Tsolikauri is a light yellow-skinned white grape variety grown mainly in western Imereti

Imereti

Imereti is a province in Georgia situated along the middle and upper reaches of the Rioni river. It consists of the following Georgian administrative-territorial units:#Kutaisi #Baghdati region#Vani region#Zestafoni region...

 district of Georgia

Georgia (country)

Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...

. It cultivated in Kolkhida Lowland at an altitude of 160 m (524.9 ft) above sea level.

Out of 400 different types of grapes in the country, Tsolikauri is among the most widespread varieties. Nearly 90% of vineyard

Vineyard

A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...

s in western Georgia grow Tsolikauri. This sort usually matures by mid October. Grown in Orzhonikidze vineyards during Soviet rule of Georgia, Tsolikauri was considered one of high-quality grapes along with Chkhaveri and Izabella varieties. It has been used for production of premium dry, semi-sweet and semi-dry wines.
Tsolikauri, Kolkheti, Lelo, Tvishi wines are made from Tsolikauri grapes. According to former Soviet statesman Vyacheslav Molotov

Vyacheslav Molotov

Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov was a Soviet politician and diplomat, an Old Bolshevik and a leading figure in the Soviet government from the 1920s, when he rose to power as a protégé of Joseph Stalin, to 1957, when he was dismissed from the Presidium of the Central Committee by Nikita Khrushchev...

, Tsolikauri was one of favorite wines of Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin

Joseph Stalin

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...

.