Tsolikouri
Imereti, Georgia
A leading white of western Georgia: citrus, yellow fruit and white plum in a rounded wine, made either fresh or with some of the skins in the Imeretian way.
Sensory profile
Characteristics
Flavor & aroma
At a glance
Production facts
Prevalence
Rare
Climate
Moderate climate
Ripening
Late season
Wine styles
Still, Sparkling
Where it's grown
Geography
Shaded areas are the state, province or département(s) containing each region, so they run wider than the appellations themselves.
Georgia
Imereti
A leading white of the west, made fresh or in the Imeretian way with some of the skins, and often blended with Tsitska and Krakhuna.
Background
Origin & History
Tsolikouri is grown in western Georgia, mainly in Imereti and Samegrelo, and is one of the region's most widely planted white grapes. It ripens late, and its thick skin helps it cope with the humid climate of the west. No DNA parentage has been published for it.
The European style is fermented without skins and gives a medium- to full-bodied wine with citrus, green apple and pear. In the Imeretian tradition part of the pomace is added to the juice, which gives a deeper yellow colour, more weight and a more distinctive aroma. It is often blended with Tsitska and Krakhuna, and it is also used for sparkling wine.
Lineage
Family tree
Parentage not recorded — Tsolikouri is an old variety of unknown origin.
No crossings involving Tsolikouri are documented in the collection yet.