Thematic Meeting with the Ateni Gorge Winemakers

LEPL Environmental Information and Education Centre (EIEC) of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia (MEPA) is implementing a project to support wine producers all over Georgia. The project  which envisages organization of various trainings aims at capability building of the winemakers.

A meeting on "Wines and Quality of Origin" was held with the winemakers from the Ateni Gorge, Shida Kartli region, in the framework of the before mentioned project. Ms. Khatia Tsilosani, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, stressed out the availability of the certified vine seedlings and the financial incentives. Mr. Nugzar Samkhardze, the Deputy State Attorney in Shida Kartli talked about unique endemic species of grapevines of Shida Kartli and their popularization, also contributing to the development of tourism in the region.

The representatives of the National Food Agency and and National Wine Agencyof the Agricultural Research Center of the MEPA, discussed the whole process from the developmentand maintenance of the vineyard to the final product. Local winemakers, who produce wine “Atenuri”, received detailed information from MEPA representatives about the Atenuri micro zone characteristics, the technological potentials of the species, cellar hygiene and equipment, diseases, labeling, storage conditions, certification and export.

At the end of the event, presentation of Kartli grape species grown on the base of the Agricultural Scientific Research Center and wine tasting was held.
The meeting in the Ateni Gorge was attended by the representatives of more than 20 local wine companies.