bottles of Georgian wine

Poland is one of the leading importers of Georgian wine. According to preliminary data from the first two quarters of 2022, the approximate increase in imports is as much as 41%, reported the National Wine Agency of Georgia (LEPL), the government agency representing Georgia’s wine producers.

Georgian wine in Poland

Just last year, Poland was the third largest buyer of Georgian wine. At that time, 7 million bottles of Georgian wine were shipped to the Polish market, which meant a 34 percent increase in exports compared to 2020. Now, Poland is becoming the second recipient of Georgian wine worldwide. According to the National Wine Agency of Georgia, preliminary estimates after two quarters of 2022 show a 41% increase in Georgian wine imports to Poland (4,6 mln bottles shipped from January till July).

“Georgia has perfected the combination of tradition and modernity, offering high-quality wines. The most fashionable trend in the world of natural and so-called amber wines originates in Georgia and the qvevri used there for fermentation – clay vessels which are buried in the ground to maintain a constant and low temperature”- comments Szymon Milonas, sommelier, and brand ambassador of Georgian wines.

Georgia launched new export markets in 2010. A few years later, Georgia’s famous qvevri method of wine production was recognized as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and listed by UNESCO. All this resulted in increased trade with Poland as well.

Georgian Qvevri
Georgian qvevri

Popularity of Georgian wine in Poland

According to a survey “Wine preferences of Poles, including Georgian wines” conducted by the SW Research [1] institute on behalf of the National Wine Agency of Georgia, among Poles who declare that they consume wine at least from time to time, almost half (46%) have already tried Georgian wine. Significantly, among the respondents who have tried Georgian wine, as many as 89% like it or definitely like it. Respondents declare that they value it for its taste and aroma (70%) and, interestingly, the pleasant associations with it (33%).

Poles opinions about Georgian wine

Indeed – although the names of Georgian wine-producing regions are not widely known in Poland, 66% of respondents indicated in the survey that they have positive associations with Georgia.  55% of respondents value Georgian culinary culture.

Poles declare that they purchase Georgian wines mainly in specialized wine shops and liquor shops – 43% of respondents purchase them this way. The remaining respondents find Georgian wines in supermarkets, hypermarkets, and discount stores. 5.6% of respondents drink Georgian wines in restaurants and hotels.

Places of wine purchase in Poland

Georgia’s wine market

In 2021, Georgia exported 107 million bottles of wine to 62 countries around the world. Currently, there are almost 1,900 registered wineries in the country, 441 of which export wine. It is worth mentioning that 25 appellations are registered. Kakheti remains the largest wine-producing area, producing 90 tonnes of wine per hectare. This region, located in the eastern part of Georgia, is also the oldest in the world in terms of grape cultivation.

What makes Georgian wine unique is certainly the great variety of flavors and aromas. According to the National Wine Agency of Georgia, 525 grape varieties can be found there, 45 of which are officially approved for sale as separate varieties.

Georgia is a country commonly associated with beautiful scenery, a lavish table, and wine. Situated on the border between Europe and Asia, the country covers just under 70 000 km², while the vineyards themselves cover 55 000 hectares. The tradition of Georgian wine dates back 8,000 years. No wonder, then, that vineyards have become a permanent feature of the local landscape, and Georgian wine is gaining popularity around the world.

[1] Survey on a representative group by SW Research in March 2022. The survey involved 1005 questionnaires with a sample of Polish men and women declaring to consume wine at least occasionally.