Zorah - Karasi Areni 2022
Zorah Wines is located in the rural village of Rind, in the heart of Vayots Dzor in Armenia . The vineyards, managed according to sustainable agriculture, benefit from a micro-climate; long dry summers with bright sunshine, combined with high daytime temperatures contrasting with cool nights and a long growing season. Working only with old indigenous varieties, the vines are planted on their own roots directly in rocky, limestone soils that have never seen phylloxera. The winery was founded by Zorik Gharibian , originally from Armenia, who realized that his country had a deep-rooted wine culture that seemed to have died out after years of Soviet rule and so changed his mind about buying a vineyard in Tuscany to return to his Armenian roots.
Karasì , is a tribute to the 6,100-year-old Armenian winemaking tradition: aged in traditional amphorae , hence its name, "amphorae" in Armenian. It is made from the Areni grape variety grown on high-altitude vineyards (1,400 meters), has never been grafted and is entirely indigenous to this land. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts and then aged for about 12 months in " Karas " (traditional clay amphorae). After a very light filtration, the wine is aged in the bottle for about 6 months .
Grape variety: 100% Areni
"A red with a unique character, both ancestral and vibrant. Light in structure but deep in sensation, Karasi evokes volcanic earth and the freshness of the mountains. The amphora adds a supple, almost infused texture."