President Saakashvili said on September 17, that thanks to Russia’s embargo on import of Georgian wines, most of local wine-makers had to increase quality of their products to seek alternative markets in the west.

Russia has failed to achieve its goals by this embargo, imposed in 2006, because “wine crisis in Georgia is already overcome, as we have started production of a high quality wine,” Saakashvili said while visiting Kakheti, a region in eastern Georgia, which is home to over 60% of Georgian vineyards.

“Many thanks to Vladimir Putin for the fact that the quality of our wines has increased. By the way, I was warning him about it in 2006, when I met him in St. Petersburg,” Saakashvili said.