Uncorking Georgia's Winemaking Potential

• Author: Elene Kemashvili
• Position: Head, Legal and Copyright Law Department, National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia (Sakpatenti)
• Pages: 9-13

p. 9WIPO | MAGAZINE

Winemaki ng is deeply r ooted in Geor gia’s histor y, culture and ec onomy.

The world’s rst c ultivated g rapevines a re thought t o have originat ed in

the countr y’s fertile vall eys some 8,000 year s ago. The famous 17th century

French travel er Jean Char din wrote tha t no other cou ntry was so r ich in

the divers ity and qu ality of it s wine. It is, t herefore, no s urprise t hat wine

product ion is very im portan t for Georgi a’s economy. Many house holds

depend on reve nue derived f rom it and wit h a signica nt propor tion of

Georgia’s wine s reaching foreign marke ts it is a key export earner. Stron g

competit ion from producer s in the world’s other win e-producing cou ntries

and the nee d to expand market a ccess, are f uelling ef forts to mo dernize

and improve th e industry. This a rticle examine s the legal measure s taken by

Georgia to cr eate a favorable policy env ironment to uncork the e normous

economic potential of the country’s rich wine-producing heritage.

Georgia’s long winemaking history has given rise to unique methods of production,

such as, wine made according to the “K akhetian rule”, where it is aged and stored

in a special cone-sha ped clay vessel known as a k vevr. Each kvevr holds between

300 and 500 liters and is p laced in the ground to help regulate storage temperature,

keeping it between 14 and 15°C. Wines produced in this way are noted for their high

extraction and tannic co ntent, distinctive aroma and uniqu e taste. These traditional

production methods co-exist with more modern “European” techniques, resulting

in a wide range of avor proles.

UNCORKING

Georgia’s Winemaking

Potential

Photos: Goga Chanadiri

By Elene Kemashvili, Head, L egal and Copyri ght

Law Departm ent, National Inte llectual Prope rty

Center of Georg ia (Sakpatenti)



e world’s rst cu ltivated grap es

are thought t o have originat ed in

Georgia some 8, 000 years a go.

Over 100,00 0 tons of grapes ar e used by non-

registere d private indiv iduals to mak e wines for

home consumption u nderlining t he signica nt

growth po tential of Georgi a’s wine sector.