Organized by the National Wine Agency, a delegation of Japanese wine professionals recently visited Georgia. The 12-member group was led by Japan’s only Master of Wine, Kenichi Ohashi. As part of the tour, the guests visited wine companies and cellars in the Imereti and Racha regions.
Their impressions and evaluations will be published in Japanese magazines and blogs, helping to raise awareness of Georgian wine in the Japanese market.
Kenichi Ohashi is the head of Red Bridge, a marketing company contracted by the National Wine Agency. He expressed admiration for the rapid development of Georgia’s wine sector:
“The quality of Georgian wine is growing at an astonishing rate, which is truly impressive. I’ve visited Kakheti several times and this is my second time in Imereti. Every time I wonder—what’s new, what remains to be discovered? And every time, there is something new. I am not a winemaker, but I know many of them well, and I can clearly see the tremendous effort being made to improve quality and properly position Georgian wine on the global market. I feel this progress deeply. It's a great experience for me. I learn so much from your 8,000-year-old winemaking tradition. I truly respect this rich heritage. With your delicious cuisine and diverse wine styles, I am always happy to return,” said Ohashi.
During his visit, Kenichi Ohashi also served as a jury member at the 15th Georgia International Wine Award, part of the WinExpo Georgia 2025 international wine and spirits exhibition.
The first major presentation of Georgian wine in Japan took place in 2014. Since then, with ongoing government support, Georgian wine producers have regularly participated in prestigious international events such as Foodex Japan, Wine and Gourmet Japan, and RAW Wine Tokyo. Tastings and presentations are held in multiple Japanese cities, while wine tours in Georgia continue to be organized for Japanese wine professionals and media representatives.
It’s worth noting that Japan represents one of the fastest-growing and most premium markets for Georgian wine. The average price per liter of Georgian wine in Japan now exceeds $6 USD, underscoring the value and positioning of the product in this high-end segment.
