Speaking about the most emblematic autochthonous grape varieties of Georgia, in addition to Saperavi, we should also mention Rkatsiteli. Like Saperavi, which is the basis of the most famous Georgian wines, Rkatsiteli occupies a special place in Georgian winemaking.
Origin and distribution of Rkatsiteli
Rkatsiteli is one of the most ancient Georgian grape varieties. Studies of its genome have shown that Rkatsiteli is a relative of the local wild grape, which suggests that this variety was domesticated and not bred as a result of crossing. There are also opinions that the oldest found qvevri – vessels for fermentation and aging – contained the seeds of Rkatsiteli berries. The birthplace of Rkatsiteli is considered to be the village of Tsinandali in Kakheti, where the most famous wines of the same protected geographical indication are produced from this variety.
The most extensive plantings of Rkatsiteli (about 19,500 hectares) are, of course, in Georgia, and especially in Kakheti, but, like Saperavi, this variety has spread far beyond its homeland. In Georgia, the best dry varietal wines from Rkatsiteli are produced in the settlements of Kardenakhi and Tibaani, and in Tsinandali, Gurjaani and Vazisubani, up to 15% of Kakhuri Mtsvane can be added to the blend with Rkatsiteli. But in the warmer parts of Kakheti, especially in Kardenakhi, sweet fortified wines are also made from Rkatsiteli. Rkatsiteli remains a popular variety in the post-Soviet space: there are not many of them in Russia (about 570 in the Rostov region, about 130 in the Krasnodar region), and in Moldova and Ukraine – almost 11,500 hectares each. In addition, in Armenia, Rkatsiteli was once the most common variety, but by the end of the 20th century, its planting area had decreased to 7% of the total area. Now in Armenia, Rkatsiteli is used not only in winemaking, but also as a base for distillate, which will later become Armenian cognac (but, if you take into account the European names, it cannot be called cognac, but brandy). Of the Old World countries, Rkatsiteli is found in Bulgaria, where it is the most common white variety and occupies about 12,600 hectares, and in Romania (here it is allocated only about 350 hectares). If we talk about the New World, then, like Saperavi, Rkatsiteli crossed the ocean. In the United States, where its ability to withstand low temperatures was appreciated in New York State, Rkatsiteli is found in the Finger Lakes area. In addition, in the United States, Rkatsiteli also grows in Virginia and in small quantities in some other states. Rkatsiteli even appeared in China in 1956, where it took root well and is called Bayu. Today, Chinese winemakers use this variety for the production of still dry and sweet wines, as well as for sparkling wines and distillation.
Characteristics of the Rkatsiteli vine
First of all, it is worth noting that Rkatsiteli has reddish petioles, since it is this feature that gave it its name (“rka” is translated from Georgian as “vine”, and “tsiteli” – red). The bunches themselves are medium or large in size and oblong in shape, the berries are small, with amber dense skin, which facilitates the transportation process.
The vine grows quite well, prefers moist fertile loamy and sandy loam soils and is quite productive: from 80 to 140 centners can be obtained from a hectare. At the same time, the most optimal conditions, helping to avoid too rapid ripening, are formed at an altitude of 400-700 meters above sea level, on the northern slopes, especially in areas with hot summers. Rkatsiteli does not tolerate heat well and in case of high temperatures and drought requires irrigation.
Rkatsiteli is even more frost-resistant than Saperavi and can withstand cold down to -25 Cº, even down to -30 Cº. In addition, Rkatsiteli is a late variety: shoots appear late, which allows it to wait out the period of frosts, but it also ripens late – in early to mid-October, 150-160 days after bud break. Another positive feature of Rkatsiteli is its resistance to the root form of phylloxera and relative resistance to gray rot. On the contrary, this variety is quite susceptible to mildew and oidium.
Technical characteristics of Rkatsiteli
Rkatsiteli ripens well, reaches high sugar levels (from 18% to 25%), while maintaining high acidity (7-9 g / l titratable acidity). These characteristics allow Rkatsiteli to be the basis for a variety of wines – dry, made using Kakhetian or European technology, fortified, and used for strong alcoholic beverages.
Organoleptic profile of Rkatsiteli wine
Depending on the technology (Kakhetian or European), as well as the blend, Rkatsiteli can have various notes: fruity (apple, lemon, grapefruit), spicy and honey, as well as floral notes and a slight bitterness in the aftertaste.
Tasting of Rkatsiteli wines from three producers
I tasted many of the unique, rare and classic Georgian wines described in my articles at the WineParis Vinexpo 2020 exhibition, and Rkatsiteli wines were no exception. To illustrate this article, I will compare the Tsinandali wine from Teliani Valley and the amber Rkatsiteli wine from the Orgo winery (importer Le Pont Caucasien), as well as the Tsinandali wine from Château Nekresi, which I managed to get in Bordeaux, at La Cité du Vin.
Both Tsinandali, both from Teliani Valley and Château Nekresi, were distinguished by a relatively light body, mainly citrus-floral notes and a long aftertaste with light grapefruit bitterness. However, the style of Tsinandali from Château Nekresi seemed to me more ripe and soft, with lower acidity, while Tsinandali from Teliani Valley had piercing citrus-mineral notes and high acidity.
I was able to compare the amber wine from Rkatsiteli, made in qvevri, with amber Mtsvane, which had a bright aroma of very ripe peach and apricot, even apricot jam and dried apricots, and seemed slightly sweet on the palate. The bouquet of amber wine from Rkatsiteli reminded Mtsvane of shades of stone fruits, but still seemed more delicate and complex, with additional notes of dried herbs and flowers.
Resources
Wine Grapes. A Complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavors. Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding, José Vouillamos
https://vinedresser.info/sorta/373-rkaciteli
http://vvinograd.ru/sorta-vinograda/vinnye/vinograd-rkaciteli.html
https://v-georgia.com/sort-vinograda-rkaciteli/amp/
https://vinograd.info/sorta/vinnye/rkaciteli.html
