Natural Wines at Bu da Khari in Batumi: Terroirs & Pet Nats

It has been a long time since I have written proper wine tasting notes or wine bar reviews.

Most probably, the closure of my own natural wine bar, Living Vino, was still a little too painful. When you build something around wine, hospitality, people, conversations and late evenings around the table, it does not simply disappear when the doors close. It stays with you.

But it has now been two years, and I think it is finally a good time to look around again and see what is happening in the natural wine scene here in Georgia.

I have already visited several local natural wine shops, bars and restaurants with interesting selections of Georgian and European natural wines. And, frankly, I think I have something to share with you. After all, my WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines and Spirits should not just sit there gathering dust.

So, let’s begin.

This article is written for adult readers of legal drinking age and is meant as an educational wine review, not an encouragement to overconsume. Natural wine is fascinating, but it is still wine, so drink slowly, thoughtfully and responsibly.

Why Bu da Khari?

I wanted to start with a venue I know personally because I recently had the honour of collaborating with them for my Mexican pop-up in Batumi.

Meet Bu da Khari, a family-run natural wine bar connected to the Minadze family winery. The bar has now celebrated 10 years since opening, which is already quite an achievement in the world of hospitality.

Beka Minadze is the winemaker behind the project, and he is extremely knowledgeable about Georgian terroirs, grape varieties and winemaking methods. I remember coming to their bar around six years ago and tasting natural wines mostly made from local and Imeretian grapes. These days, the range has expanded dramatically.

Now you can find Beka’s wines made from grapes grown across Georgia, showing different terroirs, different grape personalities and different production methods: from fresh whites and pet nats to carbonic reds and longer-aged wines matured in oak.

Beka says they are now making around 65 different styles from different grapes and regions. To me, that sounds like a hell of a lot of work, and maybe even a little excessive. But hey ho, every winemaker has their own strategy, and there is no doubt that curiosity is part of this family’s wine DNA.

What I Like About Their Natural Wines

As with many experimental natural wine projects, not everything lands equally well.

Some bottles are brilliant. Some are more challenging. Some experiments feel like they were worth it; others feel like skin contact or ageing in oak were not necessary.

But there are a few wines and grape varieties from Bu da Khari that I tend to enjoy consistently, year after year. These are the ones I would personally look for first.

Tsitska: Fresh, Bright and Better Left Alone

Tsitska is one of those Georgian white grapes that I prefer when it is allowed to stay fresh, clean and vibrant.

Personally, I would choose the versions that have not been made in a heavy amber style and have not spent time in oak. For me, Tsitska does not gain much from those methods. Quite the opposite: it can lose some of its tropical brightness and vibrant freshness.

At its best, Tsitska gives you a light to medium-bodied white wine with citrus, green apple and pineapple notes, high acidity and pronounced flavour. The aromas can sometimes be slightly less intense than the flavours, but that seems to be a feature I notice in quite a few Georgian wines.

This is a pleasantly fresh white wine that shines when it is left unmasked and undisturbed.

Tsolikouri: Round, Gentle and Food-Friendly

Tsolikouri is one of the great workhorse white grapes of Imereti.

That may sound slightly unromantic, but I do not mean it as an insult. Tsolikouri often has a rounder, softer and less immediately expressive character than Tsitska. It can sometimes feel a little modest on its own, but that also means the final result depends heavily on the winemaker.

You can blend it with a more aromatic grape, or you can leave it alone if there is something worth showing.

In Bu da Khari’s case, I enjoy the pleasant roundness, the delicate floral note, and the gentle white stone fruit character. It is less vivacious than Tsitska and not as sharply refreshing, but sometimes that is exactly what you want.

Think medium body, a touch of viscosity, soft fruit and a calmer, softer personality. It would work nicely with chicken, white fish, summer salads or vegetable dishes with a little richness.

Aladasturi: Playful, Juicy and One of My Favourites

Aladasturi is probably one of my favourite Georgian red grapes.

It can produce deliciously fresh, lower-alcohol, lighter-bodied wines that sit somewhere between rosé and light red. And when it is done well, it is absolutely charming.

I love its freshly scented red berry bouquet: red currants, sometimes wild strawberries in warmer years, and that playful, juicy, vibrant acidity. It is the kind of red wine that does not need to shout. It can simply be bright, fragrant and joyful.

Of course, as always with natural wine, it depends on the winemaker and the year. But when Aladasturi is good, I highly recommend trying it.

Otskhanuri Sapere: Dark, Structured and Serious

Otskhanuri Sapere is a completely different beast.

In many ways, it leans towards the character of Georgia’s most famous black grape, Saperavi. It is bold, full-bodied and structured, with dark fruit, black forest fruit and often a floral violet note.

What I love is when Otskhanuri Sapere manages to be powerful without becoming jammy. I want the structure, yes, but I also want freshness. I want the body, but I also want acidity. That balance is where the grape becomes exciting.

Bu da Khari’s Otskhanuri Sapere is intense and would benefit from decanting well in advance. But when it opens up, what a treat.

This is the kind of wine I would pair with stews, grilled meats, mushroom-heavy vegetarian dishes, umami-rich beans, or stronger hard cheeses. It has the structure to stand up to deeper, darker flavours.

Pet Nats and Experiments

I must also mention that the family is heavily focused on producing their own pet-nats.

So if natural sparkling wines are your thing, there is another reason to pay attention to what they are doing. Pet-nats can be playful, fresh, rustic and unpredictable, and that very much suits the spirit of Bu da Khari.

For natural wine freaks like me, there are also more experimental bottles to explore. Some show clearly how terroir influences the wine: more saline profiles here, more mineral tension there, different textures, different levels of grip and aromatic expression.

This is where the project becomes interesting beyond just “let’s have a glass of wine”. It becomes a small map of Georgian grapes, regions and winemaking decisions.

A Note on Oak in Natural Wine

Some natural wine purists are not particularly fond of oak. I understand the argument. If the oak is too loud, it can cover the grape, the place and the wine’s natural energy.

But I do not mind oak when it makes sense.

In fact, I quite like it when it is used with purpose – for example, to soften and round out a stronger, more structured grape like Otskhanuri Sapere.

I had the privilege of trying a seven-year-old wine that had spent more than three years in an old French oak barrel. And it was amazing. The oak did not feel accidental. It felt like time, patience and integration. That is the key difference.

My Verdict

Bu da Khari is not a place I would describe as neat, polished or predictable in a conventional wine bar sense. It is much more personal than that (see more at their instagram here).

It is a family project, a winemaker’s playground, a Georgian terroir library, and at times a beautiful reminder that natural wine is not meant to be standardised into perfect sameness.

Most of their natural wines are on the wilder side. Some experiments are more convincing than others. But the best bottles have character, place and energy – and that is exactly what I want from natural wine.

For me, the strongest wines to look for are the fresher Tsitska, the gentler Tsolikouri, the playful Aladasturi, and the more serious Otskhanuri Sapere. And if you enjoy natural sparkling wines, do not ignore the pet nats.

This feels like the right place to restart my natural wine notes and collabs.

More wine and bar reviews, tasting stories and Georgian grape explorations are coming soon.

Continue Reading

If you are new to this world, start with my guide to Natural Wine 101.

You may also enjoy my previous articles on what natural wines are, the myths of natural wine, and my wine and tacos pairing guide, because yes, I still believe tacos and wine deserve more enjoyment together.