On November 8, New York will host the first-ever Georgian wine festival in the United States. The renowned exhibition space Industry City, which has welcomed many major international events, will now showcase modern Georgian wine for the very first time.

A record number of Georgian winemakers—31 in total—will travel to New York, bringing with them more than 100 unique samples of Georgian wine. The event, titled Amber Georgia, is driven by the goal of promoting Georgia’s celebrated amber wine, a style unlike any other in the world.

Winemakers will introduce natural wines made from diverse grape varieties grown across different regions of Georgia, presenting them to American wine enthusiasts, sommeliers, and merchants. The idea for the festival originated with winemakers Zura Mgvdliashvili and Iago Bitarishvili, with support from the Georgian National Wine Agency. New York-based wine consultant and sommelier Alexis Percival also played a key role in organizing the exhibition.

Amber Georgia is dedicated to small wineries—producers who cultivate their vineyards organically or biodynamically and craft wines naturally, with minimal intervention and without additives. The organizers, themselves winemakers, emphasize the importance of showcasing authentic Georgian wine abroad, especially as the industry continues to move beyond the lingering influences of the Soviet era, which left a legacy of mass industrialization and standardized production. Unlike post-Soviet markets, the American wine market values innovation, diversity, and authenticity.

“We all agree that Georgian wine needs greater international recognition. While Georgia already hosts many wine festivals, the time has come to establish a signature event abroad that reflects our traditions and character. The name Amber highlights Georgia’s ancient qvevri winemaking heritage. Although it is not easy for winemakers to attend due to visa and financial challenges, this first Amber Georgia in New York is already a large-scale event. We hope future editions will grow even further and expand to other countries,” said Iago Bitarishvili, one of the organizers.

“Participation in international wine events, especially in distant America, is a significant financial burden for small wineries. Yet the Georgian winemakers coming to New York on November 8 are investing their own resources because they believe in the future of Georgian wine and its success in America. We are also planning similar exhibitions in Europe in the future—this is just the beginning,” added Zura Mgvdliashvili, co-founder of Amber Georgia.

In past years, international exhibitions often featured Georgian wines represented by acquaintances or relatives abroad, as financial and visa barriers prevented winemakers themselves from attending. Amber Georgia changes that: more than 30 Georgian winemakers will personally present their wines to the American audience—directly, in person.

Levan Sebiskveradze