Zorah Karasì Areni Noir 2023
£28.95
The wine
Deep ruby red, with a spicy, herbal character alongside bright red fruits and cherry.
Areni Noir is the native red grape of Armenia, pale and high in acidity, and Karasì is named for the karas, the clay amphorae buried in the ground that have been used here for millennia. Armenia has a claim to the oldest winemaking in the world: a 6,100-year-old winery was excavated at Areni, a few miles from these vineyards. The vines here are ungrafted, phylloxera having never reached this remote country, and they sit at around 1,400 metres on volcanic and limestone soils.
The producer
Zorah
View all Zorah winesZorah is the estate that reawakened the ancient wine culture of Armenia, one of the oldest winemaking lands on earth. Founded by Zorik Gharibian in the remote highlands of Vayots Dzor, it has drawn the world's attention to a heritage stretching back six thousand years.
The vineyards sit at high altitude on volcanic soils, planted with ancient, ungrafted indigenous vines. Winemaking honours tradition, with fermentation and ageing in karas, the traditional Armenian clay amphorae buried in the ground.
Areni Noir is the noble red at the heart of the range, giving the perfumed, elegant Karasì, while the white Voskì draws on ancient Voskehat and Garandmak, the skin-contact Chilar shows real texture, and the powerful Sirenì captures Armenia's wilder side.
Ancient, distinctive and utterly unlike anything else, these are wines of genuine discovery. Explore the birthplace of wine.
