The Chairman of the National Wine Agency, Levan Mekhuzla, has announced that beginning next year, price differentials for grapes will be further tightened based on quality. As he explained, the move aims to ensure that only high-quality grapes are used in winemaking to strengthen the reputation of Georgian wine in international markets.
This year, by government decision, the state enterprise Crop Management Company purchased surplus grapes at differentiated prices: 1.50 GEL for Saperavi grapes harvested in Kakheti, 1.20 GEL for other permitted varieties, and 1.00 GEL for substandard or damaged grapes. Mekhuzla emphasized that this pricing policy has set an important precedent for improving standards in the wine industry.
“A very important decision was made regarding quality, that grapes of different quality have different prices. This approach will remain in force next year and will become even more stringent,” Mekhuzla stated. He added that while heavy rainfall in Kakheti affected grape quality in some areas, the private sector still managed to harvest high-quality grapes for winemaking.
According to the National Wine Agency, around 336,000 tons of grapes were processed in Georgia’s winemaking regions this year, a record high for the past 30 years. Roughly 22,000 winegrowers participated in the harvest, earning a total of 475 million GEL, with Kakheti accounting for 327,000 tons and 432 million GEL in revenue. The harvest has been completed across Georgia, except for the Lechkhumi region, where it will conclude in the coming days.
