British Wine Professionals Explore Georgian Wines in Kartli and Kakheti

A 12-member delegation of British wine trade professionals and Swirl Wine Group representatives visited Georgia on a tour organised by the National Wine Agency and its contracted partner, Swirl Wine Group, to raise awareness of Georgian wine and support export growth in the UK.

The group included hospitality professionals, sommeliers, wine buyers, importers, distributors and retailers.

Participants visited wineries and wine producers in Kartli and Kakheti, exploring Georgia’s centuries-old winemaking history, culture and traditions while tasting wines in a variety of styles.

At Nikala’s Wine Cellar in Kardenakhi, a village in Gurjaani Municipality, the delegation attended a tasting featuring wines from members of the Natural Wine Association. The event introduced guests to a diverse selection of Georgian natural wines.

The programme also included a walkaround tasting in Tbilisi, where approximately 10 Georgian wine producers presented their wines and received feedback and recommendations from the British professionals.

The National Wine Agency has worked with Swirl Wine Group, led by Sarah Abbott MW, since 2015 to strengthen Georgian wine’s presence in the UK market.

During the first nine months of this year, Georgia exported nearly 310,000 litres of wine to the UK, a 43% increase compared with the same period last year.