsvane and Kisi, and the amber skin-contact whites are a frequent starting point for visitors new to the style. The room is a low-lit, cellar-like space with a convivial, relaxed atmosphere, a mix of locals, wine collectors and travellers and moderate noise that rises in the evening. Dress is casual. Prices are moderate, roughly 35-90 GEL per person (about USD 13-34), depending on the number of glasses ordered, which suits those wanting a tasting without a full restaurant bill. Listings give closing at about 11PM, though opening times are not confirmed. The bar mainly takes walk-ins; the phone number +995 599 08 09 84 can be used to check seating or a group booking. Because the wine list is large and rotates with the producers, asking staff for recommendations by style or region such as Kakheti, Imereti or Kartli is a practical approach. The bar is a short walk from the Rustaveli area, so it suits an early-evening stop before dinner.