SATSURAVI 

Satsuravi is a red grapevine indigenous to Adjara. The production of Satsuravi is used for making original wine for local use. 

We have no written materials referring to Satsuravi’s exact origin but, based on long term observation, we can conclude that this is a typical representative of the Kolkhetian grapevine group, namely that it belongs to the endemic vine group of Adjara. This is affirmed by its botanical characteristics (the morphology of leaf, the thickness, covering, flower type, bunch constitution and berry consistency) and biological features (the strength of growth, the duration of its vegetation period, and the sequence of particular vegetative phases) which are typical for Kolkhetian grape species. 

The evidence of this is also the real Georgian name “Satsuravi” and “Satsuri,” coming from and expressing its nature as it is a very productive grape for making juice. Similar terms can be found in Samtskhe-Javakheti, where one of the important species is called Saghvine (‘for wine’). Hence, these names (Satsuravi and Saghvine) seem to be indicators of the grape’s major industrial/ agricultural branch and could be the result of the Georgian’s long and conscious work; men who defined many grapevine species with their relevant names, such as Saghvine (‘for wine’), Sakurdzene (‘for grape’), Sabadago (‘for sweet juice’), Samachre (‘for new wine that is not fully fermented), Sachurchkhele (‘for sweet dessert’), and others. 

According to oral accounts, Satsuravi was a widely spread grapevine species in the districts of Adjara before the 17th century and used for family reasons as wine and grape juice. After the conquest of this area by Turks at the beginning of the 17th century, and the forced conversion to the Muslim religion of the local people- a religion that was against the drinking of wine, the cultivation area of other wine species significantly decreased. In addition, the spread of fungal diseases and phylloxera accelerated this process and, after such considerable negative influence, only single vines are left standing in the districts of Keda and Khulo (the villages Vaio, Zvare, Furtio, Chao, and Alme). 

Lately, great attention has been paid to Satsuravi due to its extensive productivity. Firstly, it was planted in the Experimental Vineyards of Keda in 1935. The low vineyards of Satsuravi have proved their value with high productivity and outcome of juice. After this, Satsuravi spread widely in the collective vineyards. 

According to 1956 data, the total land scope dedicated to Satsuravi comes to 50.52ha, out of which 48.45 ha is located in the Keda district, while 2.07ha is in the Shuakhevi district. Satsuravi is cultivated also in the Chokhatauri district at 0.07ha. In other districts of Georgia it can be found only in collective vineyards. 

The high vineyards of Satsuravi are very rare and can be found in Keda and Khulo. The productivity of these is dependent on natural weather conditions. 

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 

Satsuravi is described in the village of Vaio in the Keda district, while for comparison it has also been described in the village of Keda. The vines are grafted on Riparia X Rupestri 3306, and are formed by Georgian rule at 1-2 buds and are supported by stakes. 

The young shoot. During the opening of the buds, the shoots are whitish-red; the cone of growth is covered with whitish-gray hair. Newly opened first leaves are green on the top surface, while near to the teeth are bright red and covered with grayish down. Their undersides are covered in a thick felt-like down. The down is grayish-white and reddish on the edges. The petiole of a leaf on both sides is slightly reddish-violet and covered with down. 

The young shoot of Satsuravi is round, bright green on one side and reddish-violet on the other, and is slightly covered with grayish white down- more intensively around the tip. 

The one year sprout. The developed sprout is brown, quite wide and thick, and the length between the axils is 7 - 13cm. 

The leaf. The leaf is medium-sized or larger: 19.9cm long and 17.3cm wide, oval and deeply sectioned, sometimes slightly. 

The incision of the leaf’s petiole is open, lyre-like, sometimes with one bare tooth on its basis. Typically it has four veins, slightly touching each other. 

The upper incision is deeply penetrating and mostly closed, often being egg-shaped. Lyre-like shapes can also be found, having parallel sides and rounded basis. On its basis is sometimes a developed simple tooth. 

The lower incision is deeply visible and lyre-shaped, mostly with rounded basis. Slightly deep incisions with freely stretched sides and sharp basis can also be found. 

The leaf is often five-lobed. The tip of the leaf’s blade creates an obtuse angle, rarely – right. 

The teeth of edges are triangular. The secondary teeth are triangular and convex, rounded or with a sharp tip. The edges of a blade and teeth are massively colored with reddish-rust. 

The lower surface of leaves is covered with rough grayish down; its upper surface is smooth and sectioned like a net. The blade curls like a funnel. The major veins are covered with grey down and are bright green, while to the basis – are reddish-wine colored. 

The proportion of the leaf’s petiole to its major vein equals 0.8- 1.0. It is bare and reddish colored. The flower. The flowers are hermaphroditic with normally developed pistil and stamens. In a flower there are five stamens, rarely four or six. In a receptacle there are about 700 flowers.

The bunch. The pedicel of a bunch equals 3.5-6.5 cm. The bunch of Satsuravi is commonly 14 - 26cm long and 9.5 - 17cm wide, cylindrical-come shaped or cylindrical, and, as a rule, very dense. Generally, the bunch has two or sometimes three wings. The pedicel of a bunch is rough and shares the color of the sprout. The shoot is similar to grass and is bright green.

The grain. Grains are dark red, larger than average- generally 16.4 mm long and 15.5mm wide – are slightly oval, but rarely can be roundish; in the middle part is much wider, symmetrical, with rounded ends. They have thin skin, covered with wax, and the fruit is very juicy, with a plain sweet taste.

The length of a grain’s pedicel, together with its receptacle, comes to 5 - 7mm. The receptacle is brown, spotted, and similar to a wide cone in shape. The berry is connected weakly to the receptacle.

The seed. Each berry houses one to four seeds, most often berries with two seeds can be found which are 7 - 8mm long and 4 - 5mm wide, brownish or brown, while to the inside yellowish. Their basis is situated in the middle of its rear, is roundish or slightly oval, with a tip that is yellowish and 1.5 - 2mm long

AGRO-BIOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION

The vegetation period and course of phases. The biological phases of Satsuravi have been observed and described in the Experimental vineyards of Keda and the village Vaio (Keda district).

These districts are characterized by relatively similar ecological conditions and thus the vegetative phases of Satsuravi have not indicated any significant difference. A similar picture is to be found in the districts of central Adjara, which are situated in the gorge of Adjaristskali. The budding of a vine begins in the first days of April. When the weather is normal, the blossom period starts from the second half of August, and more intensively ripens from the second half of October. The leaf fall begins from the end of November and ends at the beginning of December. In the case of good weather and proper cultivation, the vegetative parts of a vine can ripen fully and turn into sprouts during the time of full grape ripening and, at this time, their coloring becomes as its characteristic coloring should be.

Regarding growth and development, Satsuravi belongs to a strongly growing species. At the end of the vegetation period the length of sprouts can be 4m. 

The productivity. The first sign of harvesting can appear from the second, more often from the third year of Satsuravi’s planting, while its full ripening happens from the fourth-fifth year. This is a very productive species. Based on five year’s data, the amount of harvesting shoots is defined as 78 - 80%. The coefficient of the productivity of Satsuravi equals 1.6 - 1.8, and on a sprout two bunches often develop. The average weight of a bunch equals 288g. One vine of low vineyard (by loading at 12 - 16 buds) can provide 3 - 3.5kg, or sometimes even 5kg of grape. The productivity of one hectare equals 120 - 130 centners. Agricultural workers in Adjara, who had successfully cultivated Satsuravi in their vineyards and received a high yield, were awarded orders of Socialist Work Heroes of The Soviet Union in 1948.

As the vine is strongly growing, its loading should be provided at two fruiting buds (by maintaining 20-22 buds in order to get 150-160 centners production per hectare or it can be achieved also by forming according to the cordon method, characterized by two sides and two forming rings on each post. 

The shedding of flowers and small berries is not characteristic for Satsuravi. Small berries can ripen two weeks earlier than normal berries and they mostly contain one seed.

The ripening of berries does not happen at the same time or equally- a characteristic property of Satsuravi.

Satsuravi is quite resistant to the fungal diseases, especially on southern and sun-lit slopes. In the moist ecological conditions of Adjara, the administering of Bordeaux mixture 4 times to Satsuravi can be considered enough.

Similar to other native species, Satsuravi is less resistant to phylloxera. This is the reason for the mass disappearance of its high vineyards.

Based on available observation, the rootstocks of Satsuravi are characterized by a good capacity for recovery and then by the strong growth and development of vines, for example Riparia X Rupestri 3306 and 3309.

Response of species to different environmental conditions. In the central Adjara zone, the winter is not characterized by strong frosts (-8o, -10o) which, in any case, cannot cause great damage to the vine’s general development. Furthermore, even though the vine gets covered with snow, its awakening starts timely and the development following it occurs normally.

Satsuravi is not very sensitive to ecological conditions; it can be cultivated nearly everywhere in this region successfully, however, its production is very different- of a higher quality is that cultivated on southern and south-eastern slopes and sun-lit places (in the villages of Keda, Zvarem, Vaio, Zesopeli, and Shuakhevi).

In order to gain a larger and more qualitative production, it would be formed by stake or cordon (with three forming rings) rule and the free cutting of vines, that would be supportive in the defense against fungal diseases and grape value, and also helpful for cultivation activities. 

AGRO-TECHNICAL CHARACTERIZATION

The samples of the grape’s mechanical-chemical analysis were taken from the vineyards of the villages Vaio and Keda (see Table 1).

In a bunch are 120-360 berries, the average number being 150. In a common bunch, 4.5% is shoot, 7.4% - skin, 4.5% - seed, and 82.3% - juice.

The weight of a large bunch is 1 - 1.5 kg, while a small bunch is 200g. The weight of 100 berries comes to 170-179g, the average being 175g. In 100 berries are 202 seeds, weighing 8.9g. Grains with one seed make up 26%, with two seeds- 53%, with three seeds- 14% and berries with four seeds- 7 %.

At the time of full ripening, the sugar consistency in grapes comes to 18-19%, while the general acidity – 10%.

The mentioned samples consist of a lower level of alcohol and more acidity- unsatisfactory for the requirement of qualitative table wines- representing only typical original wine. Such wines are made from Satsuravi every year, with up to 9o alcohol as a rule. We think that, in the case of late harvest (two weeks late) the sugar concentration will increase by 2-3% as well as its alcohol, while the acidity will decrease.

Due to lower alcohol level and less fleshy grape, the wine of Satsuravi cannot be kept and transported. The grape can be kept only when left on the vine as, after picking, it easily breaks open and the juice is lost. Also, it can be easily damaged during picking. To avoid this, special containers of metal of wood must be used.

GENERAL EVALUATION AND DISTRIBUTION BY DISTRICT

Satsuravi is very interesting among the red grapevine species of Adjara as it provides much more grape, juice and material for making original family wines as well as for grape juice and spirit. Because of this feature, Satsuravi should be widely cultivated and spread in Adjara, particularly in the districts of Keda – in the gorges of Adjaristskali and Merisi, and also in the Shuakhevi zone, in the adjacent districts of Keda. The distribution of Satsuravi should be strongly prohibited in the upper zone (in the villages of Furtio, Chao, Alme, Khulo and others) as the grape is unable to reach its ripening.

In addition to Adjara, Satsuravi can be distributed in Western Georgia entirely and especially in the mountainous districts and villages. The vineyards of Satsuravi should be cultivated with phylloxera resistant grafts.