Can Georgian wine win over global drinkers? – this is a title of an article published by BBC today.

As the article notes Georgia is considered to be the birthplace of winemaking.  Author of the article says that he tasted the Georgian wine from 2,000 litres qvevri.

“For centuries winemaking has been a key part of the Georgian economy, with most exports going to Russia. The relationship has, however, not always worked in Georgia’s favour”, – reads the article.

Author of the article points out that after Russia’s embargo in 2006, when Moscow banned Georgian wine importation, Georgia begun searching for new partners and currently country is exporting the wine to 55 countries. “Although Russia repealed the embargo in 2013, Georgia now exports its wine to 55 countries. And while Russia is still its largest export market, its share has fallen to 62%. It is followed by Ukraine at 12%, China 8% and Kazakhstan 4%. Overall exports last year were 18% higher than in 2017.” – reads the article.

Irakli Cholobargia, Head of Marketing and Public Relations Department of the National Wine Agency, says they are now increasingly focusing on western Europe and North America.

In volume we are not the big country,” he says. “Our maximum capacity [for production] now is 300 million bottles a year, which is the size of one big Australian winery.

“We cannot compete with France, Spain, Chile and South Africa [in size], but what we offer is our uniqueness, our grape varieties, and qvevri wine, our history.

“Our strategy now is to be established in the Western and Asian markets, and to diversify the whole export market.” – He said.