Tsitska and Tsolikouri

Both Tsitska and Tsolikouri belong to the Kolkhetian grape family and are native to Georgia's Imereti region. Tsitska is believed to be among the oldest white varieties in western Georgia, with deep roots in Imeretian viticulture stretching back centuries. Tsolikouri emerged as a defining regional variety by the 19th century and has since become the dominant white grape of western Georgia. The two grapes form the backbone of the traditional Imereti triad when joined by Krakhuna, a combination deeply embedded in local winemaking culture.

• Tsitska is one of the oldest indigenous white varieties in western Georgia
• Tsolikouri became a defining Imeretian variety by the 19th century
• Both belong to the Kolkhetian grape family of Georgia
• The Imereti triad of Tsitska, Tsolikouri, and Krakhuna is a celebrated traditional blend

Imereti sits in western Georgia at elevations ranging from 50 to 500 meters above sea level. The region experiences a humid subtropical climate, with warm days, cool humid nights, and high rainfall influenced by proximity to the Black Sea. Soils vary across the region but are characterized by stony loams rich in calcium carbonate and limestone, alongside clay-based soils with limestone. This combination of cool nights and mineral-rich soils directly contributes to Tsitska's signature high acidity.

• Elevations range from 50 to 500 meters above sea level
• Humid subtropical climate with Black Sea rainfall influence
• Soils include stony loams rich in calcium carbonate and clay-based limestone soils
• Cool humid nights preserve the natural acidity that defines Tsitska

Tsitska is a high-acid variety with flavors of green apple, lemon, pear, melon, citrus, and honey. Its natural acidity of 9 to 12 g/l makes it the region's premier grape for sparkling wine production. Tsolikouri produces fuller-bodied, light straw-colored wines with aromas of yellow plum, citrus, melon, white plum, pear, and floral notes. In Imereti, both grapes are typically made with minimal skin contact, yielding crisp, lighter-styled wines. Extended maceration in qvevri produces amber-style wines with greater texture and complexity.

• Tsitska: green apple, lemon, pear, melon, citrus, honey; acidity 9 to 12 g/l
• Tsolikouri: yellow plum, citrus, melon, white plum, pear, floral aromas
• Minimal skin contact is the Imeretian norm, producing crisp, lighter whites
• Qvevri fermentation with extended maceration yields amber-style wines

Imereti has its own distinct winemaking tradition that sits between the fully skin-macerated Kakhetian style and the entirely skin-free European style. Wines are fermented in the traditional qvevri, the buried clay vessel known locally as churi, or in modern European-style equipment. The Tsitska-Tsolikouri blend is the foundation of the Sviri PDO, a recognized dry white wine of the region. Tsitska is also used as the primary base for sparkling wine production due to its reliably high acidity.

• Sviri is the PDO dry white wine produced from the Tsitska-Tsolikouri blend
• Qvevri (called churi in Imereti) are traditional buried clay fermentation vessels
• Imereti sits stylistically between the full-maceration Kakhetian and European-modern approaches
• Tsitska is the principal grape for Georgian sparkling wine production

Imereti has attracted a new generation of talented producers working with these indigenous varieties. Baia's Wine, led by Baia Abuladze, has brought international attention to the region's white grapes. Ramaz Nikoladze is a benchmark producer for natural and minimal-intervention Imeretian whites. Archil Guniava Wine Cellar, Kirile Wine Cellar, Oda Wines, and Minadye Wine Cellar round out a group of quality-focused estates committed to expressing the character of Tsitska and Tsolikouri.

• Baia's Wine (Baia Abuladze) is one of Georgia's most internationally recognized natural wine producers
• Ramaz Nikoladze is a key figure in natural and traditional Imeretian winemaking
• Archil Guniava Wine Cellar focuses on indigenous Imeretian varieties
• Multiple small family cellars including Kirile, Oda, and Minadye work with the traditional Imereti style