Former head of the National Wine Agency, Giorgi Samanishvili, says the new regulation requiring government approval for planting commercial vineyards will not have any impact on grape oversupply, at least for the next three years. He argues the measure is not a real restriction but a bureaucratic barrier that mainly affects small growers.
According to him, large producers will continue expanding vineyards without significant obstacles, meaning the policy will not address structural overproduction issues in the sector. He also criticized the assumption that the rule will improve grape quality, calling the link between permits and quality “incorrect and overly simplistic.”
Samanishvili further noted that countries often cited as examples, such as those in Western Europe or California, use similar licensing systems for different reasons — mainly to control vineyard expansion rather than improve quality. He added that Georgia’s version of the policy does not reflect those objectives.
He concluded that the changes will neither improve quality nor meaningfully affect future harvests, but will instead create additional barriers for small-scale winegrowers. From May 1, 2026, commercial vineyard planting in Georgia will require approval from the National Wine Agency, while personal-use vineyards remain exempt.
