“The Ongoing Reform Aims to Ensure Exceptionally High Quality of Georgian Wine,” Says Levan Mekhuzla

Levan Mekhuzla, Chairman of the National Wine Agency of Georgia, spoke about the ongoing reform aimed at improving wine quality during a meeting with producers.

According to a resolution of the Government of Georgia, in the event of surplus harvest and if the private sector does not express interest in purchasing grapes, the state has set the following purchase prices per 1 kg of grapes:

For grape varieties permitted under the Law of Georgia “On Vine and Wine”:

• Sugar content above 20% – 1.30 GEL
• Sugar content between 17% and 20% – 0.80 GEL
• Sugar content below 17% – 0.30 GEL

For Saperavi grapes:

• Sugar content above 22% – 1.50 GEL
• Sugar content between 17% and 22% – 0.90 GEL
• Sugar content below 17% – 0.30 GEL

In addition, amendments to the Law of Georgia “On Vine and Wine” stipulate that, starting from May 1 of this year, permission for establishing commercial vineyards will be issued by the National Wine Agency of Georgia. Such authorization will be required for individuals who decide to plant vineyards for commercial purposes after this date.

“We all agree that wine quality starts in the vineyard and with the grapes. There is no alternative path for future development—only quality. During the harvest, we already introduced price differentiation based on grape quality last year. Experience has shown that even greater emphasis must be placed on quality. Everyone must recognize their responsibility for the future of the sector and focus on vineyard care and the cultivation of high-quality grapes to produce quality wine,” said Levan Mekhuzla.

The meeting also covered innovations introduced in recent years that have positively impacted the grape delivery process, including electronic scales, which have simplified and made the weighing process more reliable.

The meeting with producers at the National Wine Agency was conducted in a Q&A format.