Georgia, often hailed as the cradle of wine with an 8,000-year winemaking history, is making a modern mark on the global stage. At the 2025 International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC), the country secured three gold medals and 17 silvers, driven by high-quality orange wines and distinctive indigenous reds. The results underscored how the ancient producer is not only preserving tradition but also helping redefine the concept of fine wine.
Georgia reaffirmed its dominance in the orange wine category, winning five of the 13 medals awarded worldwide, including two golds. The success reflects its centuries-old mastery of skin-contact white wines, fermented in buried clay vessels known as qvevri.
Teliani Valley was a standout, with four orange wines averaging 87.75 points and two wines—one orange and one red—claiming gold medals. The winery also achieved Georgia’s highest score of the competition with 95 points. Schuchmann Wines matched that feat with its Vinoterra Mtsvane 2022, which also earned a gold medal and 95 points.
The awards confirm that Georgia’s excellence in orange wines is not confined to a handful of producers but reflects a broader national strength. While countries from France and Japan to Ukraine, the U.S., and the U.K. also took home medals, Georgia remains the benchmark for authenticity and quality in this growing global category.
Beyond orange wines, Georgia’s native varieties are reshaping perceptions of fine wine. Its flagship red grape, Saperavi, earned strong recognition, with nine Saperavi wines and two Cabernet Saperavi blends among the winners.
A teinturier grape with pigmented skins and pulp, Saperavi produces deeply coloured, robust wines with remarkable ageing potential. Its strong showing at the IWSC highlighted both the international rise of indigenous grapes and their ability to stand alongside classic global varieties.
Georgia’s success at the IWSC demonstrates how an ancient winemaking tradition can thrive in a modern context. Whether through amber-hued orange wines or bold reds from native grapes, the country is proving that history and innovation can work together to shape the future of fine wine.
IWSC 2025’s Georgian Champions
Gold Medal Winners (95 points):
Teliani Valley – Cabernet-Saperavi 2019, Kakheti:
Vibrant red and dark fruits with elegant tannins showcasing concentrated vanilla and liquorice
Teliani Valley – Glekhuri Anniversary Edition Kisi 2023, Kakheti (Orange):
Deep gold with honeyed bouquet, complex orange blossom, rosemary, and fennel with mouth-coating tannins
Schuchmann Wines Georgia – Vinoterra Mtsvane 2022, Kakheti (Orange):
Captivating spice and honey aromas with red apple, pear, and citrus marmalade finish
Silver Highlights (90-93 points):
Kindzmarauli Marani impressed with four medals, including their Saperavi 2020 (93 pts), Kakhuri 2013 Orange Blend (93 pts), Qvevri Cabernet Saperavi 2019 (93 pts), and Qvevri Saperavi 2020 (91 pts).
Lopota shone with the Chateau Buera Reserve Saperavi 2020 (93 pts), noted for cherry pie and cinnamon aromas, alongside the Chateau Buera Qvevri Reserve Rkatsiteli 2021 (90 pts), an amber-hued wine layered with sun-dried fruit and mountain tea.
Teliani Valley added further standouts with their Mukuzani Saperavi 2023 (92 pts), Glekhuri Anniversary Edition Selection Saperavi 2022 (92 pts), and Glekhuri Qvevri Aleksandrouli 2023 (92 pts) – all showing the diversity and strength of this leading producer
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