Georgia is exporting too much low-cost wine, which may damage the international reputation of its wine industry, warns Giorgi Samanishvili, former head of the National Wine Agency and wine management expert.
His comments come amid a 22% drop in wine exports in the first half of 2025, with total exports amounting to $122 million.
“The main reason for the decline is Russia’s excise tax hike in May 2024. Last year, importers bought in bulk to avoid higher taxes, which artificially inflated shipments,” Samanishvili told BMG.
While he expects the market to stabilize, he warns that the dominance of cheap segment wine remains a long-term challenge.
“Some producers are exporting wine so cheap it undermines years of industry effort. We need a unified approach to focus on quality and value, even if volumes drop. Income is more important than quantity.”
He added that wine consumption growth is slowing globally, making it even more important for Georgia to focus on sustainable markets and shift toward high-quality, higher-priced wine exports.
