Market update: Georgian wine sales and recognition increase in the UK
- Following Georgia’s recent success at major wine competitions, new research shows the growth in UK sales.
- Georgian wines gained an impressive 28 Gold, 146 Silver, one Platinum Medal and one Trophy in the recent UK-based competitions1
- In the first six months of 2024 Georgia has exported 54.5 million litres of wine, worth USD156.7 million, to 61 countries
- This includes a significant increase of the export to the UK which is showing the highest rate of export growth recorded in recent years – up by 28% in volume and 17% in value compared to the same period of 2023. (Source: National Wine Agency of Georgia)
Master of Wine Sarah Abbott, whose company Swirl Wine Group runs the Wines of Georgia campaign in the UK on behalf of the Georgian National Wine Agency, comments: “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. 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.”
Recent research conducted by the IWSR2 shows how much the market for Georgian wines has grown in the UK over the last four years. The research found that there has been significant growth in both volume and value, reaching its peak between 2022 and 2023, reflecting sustained market interest at higher price points. Over the past five years, Georgian wine has shown steady volume growth, increasing by +13.7% between 2018-2023, despite its relatively small market share.
Abbott continues: “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 remainder of the year will focus on the Georgian Palate food and wine matching masterclasses in Manchester and London (register your interest in attending here); and an incoming trip to Georgia in October for UK trade and press.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver recently visited Georgia to understand more about its food and wine culture which will help raise awareness to a wide audience. Oliver has over 10m followers on Instagram and nearly 6m followers on his YouTube Channel where a highlights video of his trip was recently posted.
1 IWC, IWSC, DWWA 2024 Results
2 IWSR Georgian wine assessment in the UK conducted by IWSR for LEPL National Wine Agency – Ministry for Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, June 2024
