“The Grape Harvest in Kakheti Is at Its Peak” — National Wine Agency

The grape harvest in Kakheti is at its peak, according to the National Wine Agency. As of 24 September, nearly 48,000 tonnes of grapes had been processed across the region, including 34,500 tonnes classified as high quality.

Of the processed grapes, 29,000 tonnes were Saperavi, 12,400 tonnes were Rkatsiteli, and the remainder comprised other grape varieties.

The state-owned Harvest Management Company is accepting grapes from growers at 21 locations across various municipalities in Kakheti. Private wine companies are also actively involved, and the harvest is progressing in most municipalities throughout the region.

Approximately 500 wine companies are currently registered with the harvest coordination headquarters and will gradually join the grape intake process.

To ensure an orderly harvest and the sale of the entire crop, the Georgian government has decided that, in the event of a surplus, all grape growers will have the opportunity to sell their grapes. For this purpose, Harvest Management Company LLC is purchasing grapes grown in Kakheti from individual growers under the following conditions:

Saperavi grapes meeting quality standards, with a sugar content of at least 20%, are purchased at GEL 1.50 per kilogram. Saperavi with a sugar content between 16% and 20% is purchased at GEL 1.00 per kilogram, while grapes with a sugar content below 16% are purchased at GEL 0.50 per kilogram.

For Rkatsiteli and other wine grape varieties permitted under Georgia’s Law on Vine and Wine, grapes with a sugar content of at least 19% are purchased at GEL 1.30 per kilogram. Grapes with a sugar content between 16% and 19% are purchased at GEL 0.90 per kilogram, while those with a sugar content below 16% are purchased at GEL 0.50 per kilogram.