Anita Gvasalia

I am Anita Gvasalia, I am currently completing the Vinifera Euromaster (viticulture-winemaking master’s program) and doing a professional internship in Bordeaux.

How I got to where I am today?

I was always interesting in the prospect of deepening my knowledge outside the borders of Georgia. When I was in the final year of the bachelor’s program in viticulture and winemaking, I decided to try my luck in European universities and sent my resume to two different master’s programs, and finally I chose this program.

Why I chose this profession:

First of all, probably because I fell in love with wine as a consumer from a very young age besides, I was always attracted to natural sciences and the technological process of alcoholic beverages. For these reasons, I decided to start studying, then several years of experience showed me that working directly with wine gives me great pleasure. I believe winemaking is a very time-consuming but at the same time very creative activity, it gives you the freedom to do a lot of experiments, which is particularly interesting for me.

My goal is:

At this stage, my priority is to learn as much as possible and gain experience. After completing my master’s degree, I intend to gain practical experience and work in the field of wine Technology (hope to be in Georgia). Then I might go back to academic life.

What motivates me to do what I do?

Hard to say, but probably the concern. In my opinion, viticulture and winemaking is a very broad field, especially in Georgia, where we have the greatest diversity and potential in this direction.

What is missing in Georgian winemaking industry?

It would be wrong to speak in general terms about Georgian winemaking, however, in my opinion, we lack complexity and individuality in wines on the market. This is especially inconsistent with consumer prices of wine. It is very gratifying that we have great interest from the international market, although I believe that in order to take an honorable plave, we have to step up our game.

Advice to those who choose this profession now:

I would probably recommend that they get a lot of practical experience and invest in learning foreign languages.