Rkatsiteli (;

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

რქაწითელი ''rkats’iteli''; literally "red stem" or "red horned") is a kind of grape used to produce white wine.

History

This ancient vinifera originates in Georgia and is supposed 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. There it was used to make everything from table wine to

liqueur A liqueur (; ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-aged beyond ...

s to Sherry-like

fortified wine Fortified wine is a wine to which a distilled spirit, usually brandy, has been added. In the course of some centuries, winemakers have developed many different styles of fortified wine, including port, sherry, madeira, Marsala, Commanda ...

. Prior to President Gorbachev's

vine pull scheme Vine pull schemes are programs whereby grape growers receive a financial incentive to pull up their grape vines, a process known as ''arrachage'' in French. A large program of this kind was initiated by the European Union ( EU) in 1988 to reduce t ...

, it was possibly the world's most widely planted white wine grape.winepros.com.au. In

Kakheti Kakheti ( ka, კახეთი ''K’akheti''; ) is a region (mkhare) formed in the 1990s in eastern Georgia from the historical province of Kakheti and the small, mountainous province of Tusheti. Telavi is its capital. The region comprises eigh ...

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 alcohol levels prevented it from being much of a success.

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, North Macedonia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine.

Other regions

It is also planted, in small amounts, in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and the eastern United States, mainly in the Finger Lakes region of

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

state, Massachusetts, New Jersey and in Virginia and North Carolina .Wine 101 - Rkatsitel
WineCompass
/ref> There have also been some experimental plantings in California, the

Grand Valley AVA The Grand Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Mesa County, Colorado, primarily in Grand Junction and Palisade. It is located roughly 200 miles West-Southwest of Denver. The high-desert AVA - with an average elevation of be ...

and

West Elks AVA The West Elks AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Delta County, Colorado in and around the towns of Cedaredge, Hotchkiss and Paonia. It is one of two AVA's in the state. Some of the highest altitude vineyards in the northern hemi ...

of Colorado and

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

(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 in order to maximize the sugar balance to offset the acidity. In most regions of Eastern Europe

harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most labor-i ...

is typically in mid October.

Wine style

Rkatsiteli makes noticeably acidic, balanced white wine with spicy and floral notes in the aroma.

References

{{Georgia (country) topics Georgian words and phrases White wine grape varieties Georgian wine Georgian products with protected designation of origin Grape varieties of Georgia