The white grape variety originates from Georgia; the name means "red stem". There are about 70 synonyms indicating great age and wide distribution. Some of them grouped alphabetically by country are Baiyu (China); Rkatziteli Gelb, Rothölzer (Germany); Rkachiteli Bianco, Rkatziteli Giallo (Italy); Asangluri, Boudachouri, Budashuri, Budashuri Korolyok, Budasuri, Corolioc, Dedali, Dedali Rkatsiteli, Grousinskii, Grouzinsky, Gruzinski, Gruzinsky, Kakhoura, Kakoura, Kakura, Khangluri, Khanlug, Korolek, Koroliok, Koroliok Rkaciteli, Korolyok, Kukoura, Kukura, Kurkura, Mamali Rkatsiteli, Rkaciteli (second main name), Rkaciteli Bijeli, Rkatiteli, Rkatsiteli Dedali, Rkatisteli Gialo, Rkatsiteli Mamali, Rkatziteli, Rkaziteli, Topolioc, Topoliok, Topolyok, Zweiabazer (Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Croatia, Moldova, Romania, Russia and Ukraine).
As with many other Georgian varieties, it is claimed that the vine was cultivated as early as the 5th century AD. According to another unverifiable hypothesis, the 5,000-year-old kvevri (clay jars) found near the Georgian town of Wani in the region of Imeretia are said to have contained kernels of this vine. And according to a religiously motivated legend, it is even said to be the first vine ever planted by the biblical forefather Noah after the Flood or after landing with his ark on the Armenia/Turkey border on Mount Ararat. However, there is no serious archaeological, botanical or genetic evidence for all these improbable assumptions.
It is certainly a very old vine. According to DNA analyses, it is closely related to local Georgian wild vines and is a cross between a "Reconstructed Genotpye 51" (species Vitis vinifera sativa) x unknown father variety. In a study on Caucasian grape varieties, this genotype was found to be the parent of 22 Georgian grape varieties. Rkatsiteli was a crossing partner of the new varieties Dunavski Lazur, Kangun, Pervenets Magaracha, Podarok Mag aracha and Rkatsiteli Magaracha. A somatic mutation is the variety Rkatsiteli Vardisperi with reddish berries.
Properties
The late-flowering and late-ripening, high-yielding vine is resistant to frost and, to a lesser extent, phylloxera. The grapes can reach high sugar contents with high acidity. The variety yields spicy, acidic, light yellow white wines with diverse aromas of stone fruit, tropical fruit, lemons, green apples and quinces. The versatile vine is used for the production of wines, sparkling wines, liqueur wines, distillates and equally (also because it is durable for longer transport and thus well suited) for the production of table grapes. In 2022 it was officially included in the French catalogue of grape varieties (perhaps also because it resembles Colombard ).
Cultivation quantities
It was particularly widespread in the former states of the USSR; in 1990, 280,569 hectares of vines were recorded. The grubbing-up programme initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev in the mid-1980s caused an extreme reduction. In Georgia, it is the most common grape variety with 25,324 hectares. There it is used in Kakheti for rustic wines with fermentation in clay jars (Kvevri). There are other stocks in Armenia, Bulgaria (5,415 ha), China, Kazakhstan (3,552 ha), Croatia, Moldova (3,898 ha), Northern Macedonia (460 ha), Romania (413 ha), Russia (6,477 ha), Serbia (60 ha) and Ukraine (5,775 ha). Overseas, there are small areas in the US states of New York and Virginia, as well as in Australia. In 2016, a total of 51,374 hectares were designated. This puts it in 19th place in the global grape variety ranking (Kym Anderson).
Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012.
Grape: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI).
Kvevri: by Bauer Karl - Own work, CC BY 3.0 at, Link
