Exports of Georgian wine to the UK are up by 22% year on year, with sales of 106,855 bottles in October 2018.

Three major agents have added Georgian producers to their portfolios this year including Hallgarten & Novum, Berkmann Wine Cellars and Amathus Drinks.

Steve Daniel, head of buying at Hallgarten & Novum said: “Consumers are far more interested in stories and provenance these days. A wine from the cradle of the vine with a history of 8,000 years is far more intriguing than another bottle of Chardonnay, so we believe it is important. 

“Equally important are the unique indigenous grapes which convey a flavour of the past but in a modern way. The varietals may be ancient but these wines still need to be well made and accessible to the UK consumer.

“We decided to work with Vachnadziani because they have good investment, an excellent winemaker in Vladimer Kublasvili, they understand the needs of our market and they are very passionate about what they do. 

“Very importantly, they have the scale to be able to provide the required amount of wine to the UK market. They are in this for the long term and are prepared to invest in vineyards, their winemaking skills and the market."