Wine companies say the new approach announced by Georgia’s National Wine Agency for the upcoming 2026 harvest is acceptable and could positively impact grape quality. Under the revised system, the price gap between different quality levels will widen further. Current plans indicate that white grapes with 17–20% sugar content will be purchased at 0.80 GEL per kilogram, while grapes with more than 20% sugar will receive 1.30 GEL. Grapes below 17% sugar are considered unsuitable for winemaking and will be priced below 0.80 GEL.
According to Tornike Chikadze, General Director of Rtvelisi, differentiating grape prices during harvest will ultimately improve quality across the sector. He says the company welcomes the National Wine Agency’s initiative. “Pricing must be based on quality. It is impossible for all grapes from all regions to be valued equally when the cost of care and labor varies so much. Paying less for low-quality grapes and more for higher-quality, high-sugar grapes is an objective and fair approach that will help producers manage quality, budgets, and future sales more effectively,” Chikadze told BMG.
He added that the new system will give growers stronger motivation to produce better grapes and be fairly compensated for their work. “The announced prices are logical. Vineyard maintenance requires significant investment, and growers’ efforts should be rewarded,” he said.
Chikadze also emphasized that, in the long term, Georgia’s grape-growing sector should transition fully to market-based principles and move away from state subsidies. “A free market means the market itself regulates prices without artificial interference. Ultimately, we must reach a point where demand - not regulation - determines value. If sales increase, grapes become more in demand; if sales decline, demand decreases. It’s simple logic,” he noted.
