5 Reasons Why 2015 Was the Best Year Ever for Georgian Wines in the US
a scenic shot of Schuchmann Vineyards
Happy New Year!
2015 was a year of progress for Georgian wines on the US market in general. It was a year of progress for the Georgian Wine House as well here are 5 reasons why 2015 was the best ever for Georgian Wine in the US.
1) Stronger Partnerships
We are happy to report that our friendship with leading Georgian wine producers Teliani Valley, Schuchmann/Vinoterra, Orgo/Teleda, Jakeli Wines, Our Wines, Shalauri Wine Cellar, and Bagrationi deepened during the year. The depth of our wine portfolio represents the success that Georgian wines have achieved on the US market.
The partnership between the Georgian National Wine Agency, the Georgian Wine Association, Lisa Granik MW and several importers of Georgian wines produced a synergy effect that contributed in the US to a greater awareness of Georgian wine culture, and of Georgia as a wine destination.
The professional wine community now has a knowledge on the basics of the Georgian wine story: more than 8,000 years of continuous winemaking tradition; over 500 native grape varieties, with some of them carrying the potential to become “global” varietals; and the combination of traditional Qvevri natural winemaking tradition and European winemaking technology.
2) Unprecedented Media Coverage of Georgian Wine in 2015
Throughout 2015 major media outlets (CNN, Washington Post, Forbes, Bloomberg, New York Times, Financial Times, NPR, Mashable, National Geographic and many others) named Georgia as a major wine destination, and gave Georgian wines the highest of appreciation. Small Georgian Qvevri wine producers like Iago’s Wines, Orgo, Our Wines, Jakeli, Shalauri Wines, alongside larger producers such as Teliani Valley, Telavi Wine Cellar, and Schuchmann Wines received major coverage in media. Wine & Spirit Magazine named Georgian producer Schuchmann Wines (produces wines under Schuchmann and Vinoterra brands) among the top 100 value brands imported to the US. The same publication ranked multiple Georgian brands at 90 points and above.
Together with Georgian food and wine enthusiasts in the DC area, we’ve managed to create a microcosm of Georgian wine and food lovers that grows and deepens on almost a daily basis. Writers Dave Mcintyre and Whitney Pipkin wrote excellent pieces on Georgian wines and Georgian food in the Washington Post, as did an enthusiast of Georgian wine and food, the founder of The Georgian Table Jenny Holm.
3) Georgian Restaurants Succeed in NYC
The spread of Georgian restaurants and the penetration of elements of Georgian cuisine in mainstream American food culture also contributes to a greater interest towards Georgian wines. In addition to already existing and successful Manhattan-based Georgian restaurants Oda House and Old Tbilisi, there are newly opened places like Tone Café, as well as Red Compass. With large Georgian wine selections, these restaurants are the vanguard of promotion of Georgian wine and food culture.
4) Georgian Wine in Top Restaurants and Stores in Washington DC
But even more important is the success of Georgian wines in mainstream American restaurants. We at Georgian Wine House have had particularly successful experiences in the Washington DC/Baltimore/Annapolis area with trendy restaurants like Compass Rose, Red Hen, Maketto, Iron Gate, Wits &Wisdom, Dino’s Grotto, Flight etc. Our friends from Compass Rose pioneered in creating a separate menu of Georgian Amber wines that feature six Qvevri white wines from four different producers, made from Georgian native varietals Kisi, Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane.
During 2015 we’ve made progress in our partnership with Total Wine & More, and we expect to deepen this partnership in 2016.
We are also grateful to our friends and partners from Potomac Wines and Spirits and Batch 13. These two stores topped the list of our best-selling wine stores, which include Rodmans in Friendship Heights, Cleveland Park Liquors and Schneider’s of Capital Hill and many more.
5) Georgian Wines Now in Texas and New NY Distributor
Part of the success story of Georgian Wine House in 2015 is the penetration of wines from our portfolio to the Texas market, and the beginning of a partnership with the largest distributor in New York State, Empire Merchants.
We hope that 2016 will bring us more opportunities to tell the story of Georgian wines to a larger US audience in more American cities and towns. We will also continue telling American wine enthusiasts that while it is great to drink Georgian wine in the US, nowhere else do Georgian wines taste as good as in Georgia. So, keep Georgia in mind when you plan your next vacation!
And drink Georgian wine to say goodbye to 2015 and to celebrate the arrival of 2016!!!
Happy New Year!!
Mamuka Tsereteli
