New Georgian wine month initiative to launch this October

By Oliver Catchpole

Published: 05 August, 2026

Wines of Georgia UK is launching a new Georgian Wine Month initiative, inviting wine shops, restaurants and bars to take part in a celebration of the ancient winemaking country.

The Month will begin on International Orange Wine Day (5 October) – a category Georgia is credited with creating – and will feature a national PR push and a digital campaign on @georgianwineuk.

A host of trade and consumer assets will be provided to participating venues free of charge, such as tasting notes, producer profiles and educational content and imagery.

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This initiative comes during a strong growth period for Georgian wine in the UK market, with a positive CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 13.7% in terms of volume and 16.8% in terms of value between 2018 and 2023 (IWSR).

Since 2023, this volume CAGR has held steady at 13.8%, with forecasts pointing to volume growth from around 36,000 nine-litre cases in 2025 to roughly 49,000 by 2030.

Value growth has also remained consistent.

Part of this expansion can be attributed to the increasing popularity of orange wine over the past decade, a category that Georgia has been making for over 8,000 years.

The traditional method – which involves fermenting white grapes on their skins in clay quevri – has been recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, and remains in use in Georgia today.

The category continues to see strong momentum in the UK, with increasing numbers of listings across specialist retailers and the on-trade.

Sarah Abbott MW, who heads up the Wines of Georgia campaign in the UK, explained: “Georgia isn't chasing the orange wine trend, it invented it eight thousand years ago. For a trade that's constantly hunting for something with genuine provenance, this is about as authentic as it gets: a living heritage which is recognised by UNESCO, and still being made the same way today.

“Georgian Wine Month is a chance for wine shops and restaurants to offer their customers something with real heritage, not just another buzzword on the list.”

Beyond orange wine, Georgian wine as a whole has been benefiting from this growth, with conversion to purchase among UK wine drinkers who are aware of the category close to doubling between 2024 and 2026, rising from 7% to 13% – higher than any comparable emerging region (IWSR).

Its audience has also broadened, moving from a 60/39 male-to-female ratio to a more even 53/47 split, with increasing interest from the ‘Mature Treaters’ demographic – affluent, wine-knowledgeable over-55s associated with specialist indies, Waitrose and Majestic.

Wines of Georgia UK is asking companies to take part in a way that suits their business, with suggestions including introducing a Georgian by-the-glass offer during October or hosting a tasting, pairing dinner or masterclass with a Georgian orange wine focus, supported with POS and merchandise from Wines of Georgia UK.

The organisation is also holding a Georgia Palate Event at Trivet on 13 October, designed to help trade buyers deepen their understanding of the category.

Interest in Georgian Wine Month can be registered here by completing the form.

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