White grape variety
Rkatsiteli
Georgia’s principal white variety, and the classic grape for amber wine made in qvevri.
What is Rkatsiteli?
Rkatsiteli is high in acidity with thick skins, which suits it to the extended skin and stem contact of traditional qvevri fermentation.
Made in the modern European style it is a crisp, appley dry white. Made in qvevri it becomes amber, tannic and savoury — effectively a different wine.
Georgia. The name means "red stem".
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 10116 under the prime name RKATSITELI, 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 Rkatsiteli, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low | Consistent | |
| Acidity | high | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium | Some variation | |
| Body | medium | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium | Some variation | |
| Oak influence | low | Consistent | |
| Savoury character | medium-plus | Highly variable | |
| Floral character | low | Consistent | |
| Herbal / green character | low | Consistent | |
| Spice | low | Consistent | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Texture | medium-plus | Highly variable |
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
If you like Rkatsiteli, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Ribolla Gialla
Both are the classic vehicles for skin-contact white winemaking.
Lighter and less tannic.
Tsolikouri
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more fruit-driven.
Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more oaky, and less tannic and softer.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
Hunter Valley Semillon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and fresher.
Colombard
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and leaner and more cutting.
Alpine white
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more oaky.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Hunter Valley Semillon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and lighter.
Colombard
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and lighter.
Alpine white
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more oaky.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Marsanne
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be softer and rounder, and broader and softer.
Kisi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be softer and rounder, and broader and softer.
Greco
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and fresher.
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.
Vegetarian dishes
Works because the dish is acidic, and a lower-acid wine would taste flat beside it.
Tabbouleh
Works because the dish is acidic, and a lower-acid wine would taste flat beside it.
Goat cheese
Works because the dish is acidic, and a lower-acid wine would taste flat beside it.
Hummus
Works because the dish is acidic, and a lower-acid wine would taste flat beside it.
What to avoid with it
Dishes the pairing engine scores badly, and the principle that explains why. A short list: most things are fine.
Squid and octopus
Noticeable tannin is a risk with fish even where the wine is otherwise a reasonable weight.
Lemon tart
A dry wine will taste thin and sour against a sweet dish.
Samosas and pakoras
A dry wine will taste thin and sour against a sweet dish.
Thai food
A dry wine will taste thin and sour against a sweet dish.
How to serve it
Temperature
10–13°C
50–55°F · Lightly chilled
About 45 minutes to an hour in the fridge from room temperature, or take it out of the fridge about an hour before serving.
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.
Made in two quite different ways. The modern stainless-steel version is fresh and for early drinking. The traditional Kakhetian qvevri version, fermented on skins for months, is tannic and amber and develops for many years — the vessel and the skin contact, not the variety alone, are what make the difference.
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