Georgian wine exports to UK surge amid rising recognition

By James Bayley

Published: 01 August, 2024

Georgian wines have recently achieved notable success at major wine competitions in the UK, winning 28 gold, 146 silver, one platinum medal and one trophy across IWC, IWSC and DWWA events.

In the first half of 2024, Georgia exported 54.5 million litres of wine worth $156.7m to 61 countries. This includes a significant increase in exports to the UK, which saw the highest growth rate in recent years, with volume up by 28% and value up by 17% compared to the same period in 2023, according to the National Wine Agency of Georgia.

Sarah Abbott MW, whose company Swirl Wine Group runs the Wines of Georgia campaign in the UK, said: “We’re at a tipping point for Georgian wine and I think it’s the most thrilling new old-world wine country for buyers looking for great wines with unique stories.

Read more: Australian wine exports reach $2.2 billion

“As producers continue to understand what export markets find compelling about Georgia and its wines, and as quality continues to improve, we are seeing sustained year-on-year growth. The evidence is clear to see not only in the sales figures but also in the huge number of gold and silver medals awarded to Georgian wines recently.”

Meanwhile, recent research by the IWSR highlights significant growth in the UK market for Georgian wines over the last four years, peaking between 2022 and 2023. Despite its small market share, Georgian wine has shown steady volume growth, increasing by 13.7% from 2018 to 2023.

Abbott added: “The figures published by the IWSR demonstrate that the investment made by the National Wine Agency of Georgia in the UK over the last seven years is paying off. Many national retailers now list at least one Georgian wine, and importers both large and small have added Georgian wines to their portfolio. The support for Georgia from the UK’s indies and on-trade has always been strong and this has really helped establish the Georgian category firmly on the UK’s wine landscape.”

The campaign for the rest of the year will include Georgian Palate food and wine matching masterclasses in Manchester and London, as well as a trip to Georgia for UK trade and press in October.

Printer friendly version