Russian experts arrived here Monday to start on-the-field inspection on Georgian wine cellars and mineral water factories, signaling the start of a process to lift a ban on wine exports to Russia.

The visiting Russian group consisted of six members from the Russian consumer goods quality service. They will separate into three sub-groups to inspect wine facilities in Tbilisi and the eastern Georgian region of Khaheti on Tuesday.

Levan Davitashvili, head of the Georgian wine agency, told the press that the Russian experts would not be able to inspect in one go all the aspiring Georgian exporters of wines and mineral waters to Russia as there are over 80 of them.

The first inspection tour would be conducted on 44 of them in a week's time, Davitashvili added.

The visit came after a Georgian delegation of seven members visited Moscow early this month to negotiate for re-entry of Georgian wines and mineral waters into the Russian market.

Russia banned imports of Georgian wines and mineral waters in 2006 on quality reasons. Re-entry efforts were beefed up when the new Georgian government took office in late October last year.