Georgian Wine - National Wine Agency

“Georgia is the cradle of wine. This is a source of pride, but it also places a responsibility on us to ensure that Georgian wine is competitive. Wine begins in the vineyard, and the grapes from which it is made must be of high quality,” said National Wine Agency Chairman Levan Mekhuzla, commenting on the progress of the grape harvest.
He discussed the pricing rules that set different prices according to grape quality.
“The category of grapes unsuitable for winemaking was priced at 30 tetri, and such grapes account for 0.5% of the total harvest processed. We are talking about unripe produce rather than wine grapes. When the state purchased grapes of all quality levels at the same price, this approach created the wrong incentive for growers. They no longer paid sufficient attention to vineyard care because they could sell grapes of any quality at the same price. Differentiated prices also influence the approach of private companies, which assess growers’ grapes according to quality,” Levan Mekhuzla said.
As of 29 September, nearly 113,500 tonnes of grapes have been processed in Kakheti
At this stage, of the 113,500 tonnes of grapes processed, nearly 79,100 tonnes are of high quality and meet the required standards. Poor-quality and unripe grapes account for only 0.7% of the total harvest.
The grape harvest in Kakheti is at its peak: nearly 14,000 tonnes of grapes were processed over the past 24 hours.
Nearly 8,300 growers in Kakheti have delivered their grape harvest.
To ensure that the harvest proceeds smoothly and that the entire crop can be sold, the Government of Georgia has decided that, in the event of a surplus harvest, all growers will have the opportunity to deliver their grapes. For this purpose, Harvest Management Company LLC is accepting grapes grown in Kakheti from individuals under the established terms:
For Saperavi grapes, the price per kilogram is GEL 1.50 for a sugar content of at least 20%, GEL 1.00 for a sugar content from 16% to below 20%, and 50 tetri for a sugar content below 16%.
For Rkatsiteli and other wine grapes, the price per kilogram is GEL 1.30 for a sugar content of at least 19%, 90 tetri for a sugar content from 16% to 19%, and 50 tetri for a sugar content below 16%.
The grape delivery process is coordinated by the Harvest Coordination Center in Gurjaani. Information about the harvest is available through the hotlines: 1501 and 032 2 19 37 18.