Saperavi

Saperavi is an ancient, autochthonous black wine grape variety originating from the very cradle of world winemaking — Georgia, specifically the Kakheti region, where it has been cultivated for several millennia. It ranks among the oldest, most authentic, and most highly valued wine grape varieties on the planet. Due to its unique genetics, extreme frost resistance, and ability to produce powerful, full-bodied red wines of opaque, inky-black color, it is now experiencing a major global renaissance and becoming an exceptionally sought-after and highly valued variety in our vineyards.

Saperavi is a variety with hermaphroditic flowers; self-pollination plays an important role, while cross-pollination may improve fruit set and yield stability. Because of this botanical specificity, vineyards require the presence of compatible pollinator varieties with the same flowering period; in our region, these are most often the Georgian Rkatsiteli or the international varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Under unfavorable flowering conditions, flower shatter and millerandage may occur, but this should not be explained by sterile pollen; for more stable yields, good pollination in the vineyard is desirable. It flowers medium-early.

The vine is moderate, or medium, in vigor, with upright and orderly growth, producing thin yet exceptionally elastic and tough shoots that are very easy to train and arrange. It requires a standard and stable training structure, such as a wire trellis. It adapts very well to various modern training systems, especially the Guyot trellis. It enters full bearing later after planting grafted grapevines, but once developed, it produces moderate to solid yields of exceptionally high oenological value. It tolerates more severe winter pruning well, while during summer it requires moderate shoot thinning and removal of lateral shoots in order to control the leaf canopy.

It belongs to the group of medium-late wine grape varieties, the third ripening epoch. In our region and under continental climatic conditions, it ripens at the end of September and in early October.

Harvest timing is strictly defined by technological maturity and is carried out at the end of September and during the first half of October. The grapes have an outstanding biological trait: they can remain on the vine for a very long time after full maturity without berry drop and without any risk of rotting. During this autumn hang time in the sun, the fruit accumulates an exceptionally high sugar content, often exceeding 24–26%, while the level of total acidity remains stable, balanced, and high, giving the future wine beautiful freshness and unsurpassed potential for long-term aging.

It is an absolutely premium wine variety and is not intended for fresh table consumption. Saperavi is unique in the world of viticulture because it belongs to the extremely rare group of teinturier varieties. Unlike 99% of other black varieties, whose juice is clear-white, Saperavi is described as a variety with very deeply colored skin and intensely colored wine; in professional sources it is referred to as a semi-teinturier, so it should not be stated absolutely that the flesh and juice are intensely dark red. It delivers exceptional oenological results: it produces completely opaque, dense, inky-black wines with beautiful purple and violet reflections, extremely rich in dry extract, natural coloring compounds, anthocyanins, tannins, and acids. The wines have a powerful, full body, luxurious structure, and intense, deep aromas of ripe black plum, blackberry, blueberry, and sour cherry, which with aging develop refined tones of tobacco, dark chocolate, leather, and spices, with exceptional potential for maturation in oak barrels, barrique.

The cluster is medium-sized to large for a wine grape variety, with an average weight of 150 to 250 g. It is broad-conical and branched in shape, often with pronounced lateral wings. The cluster is naturally very loose, airy, and light, allowing perfect ventilation within the fruit zone. The berry is medium-sized and regular in its ovate-oval shape. The skin is thin, yet very firm, tough, and elastic, intense dark blue to coal-black in color, fully covered with an exceptionally dense light blue waxy bloom. The flesh is juicy, fleshy, and strongly pigmented with dark red juice. The taste is refreshing and recognizably varietal.

It is characterized by extremely high natural resistance to low winter frosts and temperatures. Saperavi is well adapted to cold winters and drought, but frost resistance depends on vine condition, site, phenological stage, and agricultural practice. It shows excellent general field resistance to diseases, is moderately susceptible to powdery mildew, Uncinula necator, and downy mildew, Plasmopara viticola, while due to its naturally loose cluster it is highly resistant to gray mold, Botrytis, in humid and rainy autumns before harvest.

The root system is exceptionally strong, deep, robust, and branched. Thanks to its powerful and deep roots, Saperavi tolerates prolonged summer droughts and heat exceptionally well. It performs best, gives premium results, and achieves maximum extract quality on light, permeable, skeletal, stony, marly, and moderately fertile soils on hilly, elevated, and well-sunlit vineyard sites.

Our grafted grapevine plants are produced on highly compatible, certified rootstocks: Kober 5BB, Berlandieri x Riparia Kober 5BB, and its selected clones. This rootstock achieves a perfect, permanent, and long-lasting anatomical graft union with Saperavi, ideally balances its growth, and provides outstanding resistance on dry and calcareous terrains with a high content of active lime in the soil.