Winemakers Focus on Re-Entering Russian Market

A group of Georgian winemakers and representatives of the Georgian Union of Wine Producers, who visited Moscow last week amid a wine row between Georgia and Russia, said at a press conference on April 19 that re-entering the Russian market is still a top priority for them.

Some Georgian governmental officials, especially State Minister for Economic Reforms Kakha Bendukidze, has often called on the Georgian wine producers to focus on new markets rather than on the Russian one, as the latter has proved unreliable. Russia banned the import of Georgia wine on March 27.

“We should work in two directions, that means that we should hold talks with top level Russian authorities – which is up to the Georgian government – and on the other hand there should be a constant dialogue with lower level Russian officials in relevant state structures,” Levan Koberidze, sales and marketing manager for the Georgian Wines and Spirits company, said at the news conference on April 19.