Agriculture Minister Visits Wine Cellars in Kakheti Region

Levan Davitashvili, Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, together with local government representatives, visited Kakheti wine producers who are buying the grape harvest from local farmers.

According to the Minister, where in 2012 there were about 50 different wine enterprises or cellars in Georgia, today that number stands at 500.

“As a result of the correct state policy pursued in the viticulture and wine industry, the wine industry has been significantly strengthened in Georgia - exports of wine are up, resulting in increasing wine and wine production,” he added.

The Minister visited the Tornike Chubinidze Wine Cellar in Shilda village, in the Kvareli municipality of the Kakheti region.

Young winemaker Tornike Chubinidze moved from Tbilisi to Shilda in 2016. The same year, with the support of the preferential agro-credit program of the State, he built a wine cellar. In 2017, Chubinidze sent about 40,000 bottles of wine to export. 'Chubini Cellar' exports its own wine to four countries: Japan, China, France and the United States.

The Minister stated during his visit to the cellar that Chubinidze had, through his own motivation and state support, become a success story in a very short time.

“Now he produces wine, exports it and plans to increase production and develop the wine tourism of our country,” Davitashvili added.

According to Chubinidze himself, he sent his first batch of wine to the US several days ago, having found customers there with the help of the National Wine Agency after one of its many degustation events.

“This summer, our cellar hosted tourists interested in Georgian wine culture from about 15 countries. In the cellar we have 28 Qvevri of different volumes. We buy grapes from viniculturists, but in the future, I will definitely extend my vineyard and increase production,” Chubinidze told the Minister.

Davitashvili also visited the newly opened wine enterprise Askaneli, located in the village of Sanavardosho near Kvareli, which this year bought 3500 tons of grapes from local farmers.

The company carries out export of a wide variety of wine to 13 countries: Azerbaijan, Turkey, Armenia, Israel, France, Germany, Great Britain, Russia, Ukraine, China, Latvia, Poland and the United States.

“Due to the healthy conjuncture existing in the wine industry, the grape harvest process is underway without any problems in Georgia. Most of the grapes have already been picked. So far, 130 tons of grapes have been processed and the income of the local farmers has reached GEL 190 million,” the Minister noted.

By Thea Morrison

Photo source: Wines of Georgia