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    Rkatsiteli

    Vitis vinifera L.

    Georgia's leading white grape, the 'red stem' of Kakheti.

    VIVC
    № 101161
    Berry skin
    white (blanc)1
    Origin
    Georgia1
    Synonyms in VIVC
    731
    central lobepetiolar sinuslobes: 5cluster
    parentReconstructed genotype 51 (Georgia)
    parentunknown
    Rkatsiteli

    confirmed by DNA markers (VIVC)

    vinoluma engraving: schematic leaf after the description (5 lobes).

    Where Rkatsiteli comes from and grows

    1. Origin (VIVC)Georgia
    2. Atlas regionKakheti

    Country of origin as given by VIVC. Regions are those where the atlas sources mention the variety; not a complete list of where it grows.

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    Red stem

    The name Rkatsiteli means 'red stem', and the variety is native to Kakheti in eastern Georgia.2 VIVC records 73 synonyms.1 As one parent it lists a reconstructed genotype from Georgia, a profile inferred from DNA rather than a living vine; the other parent is unknown.1

    The vine buds late, at the end of April, and ripens late, in early October.2

    In Georgia and beyond

    According to Georgia's National Wine Agency, Rkatsiteli makes up 43% of the country's vineyards, with over 20,000 hectares as of 2014.2 For the Kakheti appellations Gurjaani, Tsinandali and Vazisubani it is often blended with 15 to 20% Mtsvane Kakhuri, and it is a core grape of the fortified Kardenakhi.2

    Since 2023 it has also been in France's official Catalogue of vine varieties, on list A.3

    Other names

    Examples of synonyms recorded in VIVC: Andreuli Tetri, Asangluri, Baiyu, Boudachouri, Budashuri.1

    Around the world

    In 2023 it covered 44,821 hectares of bearing vineyards worldwide, ranking 19 of 1497 varieties in the database.4

    The largest area is in Georgia: 18,845 ha (42% of the world total), across 12 countries.4

    Between 2000 and 2023 its area shrank by 33%.4

    1. Georgia18,845 ha
    2. Russia7,045 ha
    3. Bulgaria4,994 ha
    4. Moldova3,898 ha
    5. Kazakhstan3,552 ha
    6. Armenia2,754 ha
    7. Ukraine2,745 ha
    8. North Macedonia482 ha
    9. Romania316 ha
    10. Serbia127 ha
    11. Croatia56 ha
    12. the United States6.9 ha

    Area, 2023

    67,35458,64051,37444,8212000201020162023

    Regions

    Sources

    1. VIVC passport no. 10116. Vitis International Variety Catalogue (JKI), accessed 2026-10-14. level 2 · checked 2026-10-13
    2. White wine grape varieties: Rkatsiteli. LEPL National Wine Agency of Georgia (Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture), accessed 2026-10-14. level 4 · checked 2026-10-13
    3. Rkatsiteli. plantGrape (IFV / INRAE / Institut Agro), accessed 2026-10-14. level 2 · checked 2026-10-13
    4. Database of Regional, National and Global Winegrape Bearing Areas by Variety, 2000 to 2023. Anderson K., Nelgen S., Puga G. Wine Economics Research Centre, University of Adelaide (CC BY 4.0), 2026. level 3 · checked 2026-10-13