The Financial Police sealed off a newly opened wine factory belonging to the Badagoni company after discovering 200 tons of “counterfeit wine,” officials said on November 14.
The ultra-modern wine factory in Akhmeta, eastern Georgia, was opened on October 27 with the assistance of a USD 12 million investment made by an Italian partner. President Saakashvili, who attended opening ceremony, said that the new winery was “a very important and very symbolic step” against the background of Russia’s economic embargo.
Temur Ubilava, co-owner of the factory, dismissed the officials’ allegations about “counterfeit wine” as a “misunderstanding.” He said that wine produced in the factory has undergone multiple quality inspections, including in European labs.
Newly appointed Agriculture Minister Petre Tsiskarishvili said on November 14 that the authorities have stepped up inspection of wine factories.
“We have no right to let low quality Georgian wine be exported to foreign markets,” Tsiskarishvili said.
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