Georgia’s wine sector has expanded steadily over the past decade, driven primarily by export growth and increasing commercial consolidation. However, according to preliminary data for the first nine months of 2025 wine exports declined by 12% year on year to USD 189.9 million, largely reflecting reduced shipments to Russia following higher excise taxes on imported alcohol introduced in 2024. Anticipatory exports in late 2023 temporarily inflated volumes, resulting in a correction in 2025.
Despite moderate destination diversification, export revenues remain highly concentrated. Russia accounted for around two-thirds of total wine export revenues by 2024. However, planned excise tax increases from 2026 are expected to raise retail prices, weaken demand, and heighten policy risk in a highly price-sensitive market.
While the EU has strengthened its role as a stable and higher-value destination - with export volumes nearly doubling between 2019 and 2024 and average prices reaching 3.2 USD/liter, most EU-bound exports are concentrated in lower-priced Central and Baltic markets. High-price EU destinations account for only a small share of volumes, limiting overall revenue gains despite premium positioning.
Central Asia has emerged as a modest but growing export region. Georgian wine exports to Central Asia reached nearly 3,800 tons in 2024 (about 3.5% of total exports), led by Kazakhstan, which ranks fourth by volume. Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are smaller but fast-growing markets, while Georgia maintains strong market shares in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Across the region, Georgian wine is positioned mainly in the mid-price segment.
Structurally, wine production has shifted decisively toward commercial producers. By 2024, wine companies accounted for the vast majority of output, while household production continued to decline. Export orientation has intensified: the share of production destined for export rose from roughly one-third in 2015 to about three-quarters in 2024, reinforcing the sector’s reliance on external markets for scale.
Domestic consumption has declined over the past decade, falling from nearly 79 million liters in 2016 to just over 31 million liters in 2024. This reflects more selective consumption rather than reduced interest in wine, with potential bottled wine consumption estimated at around 42 million bottles as home production diminishes.
To strengthen the analysis of the domestic wine market, the study drew on data from 16 wine companies covering roughly half of total market turnover. Based on their aggregated data, domestic wine sales in 2024 amounted to around 7.3 million bottles. Sales remain strongly price-driven, with 98-99% of volumes falling into the price category below 30 GEL. Red and white wines dominate the consumption structure, while rosé continues to play a secondary role. Supermarkets are the primary sales channel, followed by the HoReCa sector.
At the same time, the sparkling wine segment has recorded a decline in average prices since 2024, pointing to intensified competition and weak development of the premium segment. Sales are largely concentrated in direct and HoReCa channels.
