Georgian export wine market collapses

Georgian wines had a great year in 2021 but the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war will devastate exports.

After Georgian wine exports rose 40% in January and February 2022 compared to 2021, the Russia-Ukraine war has devastated its two key export markets.

Russian is Georgia’s number one market while Ukraine is its second most important market. However due to the Russian invasion, sales to Georgia have collapsed, while Georgian producers have stopped exporting to Russia because of unstable exchange rate, banking difficulties, and in some cases, solidarity banned exports.

Russia once again became Georgia's number one export market after sales were banned by Russia in 2006. The 2006 ban by Russia was after Georgia became aligned with the west. However, exports resumed in 2012. In 2021 sales to Russian, Ukraine and Belarus made up for 74% of all Georgia exports.