The Status of Appellation of Origin was Granted to One More Unique Georgian Wine

Registration of geographical indications and appellations of origin in Georgia is the authority of Sakpatenti. These statuses are granted to special Georgian products. A geographical indication and an appellation of origin inform consumers about the origin of the product and its unique characteristics which are attributable to the place of origin. The characteristic environment of this place and the traditional knowledge of production existing among the local population there make such product unique.

On April 4, 2022, N(N)LE Regional Development Center of Asureti applied to Sakpatenti with a request to grant the status of an appellation of origin to Georgian wine Asuretuli Shala. According to the materials submitted in the application and searched by Sakpatenti, it has been identified that “Asuretuli Shala” is a red dry, light or dark ruby-coloured wine; its micro-zone is situated in the village Asureti of Tetritskaro Municipality; the wine shall be produced only from grapes of vine variety Asuretuli Shavi, cultivated in the micro-zone, however, usage of Tavkveri and Shavkapito within 15% is also permitted; processing of grapes and wine making shall take place only within the micro-zone, whereas bottling is permitted on the territory of Georgia. Various sources confirm that the old endemic vine variety “Asuretuli Shavi” was found on the settlement site of old Asureti and cultivated by German Otto Schall, in whose honour the wine was called “Shala”.

The ceremony of granting the status of an appellation of origin to wine “Asuretuli Shala” and handing over a relevant certificate took place at Sakpatenti on November 24, 2022. Mr. Soso Giorgadze, Chairman of Sakpatenti, together with Mr. Levan Mekhuzla, Chairman of the National Wine Agency, handed over the certificate to Mr. Aleksandre Chichinadze, founder of the N(N)LE Regional Development Center of Asureti. At present, along with “Asuretuli Shala”, in total 64 geographical indications and appellations of origin are protected in Georgia. The State Registry contains information on “Khvanchkara”, “Chacha”, “Tushuri Guda”, “Churchkhela”, “Sulguni”, “Borjomi”, “Machakhela Honey” and other unique products. 

In near future, Sakpatenti, on the basis of the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part, will submit a request for granting protection to appellation of origin “Asuretuli Shala” on the territory of the European Union. A similar request will be filed by Sakpatenti regarding other geographical indications and appellations of origin registered in the current year. After carrying out the necessary procedures and taking a positive decision, information on the new protected products will be published in the database of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The new appellations will also be entered in the Lisbon Registry administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), on the basis of the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration, a member of which Georgia is from 2004. Sakpatenti will also take relevant measures for protection of the new geographical indications on the territories of Ukraine, the Swiss Confederation and the United Kingdom based on the agreements on mutual recognition and protection signed between Georgia and the above-mentioned countries.