Khardani

Akhardan — better known in Georgia as Khardani, and also called Samchacha — is an old Georgian variety of the Black Sea basin group. Its berries are dark blue with a bluish waxy bloom and a thin skin that parts easily from the juicy flesh; the juice is uncoloured and the taste fresh and pleasant. The clusters are medium, conical and dense, ripening in early October.

The vine is vigorous, with medium yields and moderate resistance to fungal disease. Sugar sits around 19–20% and acidity is high, so Akhardan gives fresh, light table wines. Today it is a rare native grape, kept mainly in family vineyards and ampelographic collections.