Pongino Wine, a winery located in Georgia’s Sagarejo municipality, has seen both sales and visitor numbers decline by around 30% amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, according to founder Gulnara Romanadze.
Speaking to BM.GE, Romanadze said the downturn was largely driven by canceled bookings from Israel, one of the winery’s key tourism markets. However, she noted that visitors from the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and Poland have become increasingly prominent this year, while arrivals from Italy have also grown.
Romanadze said it remains too early to assess the full impact on the 2026 tourism season, adding that the situation will become clearer by September. She noted that Pongino Wine targets the premium tourism segment, attracting visitors interested in high-quality wine, authentic Georgian hospitality and family-run winemaking traditions.
Founded in 2017 in the village of Khashmi, Pongino Wine produces premium appellation wines, including Khashmi Saperavi, Kisi, Muscat and Rkatsiteli. In addition to wine production, the winery offers tastings and masterclasses as part of its wine tourism business.
