How to buy good quality Georgian wine and local specialties (churchkhela, lemonade) in Batumi without getting a fake or low-quality tourist product?

Natakhtari lemonade bought in Georgia tastes noticeably better and more natural than the version exported to Russia — the feijoa flavor especially is worth trying from local supermarkets.

Good homemade wine is rarely sold to tourists in tourist areas — supply is limited and it goes to locals. Draft wine, even factory-made at chains like KTW or Agrohub, is usually mediocre. It's safer to buy pricier factory-bottled wine, though its price/quality ratio is worse than European wines.

There's essentially no difference in buying factory-bottled wine as a gift in Tbilisi versus Batumi — the range is the same, so you can just buy it in Batumi without a special trip to Tbilisi.

The best churchkhela comes from the Kakheti region, where grapes are more abundant and sweeter — that's what's usually sold in Tbilisi. Before buying, break one open: walnut-filled churchkhela sometimes has visible mold inside (not noticeable by taste), while hazelnut versions rarely have this issue.

There's a common opinion that more Georgian wine is sold across the CIS than the country's grape harvest could realistically produce — including bottles labeled as premium Khvanchkara sold in Russian retail chains.

Following the same logic, it's doubtful the whole of Georgia has enough Alexandrouli and Mujuretuli grapes (grown in the Racha region) to account for all the Khvanchkara sold abroad — the same skepticism applies to other wine brands too.