Agriculture Minister claims potential to “significantly increase” wine export to US

Georgian Agriculture Minister Otar Shamugia said there was a "great opportunity" for Georgian wine exports to the United States market, adding the Ministry would work to explore the direction.

The Ministry on Monday quoted Shamugia as saying the country had exported over a million bottles of wine to the American market, with a 15 percent increase observed in 2022. The Minister nevertheless added “these indicators do not satisfy us, and we have the ambition to have much higher results; We have the resources for that”.

Shamugia said the Ministry was spending approximately ₾12 million ($4.08mln/€3.99mln) for the promotion of Georgian wine and that the budget allocated for promotion would increase in the coming years. 

Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge

In order to raise awareness of Georgian wine in the US, the Ministry has partnered with the US-based marketing company Marq Wine Group. Julie Peterson, the founder of the company, told Sommelier Business that Georgian wine exports had seen a 29 percent year-over-year growth since the launch of the cooperation. 

In early 2022 Peterson announced Georgian wine exports to the States had "surpassed the initial volume goal". She said demand for Georgian wine "continues to climb along with its value" in the country. She also called the product Georgian winegrowers' "greatest weapon of resistance" in the wake of the precarious economic relationship with Russia.

Qvevri, a large, ancient Georgian winemaking vessel. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge

"Wine is their number one value-added export. Before the first embargo in 2006, their exports to Russia topped 90 percent, meaning Russia could cripple the country economically at the drop of a hat. Georgia has been able to bring this down to now under 60 percent. By decreasing Georgia's reliance on exports to Russia, they can weaken one of the tools that the country could potentially use (and one they have used twice in the past) against them”, she noted to the publication.

"By supporting Georgian winemakers, we have the ability not only to explore and enjoy these incredible wines cultivated and protected for centuries but, as an industry, we can be an effective tool in the dangerous geopolitical battle taking place in Eurasia right now. Resistance by wine. Our ability to provide this makes me very proud to be part of this industry", Peterson said.