Tbilisi International Wine Award winners revealed

Wine lovers all over the globe have a lot to thank Georgia for, because that’s where wine was first produced.

The country, where 8,000-year-old wine jars were once discovered, hosted the only international wine and spirts fair in the Caucasus region this weekend.

This year was the 8th international wine and spirts fair and the seventh time a special awards ceremony was held to praise the top wines of the event.

A group of international wine experts recognised the 30 best wines over several categories. The international jury consisted of wine experts from the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Germany, Australia and Georgia, and they were tasked to identify the best wines in five categories: dry white qvevri (underground clay jar), dry red qvevri wine, dry white, dry red and red semi-sweet.

Director General of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), Jean-Marie Aurand, was a special guest of the event.

The winners of the 7th International Wine Award were:

Dry white qvevri wine:

• Gold – Mtsvane ("Shalauri Marani” company)
• Gold – Rkatsiteli ("Satsnakheli” company)
• Gold - Rkatsiteli ("Vazi+” company)
• Gold – Kisi ("Vazi+” company)
• Gold – Temis Rkatsiteli ("Temi” union)
• Silver – Khikhvi ("Gravisi” company)
• Silver – Kakhuri Mtsvane ("Gotsa’s Family Farm”)
• Silver – Premium Rkatsiteli ("Manaveli” company)
• Silver – Qvevris Mtsvane ("Winery Khareba” company)
• Silver – Kisi Mildiani ("Tsinandali Old Cellar” company)
• Silver – Rkatsiteli Manaveli ("Manaveli” company)

Dry red qvevri wine:

• Gold – Otskhanuri Sapere ("Winery Khareba” company)
• Silver - Usakhelauriი ("Gravisi” company)

Dry white wine:

• Gold - Tsinandali ("Besini” company)
• Gold - Kakhuri ("Kakhetian Wine Cellar” company)
• Silver – Iveria Kisi ("Kakhetian Traditional Winery” company)
• Silver – Iveria Khikhvi ("Kakhetian Traditional Wnery” company)
• Silver – Santeli Tsinandali ("Wine Man” company)
• Silver – Ikalto Tsinandali ("Wine Man” company)
• Silver – Wine Man Tsinandali ("Wine Man” company)
• Silver - Chardonnay Grand Reserve ("Weingut Bernhard Koch” company)
• Silver - Tsinandali ("Tbilgvino” company)

Dry red wine:

• Gold - Mukuzani ("Kimerioni” company)
• Gold - Medoc ("Rousseau De Slpian” company)
• Silver - Saperavi Special Harvest ("Tbilgvino” company)
• Silver - Pino Noir Grand Reserve ("Weingut Bernhard Koch” company)
• Silver – Mukuzani Iberiuli ("Shumi” company)
• Silver – Kasris (barrel) Saperavi ("Giuani” company)

Red semi-sweet wine:

• Silver - Kindzmarauli ("Winery Khareba” company)
• Silver - Kindzmarauli ("Askaneli Brothers” company)

Meanwhile the 8th international wine and spirts fair, named WinExpo Georgia 2015, brought together more than 100 companies from Georgia, Germany, Ukraine, Moldova, Portugal and Italy at the Expo Georgia Trade Fair Centre.

Over the weekend visitors had a chance to sample Georgian wine, cheese produced by traditional Georgian technology and other classic products from Georgia.