The Government of Georgia reviewed and approved this week a draft law on amendments to the Law of Georgia on Vine and Wine, aimed at supporting the production of high-quality, competitive alcoholic beverages of grape origin and ensuring compliance with the requirements of local and international markets. Under the new regulation, starting next year, the establishment of commercial vineyards will require prior approval, which will be issued by the National Wine Agency of Georgia.
“Wine consumption has declined somewhat on the global market, while competition and overproduction have intensified worldwide. Therefore, we believe that the spontaneous establishment of vineyards observed over the past decade needs to be regulated. The focus must ultimately be on the quality of the final product—wine. Everything, from soil, exposure, location, grape variety, and rootstock, must meet standards that allow us to obtain high-quality grapes for producing the best wines. The purpose of the legislative changes is to present international markets with wines of the highest quality, made from top-quality grapes,” said Levan Mekhuzla, Chairman of the National Wine Agency.
According to the Agency Chair, particular attention will be paid to grape quality during the 2026 harvest in order to ensure wine quality.
“Despite the fact that there were two different price categories during this year’s harvest, some growers still tend to focus on quantity rather than grape condition and quality. There were cases when grapes of very low quality—such as those with sugar content of 15–16%—were delivered, which is unacceptable even for spirit production. Therefore, next year a new price category will be introduced: grapes with sugar content below 17% will be purchased at a significantly lower price. I would like to advise and ask all grape growers to place maximum emphasis on quality rather than quantity. Under Georgia’s conditions, achieving a sugar content of 17% in grapes is easily attainable,” Levan Mekhuzla stated.
