Sakpatenti Granted the Status of Appellation of Origin to Wine “Okami”

Granting of the status of geographical indications and appellations of origin to special Georgian products is carried out in Georgia by Sakpatenti. 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 each such product unique.

Work for registration of wine “Okami” as an appellation of origin began from April 13, 2022, when “Ethno Okami”, the winery of the Caucasus International University, appealed to Sakpatenti with this request. “Okami” is a white or red dry wine, which shall be produced only from grapes of vine varieties cultivated in the micro-zone Okami, central part of Shida Kartli viniculture zone – “Okami” white shall be produced only from grapes of vine variety Chinuri and/or Goruli Mtsvane, and wine “Okami” red – only from grapes of vine variety Shavkapito, usage of other varieties is prohibited. The entire cycle of making the product shall take place within the boundaries of micro-zone Okami, which includes 17 villages of Shida Kartli region. This micro-zone is distinguished by the dry subtropical climate and favourable structure of soils, which determine the specific characteristics of the wine. It is noteworthy that special contribution to the improvement and development of the local methods of making wine of this type was made by Ivane Mukhranbatoni, who in the second half of the 19th c. invited European specialists to Georgia for the purpose of development of winemaking. Already in 1965 under the guidance of Tengiz Kekelidze, the Okami winery was opened. 

The ceremony of granting the status of an appellation of origin to Okami took place on December 12, 2022. Mr. Soso Giorgadze, Chairman of Sakpatenti, and Mr. Levan Mekhuzla, Chairman of the National Wine Agency, handed over the registration certificate to Mr. Lasha Bodaveli, Director General of “Ethno Okami”, the winery of the Caucasus International University. Practice shows that granting the status of an appellation of origin will increase the demand for the wine and its price, which will lead to the development of local production, creation of new jobs and increasing of incomes.

At present, along with “Okami”, in total 64 geographical indications and appellations of origin protected in Georgia are registered by Saklpatenti. Among these are 28 appellations of origin of wines.  In near future, 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, Sakpatenti will submit a request for granting protection to appellation of origin “Okami” on the territory of the European Union. 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 included 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.