MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF GEORGIA

Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Levan Davitashvili participated in the “Grand Jury Du Vin” symposium held in Tsinandali. Wine experts, sommeliers, journalists and representatives of the wine industry from different countries of the world participated in the event.

The wine symposium of the Swiss association “Grand Jury Du Vin” was held in the Tsinandli estate for the first time. Founded in Switzerland in 1996, the association has held the most prestigious wine symposiums for years at Villa d'Este on Lake Como in Italy. At the Tsinandli Wine Symposium, wines of the “Bordeaux Grand Cru” classification, as well as the best Georgian wine samples, were presented for tasting.

“By hosting the “Grand Jury Du Vin” wine symposium, Tsinandali and Georgia appeared among the world’s most prestigious wine producers, which will contribute to raising awareness of Georgian wine,” – Levan Davitashvili stated at the wine symposium. The Minister drew attention to the support of the Georgian wine sector by the Georgian Government. According to Levan Davitashvili, the state supported the wine sector in all directions including viticulture and first production as well as modernization of wine factories with modern equipment.

“The sector has really changed during the last ten years. Today we have over 2000 officially registered companies that regularly report to the National Wine Agency. We also have hundreds of exporting wine companies. By 2012, there were about 50 wine companies operating in Georgia. We have significant support in terms of raising awareness of Georgian wine. We are implementing targeted marketing campaigns in selected target markets and since then awareness campaigns for Georgian wine have been financed every year,” – The Minister explained. He also emphasized Georgia’s participation as a host country in the international tourist exhibition in Berlin, during which the awareness of Georgia as an attractive tourist destination and Georgian wine was increased.

Levan Davitashvili focused on the Georgian wine history research project. According to him, it was important to introduce the history of Georgian wine to international experts, which would be based on scientific facts and not just legends.

The initiative of the Tsinandli Wine Symposium belongs to the Silk Road Group. The official supporter of the event is the National Tourism Administration of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia and the Bank of Georgia.