It’s a wine of considerable depth and yet, thanks to refreshing acidity, it feels fresh, almost zippy.
Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)
About the Wine
Areni is the native variety, Karasi means 'from amphora', and Zorah is the winery. That bit out of the way, we can concentrate on describing this hardy, chunky, big Armenian red.
The wine sees ild yeast ferment in concrete, no oak here, then aged for 12 months in the Karas (amphora). Roasted meats, dark red fruit, some wildness, with plenty of tannin and power.
Truly a taste of wine history.
About Zorah
Zorah was founded by Zorik Gharibian, an Armenian who studied in Venice and Milan before embarking on a successful fashion career built on the principles of tradition, innovation and excellence. In the 2000s he decided to pour his heart and soul in his real love: wine.
For Gharibian the only path was to look to the land of his forefathers. He planted vineyards surrounded by dramatic snow-capped mountains, 1,400m above sea level in the small rural village of Rind in the heart of Yeghegnadzor, Armenia’s top grapegrowing region.
Zorah’s 40-hectare ungrafted vineyard sits on rocky, limestone-rich soils. It’s planted to carefully selected indigenous vines derived from the abandoned vineyards of a nearby 13th century monastery. The region enjoys long, dry summers, with remarkably vivid sunlight and high daytime temperatures contrasting with cool nights, giving a lengthy growing season that lasts to the end of October.

Armenia