Georgian Wine - National Wine Agency

“I was always inspired by Georgian wines because the quality level is getting to be higher and higher, and the variation of the style is wider and wider. It is also a great pleasure to hear winemakers share their perspectives. And so that I have to come to Georgia every year because of your huge effort to improve your, your quality level.”, said Japanese Master of Wine Kenichi Ohashi following a tasting held in Tbilisi.

Kenichi Ohashi, head of the National Wine Agency’s contracted marketing company Red Bridge, is the only Master of Wine in Japan.

During the tasting organized by the National Wine Agency, Kenichi Ohashi tasted wines produced by up to ten Georgian wine companies. As part of the visit, he also held meetings with representatives of wine companies and sommeliers to discuss issues of importance to the Georgian wine sector, including current industry challenges and the positioning of Georgian wine in international markets.

The National Wine Agency has been cooperating with the Japanese marketing company Red Bridge since 2017. Japan is one of the strategic markets for Georgian wine in Asia, where the first large-scale presentation of Georgian wine, supported by the National Wine Agency, took place in 2014. In subsequent years, with the Agency’s support, Georgian wine companies have participated in international exhibitions such as Foodex Japan, Wine & Gourmet Japan, RAW Wine Tokyo, and ProWine Tokyo, as well as local wine competitions and Georgian wine presentation and tasting events held in various cities across Japan.