Bagrationi 1882 exported to China

Bagrationi 1882, Georgia’s leading sparkling wine producer unveiled Finest, its new sparkling wine.

Finest, according to Lika Kapanadze, Bagrationi 1882's spokeswoman, is produced using a French technique in which the grapes undergo a secondary fermentation in bottle.

According to Kapanadze, grapes were carefully picked during harvesting which is prerequisite for top quality of the product. Like all famous French champagnes Bagrationi will be selling only brut under its Finest brand.

Highly qualified and experienced German specialists teamed up with their Georgian colleagues in the production process. Finest is already being exported to the U.S. and Germany. The product was displayed at international exhibitions in Düsseldorf Prowein 2009 and London Wine International Exhibition and earned acclaim from sommeliers and wine experts.

Bagrationi 1882 is planning to market Finest in hotels, cafes and restaurants, in special shops and Goodwill hypermarket which will be

The company commands nearly 75 percent of the domestic market. Bagrationi’s annual production capacity is 4.5m bottles. But historically, the company used to produce 20m bottles, sending 15 percent of its production to former Soviet republics.

The company ended 2008 with the same sales index - 1.9m bottles - as in 2007, selling 80 percent of its products locally. Last year it exported 20 percent of its production to Ukraine and China. At the beginning of this year, the company penetrated into four new markets and exported sparkling wines to the U.S. and the Baltic nations.

The name Bagrationi comes from an ancient Georgian royal family. The company’s story is linked with the Georgian prince, Ivane Bagrationi Mukhraneli, who launched production of sparkling wines in 1882. That same year Georgian-produced sparkling wines received the first worldwide recognition and won the Grand Prix at an International Exhibition in St. Petersburg.

Bagrationi’s long-term strategy is to become an international brand and production of the new product called Finest serves primarily this goal.