Rkaciteli

This ancient grape variety originates from Georgia and is among the oldest grape varieties in the world. Clay vessels containing Rkatsiteli grape seeds dating from around 3000 BC have been found in Georgia.

Rkatsiteli was hugely popular in the former Soviet Union and at one point accounted for more than 18% of total wine production. The grape was used for a wide range of wine styles: from simple table wines and liqueurs to Sherry-like fortified wines. Before President Gorbachev's vine-pull programme it was probably even the most widely planted white grape variety in the world. In the Kakheti region, Rkatsiteli was best known for its sweet dessert wines, made using a method similar to that of port. Several attempts have been made to produce sparkling wine from this variety, but its naturally high alcohol content often made this difficult.

Although the grape is still mainly planted in its original homeland of Georgia, there are also significant plantings in other Eastern European countries, including Russia, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania, North Macedonia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine.

The grape has high acidity, which can make the wine sharp. Winemakers therefore try to harvest the grapes as late as possible to achieve an optimal balance between sugars and acids. In many Eastern European regions the harvest usually takes place in mid-October. Rkatsiteli yields fresh, distinctly acidic and balanced white wines with spicy and floral aromas.