Rkatsiteli is Georgia’s most widely planted grape. You probably know it. What you may not know is Vardisperi — a rare colour mutation identified in 1948 by Georgian scientist Vasil Loladze, where the grapes turn rose-pink as they ripen. The difference is not just visual: ‘Vardisperi’ means ‘pink’ in Georgian, and this variant carries richer aromatics, deeper flavour, and more aromatic complexity than its standard counterpart.
What makes Iberieli’s Vardisperi Rkatsiteli different?
Iberieli’s Zurab Topuridze grows this in Kakheti — the heartland of Georgian wine, where Rkatsiteli has thrived in the region’s clay and sandstone soils for millennia. Like every wine from Iberieli, this is made in traditional qvevri, fermented with skin contact, and bottled without additions or sulphites. The result is the depth and structure of a skin-contact amber wine with the aromatic generosity of a variety that genuinely wants to express itself.
Think of standard Rkatsiteli, then turn the dial up. More aromatic, more textured.
On the nose, it offers lush notes of hibiscus, herbal teas, bitter orange peel, strawberry, ginseng root, cherries preserved in alcohol, and a mineral hint reminiscent of tuff. On the palate, it is both powerful and lively, with pronounced complexity, well-structured tannins, intoxicating freshness, and striking minerality. It evokes terracotta. Long, lingering finish.
Structured, generous, and — for those new to Georgian amber wine — surprisingly approachable.
Serve at room temperature or slightly cool. Works with everything from rich fish to roasted poultry to aged sheep’s cheese.
