Wine Quality Improvement Reform Safeguards Both Investors and Consumers,” Says Levan Mekhuzla
Quality
"All regulations introduced in the winemaking sector are aimed at improving quality. The reform safeguards both investors and consumers, taking into account the objective circumstances in which wine consumption has declined in international markets while competition has increased,” stated the Chairman of the National Wine Agency, Levan Mekhuzla.
With the amendments to the Law on Vine and Wine, from May 1, 2026, the cultivation of an commercial vineyard will be possible only with the consent of the National Wine Agency.
According to Levan Mekhuzla, obtaining the agreement is simple and applies only to winegrowers who plan to plant a vineyard after May 1 of this year.
“To obtain approval, laboratory soil analyses are required. In Georgia, there are laboratories that conduct soil analyses very successfully and efficiently and are accredited in this field. One of the requirements is that groundwater levels in the soil must not be less than one meter, which is entirely justified, since vineyards planted on waterlogged soil produce low-quality grapes. When submitting an application for approval, documentation confirming ownership of the land plot is also mandatory,” stated the Chairman of the National Wine Agency, Levan Mekhuzla.
According to him, those wishing to establish vineyards will not face difficulties in selecting vine saplings.
“Only the planting of hybrid varieties is prohibited by law, and there will be no restrictions on other varieties. Throughout the grape harvest season, we maintain communication with up to 20,000 winegrowers, and in practice we encounter mistakes such as vineyards being planted in flood meadow areas or at excessively high altitudes above sea level, which serves to increase quantity rather than improve quality. Our goal is to improve the quality of Georgian wine and strengthen the positioning of Georgian wine in the global market,” stated the Chairman of the National Wine Agency.
According to him, the Agency is authorized to refuse consent for the establishment of a commercial vineyard if the applicant fails to submit the complete documentation required under the rules governing the establishment of commercial vineyards, or if the submitted documents do not comply with the requirements established by those rules.