Georgian Wine Announces 2021 as a Record Year for International Exports

with 107 Million Bottles, including 29% Increase to China

Plus strong start to 2022 with China exports up 514% in January

22 February, 2022 (Hong Kong): Approximately 107 million bottles of Georgian wine were exported to a total of 62 countries in 2021, a record high export figure in the era of independent Georgia. Included in this figure was a marked increase in trade with China, with 5,934,937 bottles exported to China in 2021, an increase of 29% on 2020. 

China was the 4^th largest export destination for Georgian wine, behind Poland (3^rd place with 7,003,031 bottles), Ukraine (2^nd place with 12,921,321 bottles) and Russia (1^st place with 62,115,759 bottles). 

Sales of Georgian wine internationally generated US$250 million last year. The past decade has seen a huge jump in the volume, value and diversity of markets for Georgian wine. Wine exports have increased by a total of 360% compared to 2012 with around 100 wineries exporting in 2012, which more than quadrupled to 441 in 2021.

 In addition, it has been a strong start to 2022 for Georgian wineries, who’ve continued to meet the high global demand for Georgian wine. The Georgian Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection reported that 5.3 million bottles of wine were exported to 35 countries in January 2022, 51% more compared to the same period from last year.

 Amongst this, a total of 278,493 bottles of Georgian were exported to China in January, a 514% increase on January 2021.

 As such, exports of Georgian wine to China seem set to regain their previous pre-pandemic highs to China, where they peaked at 7,585,407 bottles in 2017. With Georgia one of only four countries to hold a Free Trade Agreement on wine imports with China (and the Australian FTA effectively void at present due to anti-dumping tariffs of up to 218%), Georgia is well-positioned to achieve further success with importers and consumers in 2022 and beyond.

 2021 saw an array of activities promoting Georgian wine to Chinese wine importers, distributors, buyers and on-trade professionals. In December 2021 Georgian wine masterclasses and tastings were hosted by Meiburg Wine Media and VinosVivo and presented by Master of Wine and Official Georgian Wine Educator Julien Boulard MW in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Chengdu.

 Georgia is internationally recognised as the “Birthplace of Wine”, with more than 8000 years of unbroken winemaking traditions. With 525 indigenous grape varieties and highly-regarded traditions of making wine in clay vessels (qvevri), it is a distinctive, richly diverse and highly experienced winemaking nation.