Georgian Wine - National Wine Agency

Organized by the National Wine Agency of Georgia, a group of Japanese wine professionals visited Georgia. The 12-member delegation was led by Kenichi Ohashi, Japan’s only Master of Wine. As part of the tour, the guests visited wineries and cellars in the Imereti and Racha regions. Their impressions and evaluations will be published in Japanese media and various blogs, which will contribute to increasing awareness of Georgian wine.
Kenichi Ohashi is also the head of the marketing company "Red Bridge," a contractor of the National Wine Agency in Japan.
"The quality of Georgian wine is improving at an astonishing pace, which is truly impressive. Over the past few years, I have traveled to Kakheti several times, and this is my second visit to Imereti. Each time, I wonder: what’s new? What remains to be discovered? And every time, I find so many new things. I am not a winemaker myself, but I know many winemakers well, and I can clearly see how much effort you are putting into further improving quality and presenting your wines properly on the global market. I feel this deeply — I see great progress, and for me, it is an invaluable experience. I am glad that I can learn so many new things from you, thanks to your 8,000-year-old winemaking tradition. I truly respect this deep and rich history. With delicious food and such a diverse range of wine styles, I always feel happy to come back here." – said Kenichi Ohashi.
During his visit to Georgia, Kenichi Ohashi also served as a jury member for the 15th Georgia International Wine Award, held within the framework of WinExpo Georgia 2025, the country’s leading international exhibition for wine and alcoholic beverages.
The first large-scale presentation of Georgian wine on the Japanese market took place in 2014. Since then, with the support of the Georgian government, Georgian wine companies have consistently participated in prestigious international exhibitions such as Foodex Japan, Wine and Gourmet Japan, and RAW Wine Tokyo. Additionally, Georgian wine tasting and presentation events are regularly held in various cities across Japan, while wine tours in Georgia are organized for Japanese wine professionals and media representatives.
It is noteworthy that the Japanese market is not only expanding, but also represents one of the most premium segments for Georgian wine, where the average price per liter exceeds 6 USD.