Georgia’s new vine and wine law: producers are reducing maceration times

The Parliament of Georgia has discussed and approved a series of amendments to the national law “On Vine and Wine” in the agrarian committee. The stated goal is to support the development of commercial viticulture and winemaking and align regulations with modern market demands. A crackdown on commercial vineyards intended for Georgian wine production for both domestic and export markets goes hand in hand with producers’ recent realization regarding long skin macerations.

This practice, which characterizes so-called “orange wines / macerated wines” made from white grape varieties vinified with skins in georgian qvevri amphorae—recently recognized by the OIV as a category in its own right—is undergoing a period of significant questioning. This was confirmed to Winemag by Georgian enologist Vladimer Kublashvili of the giant Winery Khareba. But let’s take it one step at a time.

The amendments to Georgia’s vine and wine law address several structural aspects of the Georgian wine sector. These are issues often taken for granted in countries with more advanced wine legislation, which until now were left to the discretion of individual producers.

• Definition of label and packaging: The text reformulates the concepts of “labels” and “consumer packaging” more clearly, aiming to strengthen transparency and the compliance of information provided on products.
• Introduction of the “vineyard planting permit” concept: A new legal term is added defining the approval document issued by the National Wine Agency to entities intending to plant vineyards on a commercial basis.
• Registration and notification obligations: All wineries will be required to register technological processes related to the production and storage of alcoholic beverages and submit mandatory notifications to the National Wine Agency. This provision will also apply to producers with annual sales of less than 1,500 liters.
• Regulation of commercial vineyards: The Minister of Environment and Agriculture must define, by May 1, 2026, the rules for establishing vineyards intended for commercial production.

In the plenary session, Parliament supported the amendments with 78 votes in favor and 8 against. During the presentation, Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture Zurab Ezugbaia explained that “the reform aims to increase the quality of wine products.” Not only that. It also intends to “strengthen Georgia’s competitive advantages in international markets.”

According to Gela Samkharauli, Chairman of the Agrarian Committee, “regulatory alignment with contemporary needs is a necessary step to support Georgia’s millennia-old tradition in the wine sector and to expand the presence of its products in global markets. “The world knows that vines have been cultivated and wine has been produced in Georgia for over 8,000 years. It is our responsibility to ensure that Georgian wine is perceived as a high-quality product on the international market,” he stated.

The Georgian wine sector has experienced significant expansion in recent years, with an increase in new vineyard plantings and production. However, the absence of uniform rules on cultivated varieties, the use of certified planting material, and process registration has created problems in some areas, affecting both the production and marketing of wines.

The new regulations intend to correct these inconsistencies, ensure higher quality standards, and promote sustainable growth in the sector. Following committee approval, the text will continue its parliamentary journey for final adoption. Once adopted, the updated law will shape the regulation of viticulture and wine production in Georgia, with implications for commercial producers, export markets, and quality controls.

Yesterday Winemag published an interview with Julien Lavenu, partner consultant at Derenoncourt Vignerons Consultants, regarding the new approach of Bordeaux producers. Grapes must be protected in the vineyard from direct sun contact. And in the cellar, shorter maceration and aging periods, as well as the use of alternative containers to wood. The same is happening in Georgia with macerated white wines.

“In Kakheti,” explains Winery Khareba enologist Vladimer Kublashvili to Winemag, “we are witnessing an interesting evolution. Some producers are reducing skin maceration to 50-60%. And some are even experimenting with percentages below 50%. The goal is to obtain lighter wines, with shorter maceration times, generally between one and two months.”

“There is a growing desire to think outside the box. Producers,” continues the Georgian winemaker, “are looking for different styles to capture different tastes and broaden the target audience. It is a way to diversify the offering and make Georgian wine more accessible to different markets.”

The situation is different in Imereti, a much more niche region compared to the famous Kakheti, where most Georgian wines exported worldwide originate. “In Imereti,” Kublashvili confirms, “tradition itself calls for maceration that almost never exceeds 30%. And it is this practice that has historically defined the character of the region’s wines.” Yet, before the consumption crisis, Imereti producers had also begun experimenting with longer macerations.

“Some,” points out the Winery Khareba representative, “exceed 50%, seeking more structured and complex wines, more similar to those much more famous ones from the other Georgian wine region, Kakheti. More generally, there is a more open attitude than in the past. Producers want to explore new styles without renouncing tradition, but rather expanding it. It is a choice born from the desire to speak to a wider and more diverse audience.” These dreams will soon have much more precise rules, dictated by Georgia’s new vine and wine law.