Hong Kong, Macau and Shanghai host Georgian wine festivals

Wine-lovers in China are being given a unique opportunity to discover the full range of Georgian wines at a Georgian Wine Festival being held in three parts of China this month.

Master of Wine Debra Meiburg is presenting a vast selection of Georgian wines at the Meiburg Wine Media Georgian Wine Festival in Hong Kong, Macau and Shanghai.

• Debra Meiburg is an award-winning multi-media wine journalist, wine educator, wine judge and Asia’s first recipient of the 'Master of Wine' title.

Hong Kong will be the first area to host the Georgian Wine Festival, which will kick off tomorrow. The event will move to Macau on June 20 and Shanghai on June 22 before returning to Hong Kong for a second installment on June 24.

Highlights of the Georgian Wine Festival will be as follows:

• Four master classes in three cities;

• Trade and public tasting sessions, featuring 50+ Georgian wines and 10 winemakers;

• Taste the full spectrum of wine styles including sparkling to still, semi-sweet to dry, traditional qvervi to modern, whites to reds;

• Wine master will guide guests through the past, present and future of Georgian wines, including "trending” wines, highlight wineries, cuisine matches, pronunciation, comparison to popular international styles and more.

“Georgia is the world’s oldest wine producing country, while its unique traditional winemaking techniques and vast range of indigenous grape varieties add to its modern appeal,” said Meiburg.

“During the festival we will cover ‘trending’ wines, highlight particular wineries, cuisine matches, pronunciation and comparison to popular international styles in a uniquely Georgian festive atmosphere,” she added.

Last year, the Government of Georgia worked hard to diversify its wine exports, with China being one of its target markets. Figures from Georgia's National Wine Agency showed exports of Georgian wine to China had increased by 122 percent in 2015 compared to 2014.

Last year Georgia exported 2,672,154 bottles of wine to China. With these figures, China was the fourth largest importer of Georgian wine in 2015. (agenda.ge)