Rkatsiteli (; tr; literally "red stem" or "red horned") is a kind of grape used to produce white wine.
History
This ancient
Vitis vinifera originates in Georgia and is believed to be one of the oldest grape varieties.
[J. Robinson Vines, Grapes & Wines pg 260 Mitchell Beazley 1986 ]
Rkatsiteli was the most widely planted grape variety in the Soviet Union and, by 1978, was responsible for 18% of all Soviet wine production.[winepros.com.au. ]
In Kakheti it was particularly known for its sweet dessert wines fashioned in the same manner as port wine. There were many attempts to create a sparkling wine from the grape, but its naturally high prevented it from being much of a success.
In Georgia, Rkatsiteli is not only widely cultivated but also featured in wine tourism experiences, especially in the Kakheti region. Many vineyards offer tastings and educational tours focused on traditional qvevri fermentation using Rkatsiteli grapes.
Wine regions
The grape is mostly planted in its ancestral home of Georgia, though there are still sizable plantings in other
Eastern European countries like
Russia,
Armenia,
Bulgaria,
Moldova,
Romania,
Serbia, and
North Macedonia,
Azerbaijan and
Ukraine.
Other regions
It is also planted, in small amounts, in
Australia and the eastern
United States, mainly in the
Finger Lakes region of New York state,
Massachusetts,
New Jersey,
Virginia and
North Carolina.
[Wine 101 - Rkatsiteli WineCompass] There have also been some experimental plantings in
California, the Grand Valley AVA and West Elks AVA of Colorado and
China (where the grape is known as
Baiyu).
Viticulture
The high
acidity of the grape is prone to make the wines excessively tart, so winemakers try to pick the grapes as late as possible to maximize the sugar balance to offset the acidity. In most regions of Eastern Europe harvest is typically in mid-October.
Wine style
Rkatsiteli makes a noticeably acidic, balanced white wine with spicy and floral notes in the aroma.
