Market and export
Georgian wine in London tasting: what importers and restaurants need
Degustation of Georgian wine in London. The report of the event and the implications for importers and restaurateurs.
Degustation of Georgian wine in London. The report of the event and the implications for importers and restaurateurs.
The Georgian wine tasting titled The New Natural took place in London. The objective was to raise awareness of Georgian wine in the British market and strengthen export potential, according to vinoge.com. The event offered tastings and technical presentations aimed at a professional British audience. It brought together labels from 10 Georgian producers. It created a testing ground for buyers, sommeliers and restaurateurs interested in natural wines and traditional practices such as the qvevri.
Speakers and presentations
The tasting was led by British Master of Wine Sarah Abbott, who guided the technical and comparative part of the tasting, sources report. The diversity of Georgian wine was presented to the professional audience by Hany Spencer, sommelier, restaurateur and ambassador of natural wine, who linked practices such as the use of the qvevri and white grape maceration to sensory and commercial positioning opportunities. Sarah Abbott led the technical part of the tasting.
The tasting was led by British Master of Wine Sarah Abbott, source vinoge.com. The diversity of Georgian wine was presented by Hany Spencer, source vinoge.com.
The presentations emphasized origin, method and catalogue consistency. These are elements that importers and restaurateurs must evaluate when adding a Georgian label to a wine list or portfolio.
Producers and types presented at the event
The event featured wines from 10 Georgian producing companies, offering a representative sample of Georgia’s traditional and modern winemaking practices, according to vinoge.com. The selection included qvevri-fermented wines, white wines with extended maceration and traditional reds, allowing a direct comparison of organoleptic profiles and cellar choices. Ten producers exhibited their production.
The presence of ten producers at the same tasting facilitates the assessment of qualitative consistency for an importer. It also facilitates the evaluation of organoleptic variability and compatibility with demand in the horeca channel. From a logistical point of view, the direct comparison helps assess packaging, minimum lot possibilities and the producers’ commercial readiness.
Marketing plan for 2026 in the United Kingdom
In 2026 Swirl Wine Group will carry out a marketing campaign for Georgian wine in the United Kingdom with the support of the Agenzia Nazionale del Vino della Georgia, as specified by vinoge.com. The 2026 campaign includes tasting-seminars in various British cities, participation in international fairs and targeted advertising and media activities. The 2026 campaign includes tasting-seminars and international fairs.
This roadmap offers repeated opportunities to Italian importers and distributors interested in sourcing. It allows building commercial relationships and testing demand in different areas of the United Kingdom. However, it also requires operational procedures: verification of export certifications, logistical scheduling and supply continuity plans. The seminars provide space to agree sales terms, delivery trials and compliance document checks.
Implications for Georgian export
The London initiative increases the visibility of Georgian wine and can accelerate the entry of Georgian producers into English horeca and distribution channels, vinoge.com notes. However, converting interest into stable distribution depends on two practical factors: producers’ certification capacity and logistical capability, and commercial support structures on the buyer’s territory. A prudent approach for an importer is to request production documentation, proof of export capability and European commercial references before committing lines of credit. Requesting commercial references reduces the risk of supply.
The debate remains open: tastings generate visibility and leads, but without logistical and contractual agreements they can remain promotional activities. Those who benefit immediately are producers already organized for export; those at risk are small producers without regular delivery capacity. A useful operational criterion is defining minimum commitment thresholds. One should confirm the ability to ship at least two lots within 12 months or produce verifiable European references before launching on professional menus.
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