Written by Nick Russell

Most Georgian winemakers pitch what they make. American importers are deciding something else entirely. Understanding this gap is the difference between a conversation that goes somewhere and one that stalls politely after a tasting.

Here is how the decision actually gets made — from the importer side of the table.

They are looking for portfolio gaps, not great wine.

An importer with an established book of business is not searching for the best wine in the world. They are asking: what does my current portfolio not have that my accounts are asking for? A natural wine importer with strong restaurant accounts in New York and Chicago knows their buyers are asking about orange wine, about skin-contact whites, about alternatives to the Jura and Alsace they already carry. Georgian amber wine from qvevri fills that gap precisely. The importer who understands this frames Georgia not as an exotic curiosity but as a specific solution to a specific portfolio need.

They are evaluating the person as much as the product.

Importing wine is a relationship business. An importer who takes on a producer is committing to a multi-year partnership — managing logistics, educating their sales team, pitching accounts, handling problems when they come up. They want to know: is this producer someone we can work with? Do they communicate? Do they follow through? Will they be a professional partner when something goes wrong?

They need a story their sales team can tell.

Georgian winery ready for the US market?

We know this corridor and this category. Tell us about your wine.