The challenge- “Imeretian Wine Challenge 2024”, Organized by DMO Imereti and Imeretian Wine Association, for the second time is being held in Imereti, Kutaisi, on October 4-6, 2024.
The purpose of the competition is to support the development of wine tourism in Georgia, to raise the awareness of Imeretian grape varieties, Imeretian wine and the general nature of Imereti viticulture and winemaking region.
The competition samples will be tasted by a jury consisting of Georgian and foreign experts. The company’s anonymity will be protected during the wine tasting.
Among the invited jury members are both foreign jury members and Georgian wine experts.
The foreign jury members are: Robert Joseph (UK), Thomas Brandl (Germany), Davide Bartone (Italy), Matthew Horkey (USA), Irina Diachenkova (Ukraine).
Georgian jury members are: Vladimer Kublashvili, Tamar Imedadze, Tinatin Jajanidze, Giorgi Samanishvili, Saba Kitiashvili.
Prerequisite for participation in the competition:
Wine made from 100% Imeretian grape variety and/or varieties using any technology, or wine made by mixing up to 15% of other grape varieties from any region of Georgia permitted by law, can be presented at the competition. A participant in the competition can be: a wine enterprise, an individual winemaker, a cooperative or a union of winemakers.
The company or private person participating in the competition must submit the samples in the following form:
* Wine must be bottled, ready for sale;
* The minimum remaining amount of presented wine should not be less than 100 bottles;
🍾The bottle label should include the following information:
* Full name of the manufacturing company
* Brand name
* Name of the wine
* Year of bottling
* Grape variety
* Region/Country
* Volume
* 4 samples of wine of the same name must be presented (bottle = 0.75 l)
Before bringing the samples, you need to fill out the registration form: https://forms.gle/8p6Qa6NuUFi71UCN8
Samples should be sent to the office of DMO Imereti- Address: Kutaisi, Rustaveli Avenue 9a.
From August 30 to September 27, from 12:00 to 17:00. Samples must be accompanied by a pay cheque.
Important information:
* Samples that do not comply with the competition rules will not be sent back.
🔸Sample fee and payment method:
Participation in the competition is free for members of the Imeretian Wine Association, in other cases:
The sample submission fee is 80 GEL including VAT.
Name of recipient: NNLE Kutaisi Tourism Center
Receiving Bank: State Treasury
Bank code: TRESGE22
Receiver Account: 750237519
Purpose: Fee for the Imeretian wine competition
The amount must be deposited by September 25, 2024.
For additional questions, call or write to us:
+995 551 109 104 Zhana
e-mail: [email protected]
Jury members:
The purpose of the competition is to promote the development of wine tourism in Georgia, to raise the awareness of Imeretian grape varieties, Imeretian wine and in general Imereti as a viticulture and winemaking region.
The competition samples will be tasted by a jury consisting of Georgian and foreign experts.
The members of the jury are:
Robert Joseph (Great Britain) – Author of Meninger-international wine business magazine, member of the jury of London Wine Challenge, Decanter, MUNDUS VINI and other international wine competitions and wine critic, organizer and founder of competitions, wine industry analyst and the creator of Branding.
Thomas Brandl (Germany) – Wine expert, member of the jury of international competitions, promoter of wine countries of Southeast Europe and the Caucasus, ambassador of “Concours Mondial de Bruxelles” in Germany, Austria and throughout Southeast Europe.
Davide Bartone (Italy) – Wine journalist and wine critic, the main editor of the online magazine winemag.it, correspondent of the international publication Wine-Searcher, wine importer and jury member of international wine competitions.
Matthew Horkey (USA) – Wine journalist, writer, international blogger and jury member of many international wine competitions and wine traveler.
Iryna Diachenkova (Ukraine) – Co-founder of Wine Travel Awards, Drinks+ and DRINKS+ magazine and jury member of international wine competitions.
Vladimer Kublashvili (Georgia) – International Wine Jury and Chief Winemaker and Executive Director of Winery “Khareba”.
Tamar Imedadze (Georgia) – Deputy Chairman of the Georgian Tasting Commission and Jury Member of International Competitions.
Saba Kitiashvili (Georgia) – Master of Winemaking / International Sommelier ASI Certification 1.
Tinatin Jajanidze (Georgia) – Director of “Irma Chanturia Wine Laboratory” LLC, wine expert, taster of international competitions
Giorgi Samanishvili (Georgia) – Oenologist; Master of Wine Management, Economics and Law.
Ketevan Jurkhadze (Georgia) – director of the Imeretian Wine Association and head of the competition, wine expert, member of the jury of international competitions, founder and winemaker of the wine school “Kabistoni” and winery “Kabis Toni”.
You can find out the terms of participation in the competition here:
+995 599178735 – Keti Jurkhadze, Imeretian Wine Association Director.