How IWSC raised the standard of wine in Georgia

The IWSC (International Wine & Spirit Competition) will hold its third competition in Georgia. The event will take place from 27 November to 1 December 2024 in Tbilisi, in collaboration with the Gurjaani Wine Festival and the National Wine Agency of Georgia. As per tradition, the IWSC will bring to Georgia a star-studded panel of international judges whose expertise and knowledge will ensure the competition is conducted to the highest standards. In addition to Georgia’s unique wines, for the first time this year, the IWSC international competition will also include a spirits category.

It all began as follows:

In 2022, the Gurjaani Wine Festival obtained the license to hold the world’s most prestigious international wine competition — the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) — in Georgia. With the support of the National Wine Agency, the first-ever IWSC Wine Judging in Georgia took place that year. Notably, this was the first time the competition had been held in Europe and only the second time worldwide (after South Africa) outside the UK.

The IWSC Wine Judging in Georgia was held in October 2022, registering an unprecedented number of entries — 152 producers submitted a total of 487 wine samples. This set a record among competitions held in Georgia. It is worth noting that in previous years, the IWSC had received only 56 entries from Georgia, but once the competition was announced to be held domestically, that number increased by 750%.

At the IWSC Wine Judging in Georgia 2023, the jury awarded 16 gold, 63 silver, and 209 bronze medals.

“The results of the competition were covered in leading wine publications and on social media, including through articles by the judges themselves. The IWSC published a film we prepared about the competition on its official website, and the jury chair, renowned and respected Master of Wine Sarah Abbott, wrote an extensive article reviewing the results in detail,” — said the event’s organizing team, reflecting on past achievements.

In 2023, building on the positive experience of the previous year, the IWSC renewed its collaboration with the Gurjaani Wine Festival by signing a three-year contract instead of a one-year license. As a result, the 2023 IWSC Wine Judging in Georgia saw participation not only from Georgian companies but also from producers in Armenia and Azerbaijan — over 170 companies submitted 520 wines. Among them, 310 wines were awarded medals: 18 gold, 72 silver, and 220 bronze.

The jury was chaired by one of the world’s top wine tasters and a respected Master of Wine — Alistair Cooper. Other jury members included Europe’s Best Sommelier Salvatore Castano, Europe’s Best Young Sommelier Melania Battistoni, as well as wine experts and buyers Will Hill, David Kermode, Kate Lomax, Giorgios Iordanidis, IWSC CEO Christelle Guibert, IWSC Head of Tastings Edita Januszyk, and professional Georgian judges selected according to IWSC standards.

Beyond its core activities, the IWSC Wine Judging in Georgia helped promote Georgian wine through posts and articles published by the jury members, participants, and journalists in the media and on social platforms.

Last year, one of the gold medals was awarded to Doctor’s Bio-Marani for its 2021 Rkatsiteli.

“Winning a gold medal at the IWSC international wine and spirits competition brought us great joy and motivation. It was a real example of how each wine is assessed objectively and with high professionalism. This victory is not only the success of Doctor’s Bio-Marani, but also an international recognition of the whole Georgian wine industry. The award made our winery more recognizable, attracting growing interest from exporters, establishing new partnerships with local wine shops and bars, and expanding our export opportunities. This story shows that tireless work and a focus on quality are always rewarded,” — said Marina Kakiashvili, founder and director of Doctor’s Bio-Marani.

Eliso Ghirdaladze, CEO of Kartveli, emphasized the importance of international recognition:

“Our 2022 Late Harvest Tsinandali received a gold medal at the IWSC Wine Judging in Georgia. Awards like this allow us to present our production to international experts and audiences. They also help us enter and expand into new markets. The main success factor is the combination of ancient Georgian winemaking traditions with modern technologies, which together create the unique aroma of our wine.”

This year, as always, the IWSC will be represented in Georgia by a distinguished panel of international judges whose expertise will ensure the highest competition standards. The jury will be chaired by Sarah Abbott MW — a well-known expert and advocate of Georgian wine, and a key figure in promoting Georgian wine in the UK and Europe. This year’s competition will once again bring together exceptional professionals to assess the country’s rich wine heritage and experience its authentic winemaking culture.

“The 2024 edition of the IWSC Wine and Spirits Judging in Georgia, scheduled for November–December, will be even more distinctive. Unlike previous years, alongside the wine category, the competition will also be held for spirits. The IWSC competition has had a transformative impact on the development of Georgian winemaking. By introducing international standards, the competition has set a new benchmark for Georgian producers. Small and medium wineries began reassessing their capabilities, leading to significant quality improvements, while large producers focused on creating unique, special wines,” — note the organizers.

Two years after the competition’s launch in Georgia, local winemakers have gained a better understanding of international market demands. Whereas in the past the emphasis was on production volume, today priority is given to a thoughtful approach — selecting the right quantity while ensuring high quality. This shift has led to the introduction of innovative practices in winemaking and the rethinking of traditional methods in line with modern standards.

The competition has been particularly impactful for family wineries, giving them a unique opportunity to have their products evaluated by international experts. Many of these wineries are now confidently planning to enter export markets.

The general sponsor of IWSC 2025 Wine & Spirits Judging in Georgia is Bank of Georgia Business. The official sponsor is Teliani Valley Winery. The competition is supported by: the National Wine Agency of Georgia, the Georgian National Tourism Administration, Gurjaani Municipality City Hall, and Jepra.

Media partners of the competition include:
Business Partner (Business Rustavi 2), Businesspost, Ipress.ge, Newsday.ge, CBW.ge, Entrepreneur.com, Komersanti, Radio Utsnobi, and Businessinsider.ge.