White grape variety
Mtsvane Kakhuri
An aromatic Georgian variety often blended with Rkatsiteli for qvevri whites.
What is Mtsvane Kakhuri?
Mtsvane is more aromatic than Rkatsiteli and lends floral lift to Georgian white blends. The name means "green".
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 8121 under the prime name MTSVANE KAKHURI, with berry skin colour blanc and country of origin georgia, and the pedigree "RECONSTRUCTED GENOTYPE 51 (GEORGIA) X ?". Checked 2026-08-17.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of Mtsvane Kakhuri, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low | Consistent | |
| Acidity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium | Some variation | |
| Body | medium | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Oak influence | low | Consistent | |
| Savoury character | low-medium | Consistent | |
| Floral character | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Herbal / green character | low | Consistent | |
| Spice | low | Consistent | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | medium | Consistent | |
| Texture | medium | Some variation |
Common flavours
Wines made from it
The same grape in different places and different hands. These are where the wide ranges above resolve into something specific.
Where it grows
- Kakheti — Georgia
If you like Mtsvane Kakhuri, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Falanghina
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be fresher, and less tannic and softer.
Torrontés
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more aromatic, and fresher.
Maria Gomes
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be sweeter, and softer and rounder.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
Moschofilero
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be fresher, and more aromatic.
Parellada
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and more restrained in fruit.
Loureiro
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be fresher, and fresher and more acidic.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Moschofilero
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be fresher, and lighter.
Parellada
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be lighter, and more neutral and subtle.
Loureiro
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be fresher, and fresher and more acidic.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Malagousia
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be softer and rounder, and stronger and warmer.
Kisi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be less floral, and more savoury.
Roussanne
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more oaky, and softer and rounder.
What to eat with it
Ranked by WineHQ's pairing engine, which reasons from the structure of the dish.
Fillet steak
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Turkey
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Tortilla española
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
Fresh cheese
Works because oak flavour overwhelms subtle food.
Gnocchi
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
Asparagus
Works because ripe fruit counterbalances bitterness where more bitterness would not.
What to avoid with it
Dishes the pairing engine scores badly, and the principle that explains why. A short list: most things are fine.
Thai green curry
A dry wine will taste thin and sour against a sweet dish.
Chicken tikka masala
A dry wine will taste thin and sour against a sweet dish.
Salmon in a cream sauce
Noticeable tannin is a risk with fish even where the wine is otherwise a reasonable weight.
Tiramisu
A dry wine will taste thin and sour against a sweet dish.
How to serve it
Temperature
9–12°C
48–54°F · Fridge cold
From a 20°C room, roughly two to three hours in the fridge, or about 20 minutes in a bucket of ice and water.
Decanting
No need to decant
Nothing about this wine suggests it needs decanting. Light, aromatic and sparkling wines generally lose more than they gain.
Glass
Universal wine glass
A medium tulip-shaped glass handles almost everything well. If you own one set of glasses, this is the set to own — the difference between a good universal glass and a grape-specific one is far smaller than the difference between a good glass and a bad one.
Ageing
Most wines made from this grape are for drinking now, but certain styles reward keeping.
Often blended with Rkatsiteli in Kakheti, bringing more aroma and body. Made fresh it is for early drinking; made in qvevri with extended skin contact it gains the tannic structure that lets amber wines hold for years.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof
- National Wine Agency of Georgia — National Wine Agency, Georgia