Bringing Georgia to Your Glass: Mallory Tsipouria’s Journey Promoting Ancient Wines in the US

Georgian wines have been around...well, I suppose over 6000 years. In fact, it is a disputed fact between the Armenians and the Georgians as to which country made wine first. The best analysis I can come up with is that 6100 years ago, when what is now called Areni 1 Cave located in Armenia was established, there was no Georgia and there was no Armenia, but regardless, the disageement lives on.

Georgian wines have been in the US since I can remember. At least since the '80's. And back then they carried a pecular, indigenous character; earthy, ozidized and cloudy. That has all changed but the history. A politician turned wine guy is trying to change the perception of Georgian wine...Melory Tsipouria. Listen to him tell his story.

When I first sat down with Mallory Zippor, I realized he wasn’t just a guest—he was a force of nature. Imagine a man who’s fought for his country’s democracy, worked in Congress, and now deploys that same relentless spirit to put Georgian wine on the American map. Mallory Zippor doesn’t just sell wine; he crafts a movement—one handshake, one tasting, one story at a time. You’ll hear him lay out his vision with the same confidence he used to take four congressional delegations to Georgia, making it clear that introducing 8,000 years of winemaking tradition in a land where most people haven’t even heard of his homeland is not for the faint of heart. This isn’t your average wine conversation. It’s a blueprint for making the future, not waiting for it.

Over the course of our conversation, I watched as Mallory Zippor demystified not only the process of importing and advocating for a little-known wine region, but the uniquely personal approaches that set him apart. He’s rocked 300 in-store tastings in just eight months, recruited family and friends into his passionate crew, and outmaneuvered corporate gatekeepers at every turn. He has a knack for turning an ignorant “I didn’t even know Georgia was a country!” into genuine curiosity, using everything from ancient clay amphorae to vivid bottle artwork, all while keeping his wines affordable and intensely personal. As Mallory Zippor tells it, with every taste poured, a new ambassador is born—a theory he’s putting to the test every single day.

If you join me for this episode, here’s what you’ll discover, one clay pot at a time:

• 🏺 What makes Georgian wine “the birthplace of wine,” and how 500 indigenous varietals survived centuries of empires and the Soviet machine

• 🏺 How 300 grassroots tastings outshine digital marketing and create lasting relationships—one poured glass at a time

• 🏺 The role of ancient clay amphorae in crafting both orange (amber) and red wines, and why American palates are finally catching on

• 🏺 Why clean, natural wines with minimal intervention are more than a health trend—they’re a strategic advantage in today’s market

• 🏺 How educating store staff and restaurant crews is the secret weapon for making “impossible-to-pronounce” wines into local favorites

• 🏺 What it really takes to punch through massive industry headwinds, from bypassing distributors to scaling a personal vision from one store to 300

You’ll come away not only knowing more about Georgian wine, but inspired by the sheer persistence, creativity, and human touch it takes to make a cultural dent in the world’s most crowded wine market.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/rQ6oTcBY584