RARE GRAPE VARIETAL RESOURCE

The Kumshatsky white grape is a very rare indigenous grape variety of the Don basin.

Archaeological fundings on the banks of the Don have found amphorae, wine bowls, viticulture and wine-making equipment. Greek geographer Strabo in his works mentioned that there were vineyards at the entrance to Polus Metida (the terrotory of the mouth of the Don). The history of local viticulture began 2,000-2,500 years ago. The first widely known record of viticulture on the Don is linked to Peter the Great, in the early 18th century he ordered to launch wine production. The palnts were brought from Hungary, France and Germany and planted in the villages Razdorskaya and Tsimlyanskaya.

The Kumshatsky white variety belongs to the group of varieties of the Black Sea basin. Originally it was spread in the old vineyards of the Tsimlyansk district in Cossack villages. Long-term experiments has shown that the Kumshatsky variety gives high-quality white dry and sparkling wines.

The bunches are rather big (18-20 cm in length, with an average weight of approximately 250 g). They are conical, with a strong top. The stalks of the bunches are long and thick. Grapes are medium-sized (average weight is 3.4 g), round, frequently squizzed in the bunch, greenish-white, slightly yellowish when mature. The skin is of medium thickness, fragile. The flesh is juicy. Kumshatsky white variety is very resistant to the weather conditions.

During the anti-alcoholic campaigns in the Soviet Union, the variety was almost destroyed, but is now being reintroduced by local winemakers. A small plantation of pure variety of Kumshatsky white grape is preserved on the experimental-production farm, that serves as plant nursery to the winemakers who contribute to the safeguarding of the variety.

(Courtesy of Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity – Ark of Taste) https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/white-grape-kymshatskiy/