Zorah Karasi Red Wine, Areni

"Grape variety The king of Armenia’s grapes and possibly one of the oldest grape varieties in the world Areni has been present in Armenia for millennia. Never grafted and on its own roots, it is 100% indigenous to this land with a unique DNA profile that does not match any other. Elegant and fresh, thick-skinned and extremely resistant to disease, through the ages, Areni has adapted perfectly to the high altitudes and extreme temperatures variations of Vayots Dzor, its natural habitat. Karasì is a tribute to the 6100-year wine tradition of Armenia. Aged in traditional amphorae, hence its name, ‘from amphorae’ in Armenian, this wine embraces a country's living heritage while delving back into a long-forgotten chapter in the ancient history of wine. Terroir A Phylloxera free terroir with low vigour, sub alkaline, sandy soil, rich in limestone and large stones. The unique confluence of the environment, the high altitudes, the low vigour soil, drastic day /night temperature variations (20°C/68°F) and late October harvest all contribute to the creation of a wine which is a faithful expression of this alluring terroir. Aging Fermentation occurs in large, temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks which are left rough deliberately to favour micro oxygenation using only natural yeast. Aging then continues in stainless tanks for eleven months with a further six months in bottle."