May 16,2008
Nino Khelaia, Georgia Today

On April 30 until May 2, the Georgian National Wine Competition was held in Sighnighi Museum. According to the Director of the Georgian National Museum David Lortkipanidze, “it is not a coincidence that the National Wine Competition is being held in Sighnaghi Museum. Here one can be led into an amazing cultural experience nurturing one’s taste in wine while treating one’s eyes to a magnificent feast of Pirosmani’s masterpieces and ancient artifacts.”

Indeed, the newly renovated city of Sighnaghi has recently become an important cultural center in Georgia, with Georgian National Museum even tansferring its original Pirosmani artwork to the Sighnaghi National Museum.

For the first two days, the jury conducted blind taste testing to judge the wine. As the head of jury Scottish expert Tom Cannavan said “Georgian wine is already suitable for European markets and can perfectly compete with famous French wines.”

Cannavan explained that some Georgian wines are sweeter than many European wines, and so do not enjoy such high sales in Europe. “Europeans prefer dry and semi-sweet wines better that those such as Georgian Chacha,” Tom Cannavan told Georgia Today, and named his favorite Georgian wine “Tsinandali,” although he did not title the company for fairness reasons.

On the last day of competition May 2, popular showman Duta Skhirtladze announced the winning wine companies at the award ceremony, which was attended by many guests including the Ambassadors of the U.S. and Italy.

The wines that won gold medals are as follows:

Nomination White Semi-Sweet Wine – “Tvishi,” of Tellany Valley Company.

Nomination White Wine, Traditional Style, Fermented with Skins – “Kakhuri Samepo” (Kakhetian Kingdom) – of Kindzmarauli.

Nomination White Dry Wine with no Oak Influence – “Kakhuri Tsaechinebuli” (Kakhetian Noble) of Badagoni

Nomination White Drt wine with Oak Influence – “Marani Kondoli” and “Tsinandali”

Nomination Red Semi-Sweet Wine – “Alaznis Valley,” and “Khvanchkara.”

Nomination Red Dry Light-bodied Wine – “Saperavi” by LTD Kakheti and LTD Tbilisi Marani and “Aleksandreuli” by LTD Aleksandreuli.

Nomination Red Dry Full-Bodied Wine – “Mukuzani” by LTD Mukuzani and Ko, and “Kvareli” by LTD Kakheti.

Other successful wines they were awarded with special certificates.

The President of the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jemal Inaishvili commented: “The Georgian National Wine Competition will publicize the companies producing high quality wines; it will also promote healthy competition among producers as well as a rise in production quality.”