Georgian Wine Spotlighted at Prestigious Shanghai International Wine Challenge — A Full Day Dedicated to Georgian Entries
With the support of Georgia’s National Wine Agency, Georgian wine was prominently featured in Shanghai at the prestigious Shanghai International Wine Challenge (SIWC), where one of the five competition days was fully dedicated to Georgian wine. The event was attended by the Chairman of the National Wine Agency, Levan Mekhuzla.
Now in its 19th edition, the SIWC has been held annually since 2006. Its mission is to showcase the world’s highest-quality wines and strengthen international trade and cultural ties within the Chinese market. This year, over 200 Georgian wines were presented at the competition.
“SIWC is an essential platform for wine producers to showcase their products to professionals, media, and consumers. Award-winning wines gain broad recognition and media coverage. Last year’s competition featured over 500 wines from 20 countries, including France, Spain, Hungary, and Australia,” said Levan Mekhuzla.
Organized by the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, the competition involves blind tasting by a panel of approximately 80 wine professionals, ensuring objectivity and transparency. Awards are presented in the categories of Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Trophy.
As part of the event, a Georgian wine masterclass and tasting session was also held, led by Levan Mekhuzla and Anna Godabrelidze, Chairwoman of the National Wine Agency’s State Tasting Commission. The session was attended by wine professionals, importers, distributors, media, and consumers.
China remains one of Georgia’s most strategic export markets for wine. Since the launch of a targeted marketing campaign in 2013, China has become one of the top five destinations for Georgian wine exports. According to data from January–May 2025, Georgia exported 1.4 million liters of wine to China, marking a 65% increase over the same period last year.
In 2025, Georgian wine has also been presented at several major Chinese exhibitions, including the Fine Wine Hotel Exhibition, The China Food & Drinks Fair, RAW Wine Shanghai, and Interwine China 2025.
