Jani
Jani – was ranked as the best grapevine variety among the indigenous grapevine varieties of Guria, as providing quality and full wine. Presently, it is a basic grapevine variety in many micro-districts of Guria. Its grape is very precious in taste, also it is transportable and easy to store; therefore, Jani can be considered as being a grapevine variety of table grape for local use.
There are few materials in viticulture literature referring to Jani. G. Sharashidze (19), E. Nakashidze (17) and acad. Iv. Javakhishvili (9) mention only the name „Jani.“
Among the local population and viticulturists it is also known by the name „The Grape of Mari“ (in the district of Chokhatauri). According to agr. Al. Sharashidze, this name was given because of Iakob Mari who cultivated quite a large low vineyard of Jani in the village Dablatsikhe (Chokhatauri) and maintained it in order to annually make high quality wine. This wine was called „The Wine of Mari.“ „The Wine of Jani“, „The grape of Jani“, and “Real Jani“ are also recognized names.
There are no written materials about the origin of Jani nor from where and how it developed in Kolkheti, namely in Guria.
Acad. Iv. Javakhishvili (9) calls Jani of Guria as the Spanish „Jaen“ (this latter is described by Spanish author Alonzo de Herari) and concludes that these grapevine varieties are not identical; this should be considered as true; as „Jaen“ with its botanicalbiological characteristics, is clearly different from the Georgian Jani. Jani distributed in Guria is middle-sized, less productive, with small and thin bunches; its berry is dark blue, middle-sized, oval, thick-skinned and easy to chew. Jani of Guria ripens late- at the end of October and the beginning of November.
Spanish „Jaen“ is stronger than moderate in growth; is very productive, has large, dense bunches and large berries which are thin-skinned and extremely juicy. In a damp climate, berries break open easily- a distinct negative aspect of this grapevine variety. Hence, these two grapevine varieties are significantly different from each other and should be considered as independent grapevine varieties.
Despite this, acad. Iv. Javakhishvili did not classify Jani as an indigenous grapevine variety and supposed that it was brought in the 16th-17th centuries from south-western Georgia. He excluded this grapevine variety from the list of indigenous grapevines of Georgia and included it in the group of foreign grapevine varieties, which were implemented in Georgia.
As a result of long observation and exploration, Jani should be considered as one of the representatives of the group of Kolkheti Prol. pontica subprol. Georgica Negr.
The distribution of the variety Before the first half of the 19th century, Jani was widely distributed as high vineyards in the districts of Guria, mostly in the central and upper part, in mountainous villages; also in central and upper Adjara and particularly in the gorge of Merisi (Kedi district) and in the Furtio-Chao zone. In these places today remain the sign of past cultivation in the form of several roots of Jani. As a high quality grapevine variety, it was distributed in the adjacent villages of Imereti, wherein it was used for making the famous wine „Sajavakho“ known throughout the whole Western Georgia.
The spread of fungal diseases and phylloxera caused the mass destruction of high vineyards of Jani; only a few vines can now be found in the mountainous villages of Guria and Adjara where they grow slowly and are characterized with difficulty in productivity and development as it is dependent on meteorological conditions.
On the initiative of some interested farmers, in 1905-1906 in Chokhatauri district, were cultivated low vineyards of grafts of Jani (in the village Dablatsikhe by I. Mari, and agr. A. Khundadze). Some representatives of these vine-grafts still exist today and, in spite of such an age, they are characterized with quite good growth and productivity.
Presently, the area of Jani’s cultivation is very limited, basically a result of the extensive distribution of the more phylloxera-resistant grapevine variety – Izabela (Adesa), and the highly productive grapevine variety of Imereti – Tsolikouri. Unfortunately, with its characteristically low-productivity, Jani is not able to beat the competition among the other grapevine varieties.
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Botanical description
This grapevine variety was described in the villages of Dablatsikhe and Kalagoni (Chokhatauri district) as well as on the soviet farm of Bakhvi (Makharadze district) for comparison.
In Kalagoni village, Jani was planted in 1905 on south-facing slopes. The soil is light sub-clay and consists of a low amount of humus; the vineyard is planted in rows and formed by Georgian rule at 1 - 2 fruiting buds supported by stakes. The height given to vines is 60cm. In Dablatsikhe village, the vineyard of Jani is cultivated on the right bank of the river Sufsa. The soil is brown, consisting of quite a significant amount of humus and the vine is planted in rows, hanged on the wire and formed by Georgian rule at 1 - 2 fruiting buds. The height of vines is given 1m.
The young shoot
The cone of growth is white, slightly reddish, covered with white down. The first nearly opened leaf is bright green on the topside, covered with white-grayish hairy down; its tips are colored bright red, covered with quite thick whitish-gray hairy down, white the underside of the leaf is covered with white down. The petiole of the leaf is violet, quite thickly covered with grey down; the following second and third leaves are bright green along the veins, the blade is often reddish and slightly covered with grey down. The coating is more expressed along the veins; their underside is covered with hairy down. The coating becomes whitish-grey from the second leaf, while from the third – grey. The young shoot of Jani (16 – 18cm long) is bright green; on one side colored violet and slightly covered with grey hairy down. The coating is more expressed to the tip of the shoot, and has a reddish-violet coloring.
The one year sprout
The mature sprout is quite thick; the axils are distanced by 10 - 17cm and are bright brown or dark reddish. The axils are darker in coloring, accompanied by brown lines.
The leaf
The developed leaf is roundish or slightly oval, is slightly lobed, about 16.7 - 20.3cm long and 15.5 - 20.2cm wide. The incision of the petiole is open, lyre-like, with an acute basis or is either arch-like or with a flat basis.
The upper incisions of the leaf are slightly cut or strongly, while incisions with the shape of a lyre can also be found, consisting of parallel roundish basis; sometimes with teeth. The lower incision is lightly cut. The leaf is three-lobed. The margin of the leaf creates an obtuse angle to the blade, rarely – right.
The teeth of margin tips are roundish or triangular and have slightly convex or sharp tips and can be similar to the saw teeth. The secondary teeth are similar.
The topside of the leaf is smooth, rarely wrinkled like a net; its surface is flat, sometimes with a channel in the shape of a funnel, and on the underside is covered with grayish down. The major veins are less coated; are bright green, to the basis – red wine colored. The petiole of the leaf is bare, rarely –slightly covered with hairy coating, is bright green, on one side – wine-colored. Its length equals the length of the middle vein.
The flower
The flower is hermaphroditic, consisting of well-developed pistil and stamens which are inclined from the pistil and are twice the length of the pistil. There are 5 stamens in a flower, but 4 or 6 can also be found. The number of flowers in an inflorescence is 150 - 300.
The bunch
The bunch is 5 - 8cm. By the time of full grape-ripening, the pedicel is wooden up to the axils and, due to this, it is difficult to separate without using a knife. The remaining part of the pedicel, including the scion, is grass-like and bright green.
The bunch is smaller than middle-sized. Large bunches are 9 - 13cm long and 7 - 11cm wide. There are 40 - 70 berries on a bunch. A middle-sized bunch is 7 - 10cm long, and 6 - 7cm wide. The wing of the bunch is often of the bunch’s length.
The bunch is cylindrical or sometimes cone-cylindrical, sometimes with wing and is branched or unshaped.
The grain
The grain, including the pedicel, is 5 - 8mm long. The pedicel is wrinkled and wide cone-shaped; the berry is tightly attached to the pedicel. The berry is dark blue- nearly black) - middle-sized; about 13.7mm long and 12.5mm wide; is oval, wider in the middle part, and has a rounded symmetrical end. The berry is thick-skinned, covered with wax-like spots. The flesh is solid and chewy- a characteristic quality of this grapevine variety. Grains provide a characteristically low outcome of juice, but are very sweet and pleasant. The flesh is difficult to separate from the seeds, and does not consist of pigments.
The seed
There are 1-4 seeds in a grain, mostly one. The seed is 6.5 - 8mm long and 3 - 4mm wide, and is bright brown. The channels of the abdomen are yellowish. The basis is placed near the back in the middle part, is triangular, rarely – oval. The back is smooth. The top of the tip is brownish, about 1.5 - 2mm long.
Agro-biological description
Phenological observation was conducted in the villages of Dablatsikhe and Kalagoni and on the Soviet farm of Bakhvi. Below are presented the annual mean characteristics of the biological phases (see Table 1).
These places are situated in different micro-zones of Kolkheti which are insignificantly different in their ecological conditions- the exact reason why the course of vegetative phases is similar (as indicated by the given Table). For example, the entire duration of the vegetation period in all three zones is 237 - 238 days; only a small difference is indicated in the first bio-phases; as for example, the break of buds begins relatively earlier in Dablatsikhe village (3 April – 6 April), because of warmth; while in the villages of Kalagoni and Bakhvi, it begins 4 - 5 days later. This refers also to the period of blossom that begins at the end of May in the village Dablatsikhe (25 - 29 May) and lasts until 7 - 8 June; in Kalagoni village it also begins at the end of May but lasts longer, even until 10 June; while in Bakhvi village blossoming begins at the beginning of June and ends around the 13 15 June, except from some years when the spring begins early, and the consequent warmth helps the vine to blossom early (27 - 28 May) and ends around the 8 - 10 June. The grape starts ripening in the same time periods because of a normal sum of active temperatures (1906 - 2083o); the ripening period begins from the third part of August and lasts until September (in the villages of Dablatsikhe and Bakhvi).
Significant difference is indicated in the ripening of the grape; for example, in Dablatsikhe and Kalagoni villages, the grape fully ripens in the third part of October and can be picked, while on the Soviet farm of Bakhvi, it lasts longer and the grape is ready to pick only in the first days of November. Leaf-fall begins from the second half of November and ends at the beginning of December; occasionally it occurs early as a result of the influence of fungal diseases, particularly of downy mildew.
The productivity
Jani, like many other grapevine varieties of Georgia, begins to provide the grape early, from the second year of planting –the first signs of fruit appear and, from the third and fourth or fifth years, full productivity takes place.
Below are presented the 3 year mean characteristics of the productivity of Jani as described in the villages of Dablatsikhe, Kalagoni and Bakhvi (see Table 2).
Jani is less productive than average. Despite of care and proper cultivation, it is characterized with much less productivity than other indigenous grapevine varieties of Guria. One vine, formed by Georgian rule, provides 500 - 800g of grape, while the coefficient of productivity is 1.0 - 1.2. There is 1 bunch on a sprout, rarely two. In addition to low productivity, Jani is also characterized with a low outcome of juice, about 54 - 55% or less. These are the reasons why Jani is not widely distributed despite the high quality of production. Flower-fall and small berries are not characteristic for Jani. The sprouts generated from the old parts of the vine are generally unproductive.
Resistance to fungal diseases and pests
In the warm and damp climate of Guria, fungal diseases are wide spread and cause significant damage of the vegetation parts of Jani, sometimes dangerously so; particularly, the green parts (the leaf, shoot, and bunch) of Jani are vulnerable to downy mildew. This negative influence can be overcome by spraying with Bordeaux mixture 5-6 allocated times. This grapevine variety is relatively more resistant to powdery mildew.
The adaptability to rootstocks of has not been adequately studied, with only a few observations having been provided of the old grafts of Jani in the village of Dablatsikhe (Chokhatauri district), where vines are cultivated grafted on Riparia x Rupestri 3309 and Rupestri Dulo. The former is distinguished with better and more regular productivity.
Adaptation to the environment
As the climate of Guria, with its warmth and damp, is very helpful for the development and spread of fungal diseases, much more sun-lit, highland places should be selected for the successful cultivation of Jani in order to maintain its proper growth and development as well as the quality of its production. Jani needs to be cultivated in calcium-carbonate and clay soils in order to provide full and energetic table wines, because, in poor soils, the quality of its production is comparatively low.
In Guria, the influence of winter frosts is insignificant; usually the minimum temperature is fixed at -10°. In such conditions the vine develops normally during the entire vegetation process.
Low vineyards of Jani are characterized with moderate growth, but can develop more successfully in higher formation. Like Chkhaveri, Jani is also a climbing vine and is characterized by stronger growth of the upper vegetative parts. This is natural; as the existence of old parts on the vine determine the strength of the general development of the vine and its particular sprouts. Consequently, the existing form of vineyard should be replaced by 1 - 1.5m high canopies by creating 3 - 5 forming rings; in the case of the use of cordon, a 70cm height should be maintained by leaving 2 - 3 shoulders with 3 - 4 forming rings.
Agro-technical characteristics
The mechanical analysis of the berry and bunch of Jani was conducted by the use of grape-samples from the villages of Kalagoni, Dablatsikhe and Bakhvi.
The mechanical structure of bunches of Jani is the following: the average weight of a bunch is 69.1 - 70.1g, consisting of 47 - 53 berries. There is 3.5 - 5.4% scion and 94.6 - 96.5% berries on a bunch. The structure of a berry is: the skin – 29.9 - 33.01%, the seed – 5.10 - 6.41%, and the juice – 54.7 - 59.8%. Therefore, the pomace consisting of scion, seed, and skin is 45.04g.
The weight of a large bunch is 112g, while of a small – 52g.
The weight of 100 berries is 132 - 144g. There are 124 seeds in 100 berries, weighing 8.8g. Grains with one seed consist of 58%, with two seeds – 27%, with three seeds – 14%, and those with four seeds 1%. The weight of 100 berries’ skin is 28.31g.
Below are presented the results of the chemical analysis of the juice (see Table 3).
Despite the harvest being conducted late, the increase of sugar concentration is not indicated as being caused by the climate of Guria and particularly by the increase in the hydro-thermal coefficient. The identified proportion of sugar and acidity is quite satisfying for making quality table wine.
The wine of Jani is characterized with a normal level of alcohol (11.5 - 12.1 °) as is usually characteristic for quality table wine. The concentration of extract is also normal: a slightly high level of Tannin (1.95 - 2.15) is determined by processing together with pomace. The concentration of volatile acids (0.65 - 0.73) indicates the soundness of the wine. The wines of Jani made from different yields were tasted at a special Degustation Commission and evaluated as quite colored, rich with body; thick, harmonious, with a pleasant taste. Below is presented the data of the chemical analysis of the wine of Jani as carried out by chemists V. Demetradze and K. Goraevi (1, 3) in Sakare testing station (see Table 4).
of the capacity of conserving the wine of Jani was not carried out, but chemical structure and organic characteristics of the wine leads to the conclusion it is characterized with a high ability for conservation. This is proved also by the written works of E. Nakashidze (17) and G. Sharashidze (19), as well as by the famous viticulturists of Guria: A. Sharashidze and A. Khundadze who had old roots of Jani cultivated in their vineyards. The wine of Jani endures keeping and becomes well-matured; characterized with a pleasant taste and aroma.
In addition to the wine’s quality, the transportability and storage ability of its grape should be noted (storage is possible during the entire winter until late spring). Long observation indicates that grapes left on the vine can retain their quality until January-February, while, after picking, until the end of April. These valuable capacities are determined by the lack of juice. Before the spread of phylloxera and fungal diseases, high vineyards of Jani were widely cultivated in Guria and their produce used for table grape byeither leaving grapes on the vine (until January-February) or by picking (in November-December). It was a custom shared among people to pick the grape for the New Year holiday. The picked bunches of Jani were kept until late spring without any deformation and distortion of their structure. Of negative characteristics should be underlined the consistency of small berries and low outcome of juice, also the vulnerability to downy mildew; though this latter is possible to overcome by additional fungicide treatment, while as regards low productivity- this issue requires maintaining great work in the direction of selection and generation of new, more productive grafts. Also, significant attention should be paid to forming and canopy-like forms of vineyards should be used. After considering all these procedures, Jani will become the leading grapevine variety among red grapevine varieties of Western Georgia as a provider of high quality table wine and table grape.
By the solidity of the fruit, Jani is very interesting in the issue of genetics; moreover, this is the first grapevine variety in the Soviet Union with a distinctively solid fruit.
General evaluation and distribution by district
The precious characteristic of taste, good transportability and storage ability make Jani one of the most important and leading indigenous grapevine varieties of Guria.
In spite of low productivity and low resistance to fungal diseases, it should be recovered and re-cultivated in the districts of Guria. In the future it should be cultivated by using grafts and exclusively phylloxera-resistant grafts.
Bibliography
1. Demetradze V., Materials for Dividing Western Georgian Viticulture and Enology Industry into Regions and Specialization. Kutaisi, 1936.
2. Ketskhoveli N., Zone of Cultural Plants in Georgia. Tbilisi, 1957.
3. Mirotadze A., Types of Racha-Lechkhumi. Tbilisi, 1939.
4. Ramishvili M. For Guian vine variety studying, Moambe №, Tbilisi, 1939.
5. Ramishvili M., Vine Types of Guria, Samegrelo and Adjara. Tbilisi, 1947.
6. Tabidze D., Development of Viticulture in Georgia. Tbilisi, 1950.
7. Cholokhashvili S., Viticulture, Vol. II, Ampelography. Tbilisi, 1939.
8. Sharden J. Trip to Georgia. Tbilisi, 1935.
9. Javakhishvili Iv., Economic History of Georgia, Vol.II. 1934.
10. Jorjadze L., Viticulture, Wine-making and Improvement. Tbilisi, 1876.
