Georgisk Vin - Georgian Wine platform in Denmark

Georgisk Vin is a platform dedicated to promoting Georgian wine and culture in Denmark, founded by composer Sopho Sagharadze. Alongside her musical career and lecturing at the Danish Conservatory, Sopho is actively engaged in representing Georgian wine abroad.

Although she was not a dedicated wine consumer herself, Sopho sees Georgian wine as a unique cultural value, and her mission is to share that value.

T: Sopho, what inspired you to introduce Georgian wine to the Danish market?

In Denmark, wine holds a significant place, and there is a growing interest in natural wines. Five years ago, when I arrived in Denmark, I always felt a sense of longing, as Georgian culture was still relatively unknown here.

During my master’s studies, which coincided with the pandemic, I couldn’t travel back to Georgia. During this year-and-a-half period of longing, I realized that it was the perfect time to turn my dreams and ideas into reality. So, I established Georgisk – Georgian to promote culture and build a bridge between Denmark and Georgia. The first step was wine: “If I can’t go to Georgia, I’ll bring Georgia here to Denmark.”

With the help of close friends and strong support, I was able to connect with winemakers online and introduce their products to the local market. The first shipment was 400 bottles of 12 different varieties, and just two weeks after starting wine tastings, we found ourselves in small Michelin-starred restaurants.

T: What does Georgisk Vin offer Georgian winemakers?

Currently, we feature over 20 types of wines from small, family-owned wineries. In addition to collaborating with wine bars and restaurants, I focus on participating in various cultural festivals and often host wine and culinary evenings with partner restaurants and bars. I believe these events have been successful in connecting customers with Georgian wine and building trust.

Although interest in Georgian wine has significantly increased over the past few years in Denmark, for many, our wine’s potential remains unfamiliar and often limited to an association with amber wine. So, it’s important to continue working actively to further strengthen Georgian wine’s reputation and introduce high-quality offerings to the market.

T: How have the Danes received Georgian wine?

In Scandinavian countries, quality, history, and authenticity are highly valued in wine. Georgian wine genuinely possesses all these qualities.

For my customers, it’s also important to work with small family wineries and support the familial craftsmanship they represent. Georgian wine has everything that could captivate a wine lover: history, distinctive winemaking techniques, endemic grape varieties, authenticity, diversity, and the culture and unique quality of small family wineries. Danish consumers truly appreciate this combination.

Of course, some customers remain skeptical about Georgian wine at first, but once they taste it, they are often deeply impressed.

T: What challenges and opportunities does Georgian wine face in Denmark?

In Denmark, a lot of attention is paid to bottle design—each bottle is seen as a piece of art, and people are interested in how the label reflects the character of the wine. In some cases, this is even a decisive factor, so I advise winemakers to pay attention to this aspect.

Additionally, some winemakers’ higher prices for the Danish market make it harder to establish a strong foothold in the right segment. If we want to build lasting, stable collaborations, excessively high pricing may not be beneficial.

Of course, Georgia’s unique tradition is a powerful asset that we must leverage when discussing Georgian wine. For the Danes, especially in the restaurant industry, there is great importance in the stories of the winemakers and families behind the wine. The values and relationships they have with wine, the vineyard, and us, should always be shared.

Alongside our 8,000-year history, it’s essential to highlight today’s quality, which Georgian wine deserves to be respected for.