As of September 22, 164 000 tons of grapes have been processed in Georgia’s wine region of Kakheti, announced the National Wine Agency.
The Agency reports that out of the processed grapes, about 96,000 tons were of the Rkatsiteli variety, 60,000 tonnes were Saperavi, 3,300 tonnes were Kakhuri Mtsvane and the remaining were different grape varieties.
Based on the decision of the Government of Georgia, a subsidy program will be implemented to support the 2021 vintage.
Within the framework of the vintage 2021, the subsidy will be given to all the companies that will buy and process at least 100 tons of Rkatsiteli or Kakhetian Green grapes grown in the Kakheti region and pay a viticulturist at least 0.90 GEL per 1 kg of grapes.
The National Wine Agency also reported that the 2021 vintage is characterized by high-quality grapes. The chairman of the National Wine Agency, Levan Mekhuzla, noted that during the current year’s harvest, it was revealed that the priority for the growers was the quality of the grapes and not the quantity.
“Since the beginning of the year, we have had active communication with farmers. At meetings in the villages, one of the important issues to be discussed was to focus not on the quantity of the grape but on the quality. Our viticulturist farmers have correctly understood and taken into account the importance of this approach; as a result, this year the grapes are of high quality, which, in the long run, has a positive impact on the price of Georgian wine and, consequently, on the incomes of both growers and entrepreneurs,” he stated.
Improving the quality of Georgian wine is one of the main priorities of the National Wine Agency.
By Ana Dumbadze
Image Source: National Wine Agency
