The FINANCIAL — According to the Department of Statistics for Georgia, the total amount of Georgian wine export in 2007 was 29,197,40 (1 000 USD).
When Russia placed an embargo on Georgian wine in spring 2006, the industry suffered the loss of its biggest market. Georgia used to export 90 percent of its wine to Russia. Countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States remain the biggest buyers of Georgian wine, but exports have increased to Poland, Germany, the UK and the US.
As for the separate markets, the amount of wine export to the USA was 1,584,20 (1 000 USD), Belarus – 1,452,92 (1 000 USD), Latvia – 1,531,40 (1 000 USD), Poland – 1,131,54 (1 000 USD), Ukraine – 14,798,43 (1 000 USD).
According to the State Department of Vine & Wine Samtrest, the total volume of Georgian wines exported in the 1st Q of 2008 was 1,635,602 litres, 1,010,666 litres out of which were to Ukraine, 136,661 litres – to Latvia, 81,441 litres – Belarus.
Recently Georgian winemakers have responded to the statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who said a few days ago that Russia was prepared to resume wine import from Georgia and have kind, friendly relations with its Southern neighbour.
The Union of Georgian wine-producers says that if Lavrov’s statement is not just a political statement and it really aims at resuming political negotiations about the issue, the Georgian side is prepared to start cooperation.
The founders of the Georgian Wine Producers’ Union are the leading Georgian wine-producing companies: Georgian Wines & Spirits – GWS, Teliani Valley, Tbilvino, Khetsuriani, Wineman, Shumi, Vazi-1, Askaneli Brothers, Telavi Wine Cellar.
The main reason for founding the Georgian Wine Producers’ Union was the threat of losing the trust of consumers in the category Georgian Wine in the chief export markets – Russia and Ukraine, which in turn may cause irreversible damage to the image and sales of Georgian wine.Â
From April 30 to May 2 the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry together with the National Museum of Georgia held the first National Georgian Wine Competition – Georgia – Cradle of Wine. 25 Georgian wine-making companies took part in the 8 nominations of the competition.
“The aim of the competition from Georgia’s point of view is to help improve the quality of Georgian wines, to make sure that the wines which are being made are suitable for international markets like the United Kingdom,” Tom Cannavan, Head of the Jury, told The FINANCIAL.
In Cannavan’s words they buy wines from all over the world, from Europe: France, Spain, also from South Africa and Australia. These are markets which are very sophisticated. The event helps Georgia tell them which types of wines the local market is most satisfied with and proud of.
“There are good wines in Georgia already. We have to taste 200 wine varieties. I wouldn’t be surprised if about half of the wines are already good enough for our markets and then we could define what could be done for the other half to make them more suitable for international markets,” claimed Cannavan.
The winning wines were awarded with special prizes and medals and the rest of the successful wines – with special diplomas. There were 11 nominations, 28 companies and 200 wine samples.
The wine-testing was started in Sighnaghi, Kakheti on 30 April and was finished on May 1. The awarding of the winner companies was being held on 2 May in Sighnaghi National Museum.
On April 21 Bank of Georgia transferred a USD 1 million lottery award to the Sighnaghi National Museum for safe-keeping. The prize will be raffled off on December 30, 2008.
The museum is in a 19th century building equipped with modern security systems.
Sighnaghi’s economy is dominated by the production of wine and traditional carpets. The town and its environs are also known for their landscapes and historical monuments. Sighnaghi has recently undergone a fundamental reconstruction program and has become an important centre of Georgia’s tourist industry.
The testing was done in blind method. 28 Georgian wine companies participated in the competition.
The nominee’s were: white wines, dry with oak influence (WDWO); white wines, dry with no oak influence (WDNO); white wines, traditional style, fermented with skins (WT); white wines, semi-dry (WSD); white wines, semi-sweet (WSS); red wines, dry, light-bodied (RDL); red wines, dry full-bodied (RDF); red wines, semi-dry (RSD); red wines, semi-sweet (RSS); Chacha; Sparkling wine.
The Gold Medal winners:
Chacha – Chacha Gold by LTD Vazi +
Red wines, semi-sweet – Alazani Valley by LTD Vazi +; Khvantchkara by LTD Aleqsandreuli
White wines, semi-sweet – Tvishi by JSC Teliani Valley
White wines, traditional style, fermented with skins (WT) – Kakhuri Samefo, by LTD Kindzmaraulis Marani
White wines, dry with no oak influence (WDNO) – Kakhuri Tsaarchinebuli, by LTD Badagoni
White wines, dry with oak influence (WDWO) – Gvino marani kondoli, by JSC Telavi Wine Celler; Winandali Gansakutrebuli Marani by JSC Tbilvino
“The purpose of the competition is the popularization of Georgian wines as well as propaganda of the country’s history and culture and promotion of Georgia as the oldest wine-making region. Besides, this kind of arrangement will raise the culture of wine consumption in the country and contribute to developing healthy competition between the producers and improving the products’ quality,” said Nugzar Ksovreli, Expert of wine.
“The Georgian National Wine Competition – Georgia the Motherland of Wine is being held for the second time by the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry together with the Georgian National Museum and Wine History Foundation. The aim of the event is to promote Georgia as an ancient wine producing country,” Giorgi Kakabadze, General Director of Georgian Chamber of Commerce, told The FINANCIAL.
The Wine History Foundation, Georgia – the Cradle of Wine was established with the initiative of the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry together with the Georgian National Museum.
The Wine History Foundation plans to arrange consultations with wine producing companies, arrange wine competitions, conferences, seminars and discussions. The Foundation will issue information and methodological materials on wine making and wine history. A special web page will be created and learning courses will be organized.
Any legal or physical person may become a member of the Wine History Foundation.
Besides, there will be a Wine Club that will systematically arrange meetings to discuss issues related to winery and wine tasting. Cultural events will be arranged in Georgia as well as abroad.
“Last year many Georgian companies increased in markets like Ukraine, Kazakhstan, the Baltic States. The export of Georgian wine doubled in the European Union as well,” said Kakabadze.
The appraisal of the presented wines took place by means of the blind method. The competition’s jury was staffed with famous wine experts, including Georgian one: Nugzar Ksovreli and the same Chairman: Tom Cannavan (Great Britain).
“This competition will help improve wine quality, healthy competition, export and wine popularization in general,” said Ksovreli.
Georgia is the oldest wine producing region of Europe, if not the world. Because of this, it is often referred to as “The birth place of wine” or “The cradle of wine making”. The fertile valleys of the South Caucasus, which Georgia straddles, are believed by many archaeologists to be the source of the world’s first cultivated grapevines and neolithic wine production, over 7000 years ago. Many also believe that the etymology of the word wine comes from the Georgian word for wine – gvino. Due to the many millennia of wine in Georgian history, the traditions of its viticulture are entwined and inseparable with the country’s national identity.
Among the best-known regions of Georgia where wine is produced are Kakheti (further divided into the micro-regions of Telavi and Kvareli), Kartli, Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi, Kvemo Svaneti and Abkhazia.
Recently
On April 10, 2008 German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in cooperation with the 10th CTF 2008 Caucasus Travel Fair held a one day wine tourism symposium at the Expo Georgia exhibition centre.
GTZ-project Private Sector Development in Georgia organized an International Wine Symposium Wine Tourism Facts & Trends – a Benchmark for Georgia. Experts from Croatia, Germany, Italy, Serbia and Romania together with local experts discussed the fundamental wine tourism facts and trends and presented the best practise samples from their countries. Finally the panel discussion gave everybody the chance to discuss the questions raised by the experts.
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