Georgia will introduce stricter quality requirements for grapes starting with the 2026 harvest, setting the minimum sugar content at 17%, Chairman of the National Wine Agency of Georgia Levan Mekhuzla announced.
Under the new rules, grapes with sugar levels below 17% will be classified as low quality and purchased by the state at a significantly reduced price. Previously, grapes with 14–15% sugar content were accepted, a level Mekhuzla noted was barely suitable even for spirits production.
Although the state will continue to purchase surplus grapes not acquired by the private sector, the emphasis is shifting firmly toward improving quality. Mekhuzla stated that differentiated pricing introduced last year, based on sugar content, successfully encouraged most growers to meet higher standards.
He stressed that long-term development of Georgia’s wine sector depends on prioritizing quality in order to strengthen competitiveness in international markets, particularly against producers in countries such as France, Italy and Spain, as well as emerging ‘New World’ wine regions.
Growers have been urged to take the new standards into account immediately, as vineyard shaping and preparation for the upcoming season begin in late February.
For the 2026 harvest, state-set purchase prices for surplus grapes will be structured as follows:
Standard grape varieties:
- 30 GEL/kg for sugar content above 20%
- 80 GEL/kg for sugar content between 17–20%
- 30 GEL/kg for sugar content below 17%
Saperavi variety:
- 50 GEL/kg for sugar content above 22%
- 90 GEL/kg for sugar content between 17–22%
- 30 GEL/kg for sugar content below 17%
