Mtsvane

Mtsvane is Rkatsiteli's usual partner in Kakheti, and the two are frequently co-fermented in qvevri. The name means green, a reference to the colour of the ripe berry rather than the wine, and the variety is one of several Georgian grapes carrying it — Mtsvane Kakhuri, the eastern one, is the one normally meant.

It is the more aromatic of the pair. Where Rkatsiteli supplies structure, acidity and tannic grip, Mtsvane supplies perfume: white peach, pear, lime blossom and a floral lift that survives even lengthy skin contact. In a blend it softens the austerity of the qvevri style and gives the wine a top note it would otherwise lack.

On its own and made traditionally it produces a deep amber wine with stone fruit, dried herbs, honey and a characteristic nutty finish, held together by moderate tannin from the extended time on skins. Made in the European style without skin contact, it is a fuller, rounder and considerably more perfumed white than Rkatsiteli, with lower acidity and more evident body.

The grape ripens well in the warm Alazani valley and is prized locally, though it is planted far less widely than Rkatsiteli and is more demanding in the vineyard.

It is worth being careful with the name. Goruli Mtsvane, from Kartli in central Georgia, and Mtsvane Kakhuri are distinct varieties, and wines labelled simply Mtsvane may be either.