The First Georgian Amber Wine Festival “Amber Georgia” Held in New York

With the support of the National Wine Agency and the organization of the Association “Natural Wine,” the first Georgian amber wine festival, Amber Georgia, was held in the United States, at New York’s well-known exhibition space, Industry City.

Around 30 Georgian wineries from different regions of the country presented their amber wines at the festival.

“One of the main goals of the National Wine Agency is to promote Georgian wine in international markets. Today’s event will help strengthen the export position of Georgian amber wine in the U.S. market. The number of visitors exceeded all expectations, which demonstrates the growing interest in amber wine among American wine professionals, consumers, and the commercial sector,” said Elene Kiknadze, Head of the Exhibitions and Events Coordination Division of the National Wine Agency.

The initiative to hold an amber wine festival was proposed to the National Wine Agency by the Association “Natural Wine.”

“It is a historic day for Georgian wine because this is the first Georgian wine festival ever held in the United States. For years, we have participated in various festivals, and now the time has come for a Georgian wine festival to be held in the U.S. We hope this event will provide many Georgian winemakers with an opportunity to sell their wines on the American market,” said winemaker Zurab Mgvdliashvili, Director of the Association “Natural Wine.”

Georgia’s Consul General in New York, Maia Bartaya, attended the festival. Georgian winemakers also received support from the Consulate General of Georgia in New York for presenting their wines in the U.S.

Georgian amber wine — technically wine fermented with extended skin-contact — known as “wine produced with prolonged maceration on pomace (chacha)”, has been added to the list of special wines of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV). Until now, the OIV’s special wine category included only seven wines: sparkling, semi-sparkling, fortified, liqueur, naturally sweet wines, ice wine, and wines aged under a yeast film. “Wine with prolonged maceration on pomace” became the 8th special wine category recognized by OIV.

In October of this year, also for the promotion of amber wine, eight Georgian wineries presented around 15 wines from Georgia at the international amber wine exhibition Orange Glou Fair in New York, organized by the National Wine Agency and the U.S.-based marketing company Colangelo & Partners.

To increase the export potential of Georgian wine and diversify markets, with the financial and organizational support of the National Wine Agency, Georgian wine was showcased at 29 exhibitions and festivals and around 250 tastings and seminars across the U.S., Europe, and Asia — in a total of around 20 countries during the first 10 months of 2025.