Georgia Wine Festival to toast Georgian wine’s growing popularity in Korea

Poster for the Georgia Wine Festival (Wine 21)

The Georgia Wine Festival, showcasing exceptional wines from the country where the oldest evidence of winemaking was discovered, will take place on Sept. 24, according to Wine 21, the event organizer, Thursday.

The festival, hosted by the Georgia National Wine Agency and sponsored by the Embassy of Georgia in Korea, will feature around 90 wines from 24 Georgian wineries. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore a selection of top-quality Georgian wines including made of Georgian grape varieties such as Saperavi, Rkatsiteli and Kisi.

The festival will also feature sessions where attendees can experience a range of dishes commonly paired with wines, such as Churchkhela, a 3000-year-old Georgian nut and thickened fruit juice confection shaped like candles.

A photo zone will be set up and the Korean Culture Association will provide an opera concert performance in honor of the event, according to Wine 21.

Tarash Papaskua, the Georgian ambassador to Korea, as well as a number of wine industry professionals, members of the media and social media influencers are expected to attend the event.

"As Korea's wine culture matures, Georgian wine has gained significant attention among wine enthusiasts, to the point where you can now meet Georgian wine aficionados even in Korea," said an official from Wine 21 in a press release.

"Recognizing this trend, Georgia is also paying more attention to the Korean market and establishing various connections," said the official.

According to Wine 21, Georgia is recognized as the birthplace of winemaking as well as the country with the oldest winemaking tradition, with its history spanning 8,000 years.

The Georgia Wine Festival will be held at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel on Sept. 24, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Prior to the festival, a Georgian wine master class for industry professionals will also be held the morning of Sept. 24 at the same location, followed by an afternoon Georgian wine tasting event featuring industry representatives.