To learn more about the wines of Armenia, check out our book Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia.

Zorah received its first international accolade right from the start: the inaugural Zorah Karasi (2010) was one of Bloomberg’s Top Ten Wines of 2012. The winery was founded by Zorik Gharibian, an Armenian who grew up in Italy and made a name for himself in the fashion capital of Milan. With extensive experience in the fashion industry, both Zorik and his wife, Yeraz Tomassians, are well primed to cross-pollinate ideas from a wealth of disciplines – including design and marketing – and bring forth refreshing facets to the wine industry.

Here’s a glimpse of their aesthetic sense and commercial acumen.

All that sound like a recipe for success; and not only does Zorah make world-class wines that live up to its brand identity, it has also captured the world’s imagination: arguably the most widely featured Armenian producer in the mediasphere, Zorah has created a lot of buzz for not only their wines but Armenian wine as a whole – championing this ancient wine country’s pedigree and grandeur.

Armenia’s Vayots Dzor Wine Region

Zorah’s winery and vineyards are situated in Vayots Dzor, a wine region that is home to the world’s oldest-known wine production facility, the Areni-1 Cave. The discovery of this more than 6,000-year-old cave complex in 2011 has since reshaped the narrative about wine history.

Located in southern Armenia, Vayots Dzor has its highest point reaching over 3,500 meters above sea level. Currently, the wine grapes are grown between 1,000 and 1,600 meters in volcanic soil and dry continental climate: the highest temperature can be up to 40°C in summers, and the exceptional minimum temperature is -35°C in winters. The precipitation varies from 300 to 800 mm, depending on the location. In the town of Rind where Zorah Winery is, the average temperature is 10°C  with large diurnal temperature variation and the total annual precipitation is around 350mm. Irrigation is permitted, and all the vines here are on their own rootstock.

Armenia’s Flagship Grape: Areni Noir

Named after a village of the same name in the western part of Vayots Dzor, the flagship grape is an ancient red variety called Areni, which represents an unparalleled clonal heritage. The Areni berry is relatively big and offers good acidity and light to moderate tannins. A mid-budding and late-ripening grape, it has moderate resistance to fungal diseases and high resistance to winter frosts. Jancis Robinson, who has written about Zorah wines several times on her website, states in The Oxford Companion to Wine, that Areni produces “wines that are medium bodied with real zip”.

 Photo credit: Zorah 

But exploring Armenian wine isn’t merely about the sensory merits, it offers something more profound and educational: the ancient history and culture of wine, intertwined with modern society, anthropological study, and human aspiration. In a way, the Areni wine channels Armenia’s past in a bottle and offers a glimpse into the country’s future. One may wonder what the ancient expression of this variety was like, where the Areni wine was drunk, and how this grape would help shape the future of Armenia’s viticulture.

Interview with Zorik Gharibian and Yeraz Tomassians

In the late 1990s, Gharibian had wanted to establish a winery in Tuscany. In 1998, he visited Armenia, and the trip changed the trajectory of his life. Instead of Tuscany, he started searching for plots suitable for wine grape cultivation in Armenia. It took him a decade to find the ideal place, then the ideal Armenian varieties, and get Zorah Winery off the ground.

Gharibian is lucidly aware of his vision. He often emphasizes that Zorah wines are not made to merely appease the Armenians or the Armenian diaspora; the end goal is to create “Zorah wines for wine lovers” and show the world that Armenia has the caliber to make world-class wines.

Gharibian still owns his clothing manufacturing business in Milan. When asked if he prefers to work in the fashion industry or wine, he said that being in the vineyard and winery is a time of respite and peace for him.

In the following videos, Gharibian and Tomassians share more about the history, vision, and wines of Zorah.

Respect for Authenticity

We would be remiss not to mention its Zorah’s oenologist: Alberto Antonini, who was once the assistant winemaker at Frescobaldi and head winemaker at Col d’Orcia and Antinori, has been part of Zorah’s story since its infancy. Tuscany-born Antonini is among the most influential wine consultants in the world. Despite the consulting work he has done worldwide, Antonini is clear-headed when approaching an esoteric wine region like Armenia and does not impose a ‘winemaker’s signature’ on Zorah wines. He believes that the winemaker is the enemy of terroir and seeks to be invisible in his wines – letting simplicity and purity lead to the best possible interpretation of where the wines are born.

Photo credit: Zorah 

In an interview with The Drinks Business, Antonini was quoted:

“Winemakers need to gain more confidence and feel more comfortable in doing their own thing and making authentic wines that are true to themselves otherwise you end up with the wine equivalent of Britney Spears and Justin Bieber—commercially focused wines made to suit the market.”

This sentiment is reflected in his approach to Zorah wines. “He has always believed in the Armenian wine’s identity, and he encourages us to work with native varieties and use traditional winemaking methods so as not to lose Armenian wine to an international style,” says Tomassians.

Zorah Wines: Tasting Notes

Armenia has a rich viticulture heritage. Its mineral-rich volcanic soil,  topography, and microclimates yield a diverse range of grape varieties. Zorah Winery is committed to working with only autochthonous varieties. The winery plans to move all fermentation and aging processes into karases (Armenian clay vessels)—a traditional winemaking method that people in this part of the world have used for millennia. However, a strict timeline for this transition may be futile as karases are in shortage; they are no longer produced in Armenia today. In order to gather all the karases that the winery needs, the Zorah’s team has been going from village to village and home to home to acquire them secondhand. After locating the karases, a second challenge may arise: the vessels are often too big to fit through the door and require the demolishment of walls to retrieve them. Next comes the struggle of transporting these fragile clay vessels to the winery. A plan to open a karas-making school in the region is in the pipeline as Tomassians, who is trained in ceramic pottery, aims to build a facility next to the winery.

Zorah “Heritage” Chilar ( 100% Chilar)

(Tasted in April 2020) Charine Tan: The “Heritage” line by Zorah consists of wines made from revived ancient wine grape varieties of Armenia. While the estate is located in Vayots Dzor, the “Heritage” project will bring the Zorah team to other Armenian wine regions in search of noteworthy wine grapes.

Zorah Heritage Chilar 2018

The Zorah Heritage Chilar 2018 is the debut bottling of this project. As its name suggests, this wine is made from the Armenian native variety Chilar. Fermentation happened in the karas (Armenian clay amphora), with around 60 days of skin contact. Aging lasted for around 9 months in karas before the wine was transferred to bottles for further aging of around 10 months. This is a true ‘natural’, ‘orange’ wine from volcanic soil and high altitude. The vines thrive on their original rootstocks. A wine of only the original essence, so to speak, guided by masterful hands.

Elements of marine, mineral, and smoke form the first impression, which later reveals white peach, apple, and orange blossom. The palate is marvelously textured. Quite rich and unctuous with good tension that elegantly guides the wine to a saline finish with, surprisingly, a bit of gritty tannins. The saline and mineral hints return emphatically on the focused finish, which lingers with serious persistence.
 

Zorah Voski (50% Voskehat and 50% Garandmak)

Zorah Voski 2018

(Tasted in April 2020) Charine Tan: Zorah Voski 2018 is a blend of Voskehat and Garandmak, two ancient wine grapes from Armenia. Like all Zorah wines, this throws a smoky veil over the nose. Then, notes of lemon, pear, peach, and pomelo follow up, plus an herbaceous undertone. Extremely soft on the palate, with a touch of lactic flavor. By the way, soft, very soft, I mean 1,000-thread-count ridiculously soft.

Zorah Voski 2015

Charine Tan: Voski means “gold”, and the name is a reference to the grape Voskeat, which means “golden drop”. This vintage of Voski has much more pop than 2014 (first vintage of Zorah Voski). Bursting with floral accent, coupled with notes of ripe stone fruit and a persistent mineral drive. More than just a pleasure to drink, this is packed with nuances and the finish offers something long and suave. This is the best Armenian white wine I’ve come across.

Zorah Voski 2014

Matthew Horkey: Had a sample just one month after bottling. Very nice acidity and clean flavors. It does not taste like any other Voskeat I drank in Armenia. Will taste outstanding after it is aged in the bottle for a few more months before release.

Zorah Karasi (100% Areni Noir)

Zorah Karasi 2018

(Tasted in April 2020) Charine Tan: Zorah Karasi 2018 is riveting from the very first sniff and taste. The marriage of fruit intensity, energy, and purity is nothing short of captivating. Smoky, flinty, spicy, floral, and gently sweet–redolent of savory steak rub, amber, white pepper, lily of the valley, red cherry, and dehydrated strawberry. On the palate, fine, silky tannins add to the wine’s sophistication, plus great acidity and a hint of stemminess integrated well into this refined Areni Noir. The end-palate takes the tongue to an all-night skinny-dip in a sweet cherry pool.

Note: The first vintage of Zorah Karasi is 2010. During our research for Uncorking the Caucasus, we managed to taste three of the latest vintages. We didn’t get a chance to try Zorah Karasi 2012 (yet) and have been told by a few wine lovers that it is their favorite vintage. The proprietor said 2011 is his favorite vintage. For me, 2018 is certainly my favorite. This is one of the most exciting and profound wines I’ve tasted in 2020. Readers who can find Zorah Karasi 2018 should not hesitate.

Zorah Karasi 2015

Charine Tan: The name Karasi means “from karas”, and it’s an apt name for this wine since it is made in concrete eggs and karases. 2015 Zorah Karasi appears more extracted and bigger framed than the 2014’s.  Notes of strawberry, maraschino cherry, rhubarb, mulberry, and earth, piled on a smoky undertone. The acidity is welcoming in this medium-bodied wine. It still needs more time to stretch out but is already showing a lot of depth and potential to evolve well in the medium term. 

Zorah Karasi 2014

Charine Tan: The first impression on the nose and palate is redolent of a Chianti Classico. Notes of sour cherry, grass, earth, crushed rock, tobacco, and a touch of smoke. The fruit is plush on the palate and the smooth tannins guide the long finish.

Zorah Karasi 2013

Tasting notes found in our previous article.

Zorah Yeraz (100% Areni Noir)

Zorah Yeraz 2015

(Tasted in April 2020) CT: Zorah Yeraz 2015 is made from a field blend of various strains of the ancient wine grape Areni Noir, grown on century-old bush vines. The vineyard is located 1,600 meters above sea level, in a Phylloxera-free terroir with a combination of volcanic, sedimentary, and limestone soils. The grapes were fermented in Karas (amphora) and aged in large, untoasted casks. This is the magnum opus of Zorah, and dare I say, of Armenia and Areni Noir as well.

As with almost all Zorah’s wines, Zorah Yeraz shows reductive notes at first and requires plenty of aeration. That said, it is the best kind of reductive notes. The struck match and gunflint aromas do not smell foul. Quite the opposite, they fit the whole profile and play on the idea of ‘volcanic wine’. This character has consistently made Zorah’s wines more complex, and it integrates so well into the wines that I am inclined to consider it a sort of hallmark of the estate. The enticing profile is also marked by black pepper, cherry, cedar, and earth. Ultrasoft and silky on the palate leading to a seamlessly long and spicy finish. A medium-bodied wine with intense punches of flavors and remarkable finesse

Have you ever been so interested in someone that you’re afraid to go on a date with said person or pursue a relationship further for fear that you might go off your rocker? That’s almost how I feel now about approaching Zorah Yeraz, the premium bottling of Zorah’s Areni Noir.

Zorah Yeraz 2013

CT: This is the cru wine from Zorah and is named after Zorik’s wife. The word Yeraz also means hope/dream in the Armenian language. The grapes for this wine are harvested from ultra-centennial, ungrafted bush vines planted at 1,600 meters above sea level. Fermented in concrete vessels, then aged in amphorae and neutral, untoasted oak casks.

Zorah Yeraz 2013 brings a whole new canon of exquisiteness that demands a quiet mind to understand: reticent at first and requires some coaxing, it is ethereally gentle. Notes of strawberry, raspberry, earth, and leaf pile, with a lot of mineral-tasting acidic tension. Soft and round on the palate. A complete wine that has achieved harmony in its balance and integration in flavors. An exceptional wine to drink now but will be rewarding to put it in the cellar and forget about it for at least five years. 

2012 is the first vintage of this bottling, and I find 2013 to be a massive step-up.

Putting It All Together

The vinous ground is shifting with the rise of ‘new’ ancient varieties, powered by the balance between tradition and innovation. While I love to experience how the archetypical international grapes thrive in different climates and various parts of the world, there are many autochthonous grapes in up-and-coming wine countries that can better capture the innate beauty of the local land, history, and culture. The ability to put wine in the right context can lead to more creative and appealing cultural products, such that wine can serve as a platform to help people understand the geography, history, and sentiments of a country. Let’s also not forget that while we can simply enjoy all the sensory pleasure in the world, without human-driven stories, we will achieve little cultural flourishing.

Zorah wines are truly iconic wines that should inspire confidence in the potential of Armenia’s indigenous grapes and tell the story of Armenia as a wine country.

You May Also Enjoy

• Armenian Wines: One Year Later
• Ancient Wine Grape Varieties from Armenia, Georgia, and Turkey
• FAO Working to Revitalize A Historic Sector in Armenia – Grape Production
• World’s Highest Wine Launch Takes Place on Mount Ararat

Cover photo courtesy of Zorah Winery.

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Zorah Wines: Depicting Armenia’s Ancient Wisdom appeared first on Wine Travel.

To learn more about the wines from Armenia or the Caucasus, check out our book on Amazon. From now until 30 April 2017, 50% of the proceeds from our Amazon store will be donated to Armenia Tree Project.

It’s been over a year since we made our first trip to Armenia for Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia. In 2015, we spent one month in the country tasting wines and meeting producers. In 2016, we returned for a second visit and had the entire trip scheduled around the harvest festival in Areni. After the festival, we decided to set aside another six weeks in Armenia to promote our book, taste wines of the new vintages, and check out the up-and-comers that have popped up between the two trips. Before we commenced the heavy lifting, two of our friends from Hong Kong came to meet us in Armenia. We rented a 4×4 and drove through what seemed like every last inch of the country. The journey took us into the deep southeast, including the disputed territory of Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh and finally up to the highlands of the Lake Sevan region before we returned to Yerevan. After a week of roving through the country for leisure, it was back to work.

10 Developments in Armenia’s Wine Industry

1.  A concerted effort to develop Vayots Dzor as an enotourism hotspot. During our first week in Armenia, we attended a few harvest events held in the Vayots Dzor wine region. For the seventh year, these events were organized by the Areni Wine Festival Foundation. It seemed as if all the residents of the region had turned up at the event. Children were singing and young adults were dancing. The colors of the stalls and traditional costumes painted the village in technicolor. The aromas of barbecued meat filled the air. The sound of traditional instruments—such as the dhol, duduk, oud, and qanon—magnified the festivities.

The Areni Havest Festival was held in Vayots Dzor, Armenia.

The Areni Harvest Festival offers an ideal platform to promote Armenia’s history and culture, showcase the local wines, and stimulate the development of rural tourism. While the festival is billed as a wine event, not only will visitors have the opportunity to taste the commercial wines, but also homemade wine (okay… you won’t really enjoy this), fruit vodka, local produce, and traditional dishes.

Most of the festivities are held in the Rind and Areni villages. Both villages are located at around 1,000 meters in elevation and set amid a backdrop of higher mountains. Two historical landmarks, the Noravank Monastery and Arpa River, are within a short driving distance from the villages.

Vayots Dzor is the most famous wine region in Armenia and a place steeped in wine history and tradition. Just a few kilometers from the village of Areni is the Areni Cave Complex, which dates back to 4100 BC and is touted to be the oldest winery in the world. This region is also home to some of the oldest vineyards in Armenia and the cultivar Areni, which is named after the village.

With all these unique selling propositions, several groups are capitalizing on Vayots Dzor to stimulate tourism. A long-term development plan is currently in place and the initiatives include the creation of a wine route, stakeholder coordination, destination branding, and capacity building of providers.

2.  Aligning enotourism with ecotourism. The terms “enotourism” and wine tourism”  may be used interchangeably. Enotourism can also be considered a component of gastronomy tourism and ecotourism. And Armenia is the perfect candidate to develop these different facets of tourism.

Located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Armenia is home to beautiful landscapes and rich biodiversity. Many organizations—from governmental, to non-profit, and private—are cognizant of Armenia’s potential as a travel destination and aim to develop the various tourism touchpoints with economical sustainability and cultural vitality in mind.

During our stay in Armenia, we had the opportunity to participate in a wine tourism workshop organized by Smithsonian Institution.

The most significant project happening right now is My Armenia. Funded by USAID and implemented by the Smithsonian Institution, according to its website:

“My Armenia harnesses the power of storytelling to strengthen cultural heritage sustainability through community-based tourism development. This collaborative project between the people of Armenia, the Smithsonian, and USAID will unfold over the next four years.”

Wine tourism is a key product under My Armenia’s project and the project team is spearheading the development of Vayots Dzor as an enotourism hotspot. Other notable initiatives related to enotourism, gastronomy tourism, and ecotourism include:
–  The Ministry of Agriculture has set up the Vine and Wine Foundation of Armenia to help with the development of Armenia’s wine industry.
–  An NGO called Development and Preservation of Armenian Culinary Traditions is organizing three gastronomy festivals in 2017.
–  A few social enterprises and private companies are in the infancy stage of creating tours, treks, and facilities in the rural areas of Armenia. The Ministry of Nature Protection has also recently assembled a team to work on ecotourism.

3.  The intention to make wine into a democratic product. We believe that the baseline of Armenian wine is relatively high. With over 30 wineries, it is surprisingly easy to find a pleasant wine in Armenia, which is not something we can say about many other countries. As for fine wine, a few may stand a good chance of winning at international competitions, but the range of Armenian fine wine still needs work.

What’s impressive about the current selection of Armenian wines is that there’s a good mix of big producers who have the resources and scalability to make affordable wine, and there are also the artisanal producers who are single-mindedly experimenting with native grapes. Even among the bigger producers, there are the entry-level bottling and the premium bottling to suit different palates, expectations, and budgets. Armenia Wine Company, Karas, and Voskevaz are some of the biggest wineries in the country. All three offer high-level wines and also serviceable wines that can cost as little as USD5 at cellar price.

The caveat is that, in terms of the quality of the entry-level wine, a few producers admit that much improvement is required to achieve a compelling quality-price ratio; and we agree: there needs to be a segment of well-made, affordable wines to attract the general public. Bear in mind that Armenia’s GDP per capita is USD3,500. As a reference point: in Croatia, a country with a GDP per capita of USD11,537, the premium wines are priced up to around‎ €150/.75-litre bottle, while a decent bag-in-a-box can be found at under €3/liter.

The wine culture of Armenia was lost during the Soviet period and much work is needed now to reacquire it. The idea of “bringing wine to people” (having wine events in the city) instead of “people going to wine” (having people travel to wineries) is a practical approach to catapult wine education. As it seems, some wineries agree with this way of promoting their own wines and nurturing wine- drinking and appreciation behaviors too; both Voskevaz and Maran wineries have set up wine bars in town, called Voskevaz Wine Time and Enoteca EVN respectively.

4.   The potential for growth in wine exports. During the Soviet times, Armenia, unlike Georgia, was perceived as a brandy-producing country instead of wine. The legacy of the Soviet continues to be felt in Armenia today. As reported by several local news agencies, Armenian wine exports saw 20 to 30 percent increment in 2016.  However, to put things in perspective: Armenia exports about 2 million bottles of wine per year, while the neighboring Georgia exports close to 50 million bottles.

The challenge is that up until now, Armenia does not have the resources to produce cheap wines (CIF: <$2 per bottle), which are in the greatest demand in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia. However, the country is looking beyond the Eurasian Economic Union and good-quality Armenian wines can now be found in several European Union countries including Belgium, France, Italy, and the Netherlands, and also lucrative wine markets, such as China and USA.

Exotic Wine Travel recording an episode about the wines from Karas winery.

We believe that there’s no worthwhile strategy in or urgency for Armenia to go into the low-price and high-volume red ocean; instead, it should opt for brand building and sustainable development through the export of wine that adequately represents Armenia’s unique terroir and background story. A quick search on the internet shows the delicious and polished Karas Red Wine is going at USD$13 in the United States, and the prime example of the native Areni grape Zorah Karasi can be found at under £20 in the United Kingdom.

5.  International press and awareness. In the past year, Armenian wine has been garnering significant attention from the international press, thanks to a few individuals and organizations. Julia Harding of JancisRobinson.com wrote a tasting article after visiting Zorah Winery in September 2016. Miquel Hudin, who runs a wine blog called Wine on VI, wrote a concise introduction to Armenian wines. The magazine Saveur published a multi-page spread dedicated to wine and travel in Armenia. And most recently, The Vine & Wine Foundation sponsored a group of international bloggers on a tasting visit. Most of those who were invited have already blogged about their experiences with Armenian wines.

The Van Ardi winery was a big winner at the 2017 Mundus Vini Grand International Wine Awards.

Media coverage aside, Armenian wine companies are also making great strides in gaining industry recognition. Just last month, 19 Armenian wine producers participated in the 2017 Mundus Vini Grand International Wine Awards. Among the 58 wines presented, 23 of them received a medal. This outstanding result was reported on the Mundus Vini’s website:

“At the 20th anniversary event of MUNDUS VINI, which is regarded all over the world as one of the leading competitions for sparkling, still and liqueur wines, wines from abroad also received 275 medals, while those of less well-known origins such as Armenia, Mexico, Russia or China appealed for their excellent qualities.”

6.  Going organic, going karas. Armenia is located at the intersection of the European and Arabian tectonic plates. As a result, the country experiences frequent seismic activities, which bring along volcanic soil that is great for viticulture. Armenia’s high altitude and extreme continental climate make for a truly special environment for grape cultivation. The intensely hot summers and biting cold winters give the grapes bold characteristics and high acidity. The highlands produce a range of microclimates. This high elevation also breeds a high concentration of polyphenols in the grapes, which may help to prevent degenerative diseases. With these climatic, geographical, geological uniqueness from nature, many wine producers are already creating wine through sustainable farming and minimal intervention in the winery. And now with additional governmental support, some of these wineries are on the way to becoming certified-organic in the coming years, with Trinity Canyon Vineyards currently in the lead.

Red wines are stored and aged in these buried clay vessels at the Zorah winery.

The usage of clay vessels is another movement in wine production that we’ve observed. In 2015, when we first visited Armenia, only Zorah winery was working with karas (Armenian clay vessels). By 2016, Voskevaz had launched its first vintage of premium bottling called Karasi Collection. There are currently two other producers who are experimenting with karas and concrete vats.

7.  An influx of winemaking talent. Armenia is home to one of the oldest winemaking traditions in the world. Add that to the unique grape-growing conditions, it is easy to understand why many winemakers aspire to make wine here. Assisted by the outreach efforts of Vahe Keushguerian from Semina Consulting, an influx of winemaking talent has gone hand in hand with the country’s new chapter in wine. Vahe is currently working with French oenologist, Michelle Rolland, on the Karas wines. Another superstar winemaker Paul Hobbs—who was previously with Robert Mondavi, Opus One, and Simi—has also started a project in Armenia. Other foreign talents that are working with the Armenian grapes include:
– Alberto Antonini (Zorah winery)
– Emilio del Medico (ArmAs winery)
– Jean-Baptiste Soula (Armenia Wine Company)
– Jean-Luc Isnard (Trinity Canyon Vineyards)

The existing portfolio of wines produced by Qotot winery.

Last year, we were also thrilled to discover a new winery created by a French-Armenian partnership. Called Qotot (translates to “little bear”), the winery is making a white wine from the Voskehat grapes, and a rosé and red from the Areni grapes. The winemaker Didier Cornillon used to make wine in France, Tunisia, and Uruguay.

8.  The grape Voskehat continues to scale new heights. In Armenia, the flagship red wine grape is Areni and flagship white is Voskehat. Voskehat is also blended with Kangoun and several other grapes to make the famous Armenian brandy that Winston Churchill loved dearly. The grape Voskehat was favored during Soviet times because of its resistance to the cold and fungus. It was used to make “sherry-type” wines that were beloved by the old USSR.

The day when we got to taste the excellent Zorah Voskì 2015 (a blend of Voskehat and Garandmak). 2015 is the second vintage of the Voskì bottling and a tremendous improvement from the first vintage. We highly recommend this wine!

When we did our preliminary research trip through Armenia in 2015, almost every winery was already making a white wine with Voskehat. However, there were less than a handful that we liked. At that time, many of the Voskehat-based wines were overpowered by earthy flavors, with little fruit characteristic, and has low acidity and high ph.

What a difference one year of experience makes! The newest vintage of Voskehat wines is impressive, with mineral and stone fruit flavors, held together by higher acidity. The abundance of volcanic soil throughout the country adds a certain mineral flavor to many Armenian wines but this shines through in the whites made from Voskehat. Last year, we were ready to dismiss the variety but this vintage has given us a surge of confidence that Voskehat can make great white wine.

9.  Indigenous grapes continue to show up. In addition to Voskehat, there are efforts underway to revive other indigenous varieties as well. During our last trip, we saw many new, monovarietal wines made from the red wine grapes Tigrani, Tozot, and Haghtanak. Of the three grapes, Haghtanak, which translates to “victory”, was the most impressive. Based on the small sample size we tried, Haghtanak wine tends to be rich, dense, and beautifully structured. In a few years, we believe that Haghtanak may make Armenian wines that can be just as impressive as those made from Areni. Keep a lookout for the varietal Haghtanak wines made by Zara winery and Voskevaz winery.

A map of Armenian indigenous cultivars. Semina Consulting is using DNA technology to identify grapes found in abandoned monasteries and villages, then cultivating those grapes in nurseries. The group has been successful at recovering some historic wine grapes and bringing them back to life.

Throughout the world, there’s a growing demand for obscure varieties that offer different flavor profiles and challenge the palate. While there’s no promise of commercial success for all the Armenian grape varieties, only trials and tribulations will show us the right path.

10.  New wine bars and restaurants. The capital city Yerevan is the best place to explore wine in Armenia. Outside of Yerevan and the wineries, it’s a challenge to find an exciting bottle and have it served in a civilized manner. A different challenge remains in Yerevan as it is difficult to find non-smoking establishments—just like in Tbilisi, Georgia. We saw at least five new wine bars this year and unfortunately, many of them allowed smoking so we didn’t patronize them. But hooray, a good news: we were told that a developer is working on a mobile app that identifies non-smoking places in Yerevan.

Our three favorite places to enjoy wine are In Vino EVN, Wine Republic, and Anoush Restaurant. These three places offer similar wine lists but vastly different experiences.

In Vino is a quintessential wine bar for day drinking with lots of natural light, cafe-like interior, and compact selection of cold cuts and cheeses. Of course, not limited to the day, this place is open until late and ready for your long wine-out with friends. In Vino boasts the biggest selection of Armenian and international wines out of the three.

Wine Republic is a place to spend an evening over wine and dinner (open for lunch too). It offers a good selection of local and international wines, a full course menu, and a casual-chic ambiance. Many winemakers frequent this place. Our food recommendations: bruschetta, mushroom cream soup, french onion soup, foie gras, and beef bourguignon. The management of Wine Republic has recently opened a Pan-Asian restaurant called Thai Wine Republic and it’s located right next to Wine Republic.

Exotic Wine Travel posing for a picture with the brains behind Armenia Tree Project at our book launch.

Finding a restaurant to enjoy local food and wine without smoke is like wondering when to open the last bottle of your priced Barolo. Agonizing, and the outcome is just never quite right. This is why Anoush really shines. It is located in the Republica Hotel and makes a great alternative to the reputable, high-end Dolmama restaurant. Anoush’s menu is exciting and offers many Armenian dishes that can’t be found anywhere else. Do try the grilled eggplants, salt-crusted fish, as well as the traditional dessert made from pistachios and mascarpone cheese. The wine list here is humble but enough to show you a good time.

We liked all three places so much that we did one book launch at each venue.

Conclusion: Creating A Narrative for the Future

Vahe Keushguerian, founder of Semina Consulting, is a dear friend of ours. He was instrumental in helping us put together the “Armenia” chapter of our book. As we were chatting one evening, Vahe shared that he believes Armenia would be able to produce three world-class wines within the next 10 years. By world-class, we mean a wine that we can enjoy every night over dinner, but would rather take it out of the cellar once a year after a period of aging. By world-class, we mean a wine that will no doubt do well at competitions. A wine with balance, structure, depth, length, and aging potential. Looking at the rate of improvement between 2015 and now, we agree with him.

Armenia’s winemaking culture has endured the test of time for good reasons. It has the right climate and soil characteristics that suit wine grape production. The modern Armenian wine industry is weaved by modern accessibility, historic connection, craftsmanship, practicality, and business acumen. But it will be the spirit and vision of the Armenian people that will ultimately drive its industry forward.

Our Interview in Armenia

In November, we were invited to join news anchor Roubina Margossian for a segment on CivilNet TV Armenia. In this interview, we shared the many background stories of our book including its genesis, our travel experience in Armenia, and anecdotes about the history of wine. CivilNet TV is headquartered in Yerevan, Armenia and is dedicated to bringing relevant, credible news to the region. When we enquire about the positioning of CivilNet, a staff said,”Like CNN, but more credible.” The news channel also models after a new movement of journalism—with livestreaming and on-demand coverage about Armenia and the Caucasus. We’ve enjoyed many of the videos on their website and are humbled to be featured.

You May Also Enjoy:
Old Bridge Red Dry Reserve 2009
The Unstoppable Progress in the Georgian Wine Scene
Ancient Wine Grape Varieties from Armenia, Georgia, and Turkey

The post Armenian Wines: One Year Later appeared first on Wine Travel.

Part of this article was originally published on Wine Folly. This article has been repurposed with their permission. This version of the article includes wine recommendations. The writing is done by Exotic Wine Travel and all images are produced by Wine Folly. 

Somewhere in what is today’s Transcaucasia, mankind planted a new chapter in history. There’s more to wine than Old World and New World; welcome to the Ancient World of wine.

Areni

“ah-reh-nee”
This red grape hails from a town of the same name in south Armenia. Its thick skin protects it from the summer sun and the harsh, high-elevation, continental climate. It makes red wine with medium ruby hue, fresh acidity, and soft tannins. Wines made from this grape can have sour cherry, herb, spice, and grassy flavors–which, at times, remind us of a cross between Pinot Noir and Sangiovese. The grape gained some international fame when Zorah Karasi, a varietal wine made from Areni, was featured in the list of Bloomberg’s Top Ten Wines of 2012.

Khndoghni

“khhhung-douh-nee”
The name Khndoghni is derived from the Armenian word “khind”, which means laughter. This is a native red wine variety from the controversial Nagorno-Karabakh area, which–depending on the source–is considered a region of Armenia, a separate nation, or a part of Azerbaijan. This grape has high tannins and offers interesting characteristics of black and blue fruits, cotton candy, and earth. Wines made from this grape have grippy tannins, precise structure, and exhibit aging potential. Khndoghni is usually aged in Caucasian oak barrels that are sourced from the same area.

Voskehat

“voh-ski-hut”
If Areni is the signature red grape of Armenia, then Voskehat is the poster child of Armenian white wine. Voskehat translates to “golden seed”. It is a hardy and thick-skinned grape that gets along well with the hot summer and bitterly cold winter of the high Armenian Plateau. Almost all the winemakers in Armenia who make a white wine use this grape, either in varietal wine form or in a blend. It makes smooth- and medium-bodied white wine with floral, savory, tropical fruit, and stone fruit notes. We have a recommendation for a Voskehat varietal wine in Voskevaz: A New Face in the Armenian Wine Scene.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Choice: Kataro Reserve 2013

A true product of Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Artsakh. This wine is made from an indigenous variety called Khndoghni and is aged in local oak sourced from the same area. A dark, rich, and massively structured wine. It is more of an earthy (than fruity) wine with other flavors of black fruit, chocolate, and smoke. A unique and well-made wine; it has the stuffing to age very well and can be paired wonderfully with Khorovats (Armenian barbecue).

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Goruli Mtsvane

“go-roo-lee mahts-vah-nay”
This is a different variety from Mtsvane, which grows in almost every region in Georgia. Goruli Mtsvane means “green from Gori”, and Gori is a city in south-central Georgia. A late-ripening grape that oxidizes easily, only a few winemakers make wine from this rare variety. When made in the qvevri, it delivers one of the most interesting experiences in wine. Its high-toned aromas range from peach, lime, apricot, wildflower, pine, and nut. On the palate, the weighty body is reminiscent of a light red wine.

Rkatsiteli

“rah-kats-ee-teh-lee”
Rkatsiteli, whose name means “red stem,” is a ubiquitous white wine variety that comprises nearly half of Georgia’s vineyard plantings. It is a hardy and easy-to-grow grape as it is resistant to cold and maintains a high level of acidity and sugar as it ripens. It can be made into dry, semi-sweet, and fortified wines, and also brandy. This variety is treated in both the traditional Georgian qvevri-style with extended skin contact and conventional-style white wine technique. In the conventional style, it becomes a well-balanced, medium-bodied white wine with a touch of spice. When made in qvevri style, it takes on an amber tone, a forceful structure, and beautiful creaminess on the palate. What Chardonnay is for California, this grape is to Georgia. Check out Exotic Wine Travel’s 16 Wines Of 2016 for the tasting notes on Okro’s Wine Rkatsiteli 2010.

Saperavi

“sah-per-ra-vee “
Saperavi means “color/dye.” This is the most widely planted red wine variety in Georgia. Like Alicante Bouschet, it is teinturier with red flesh and red juice. This dark-skinned and dark-fleshed grape makes deep red, inky, and often opaque wine with heavy body and profound texture. Some wineries in the country label it as black wine instead of red. Due to the grape’s marked acidity and myriad characteristics of black fruit, licorice, chocolate, earth, smoked meat, tobacco, savory spice, and pepper, it is extremely versatile and can be made into rosé, dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and fortified wines. A dry red Saperavi wine resembles a mix between Blaufrankisch and Syrah. Check out our tasting notes for Artizani Saperavi, Lagvinari Saperavi, and Jakeli Saperavi.

Also, here’s an episode of Exotic Wine Travel where we tasted two of our favorite Saperavi wines, Khareba Saperavi Premium Gold 2010 and Kortavebis Marani Saperavi 2014, side by side.

Usakhelouri

“oosa-hello-oory”
Usakhelouri translates to “a grape with no name.” A native of western Georgia, this is an extremely low-yielding and rare variety that grows on the slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. The total annual harvest is only a few tons. It is grown in a few small, remote villages and can be made into dry red or naturally semi-sweet wine with a high price tag. The wines made from this variety are aromatic and velvety, with vibrant acidity and light tannins. The flavors are red fruit, purple flower, mint, pepper, and forest floor. The semi-sweet wine made from Usakhelouri is a wonderfully complex wine that somehow reminds us of what Pinot Noir might taste like if it were made into a dessert wine.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Choice: Soliko Our Wine Goruli Mtsvane 2015

Made from the rare grape variety Goruli Mtsvane, this wine is fermented, macerated, and aged in traditional Georgian qvevri. The wine has flavors of orange peel, peach concentrate, and wild flowers, perked up by a slight tug from the tannins. A food-friendly, juicy wine.

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Boğazkere

“bow-ahz-keh-reh”
This grape is native to the Diyarbakir area in Southeast Turkey. It prefers to grow in a hot, dry climate, at high altitude. The name Boğazkere translates to “throat burner” – a possible reference to its strong tannins and medium acidity, which is reminiscent of Tannat. Boğazkere can be used as a blending grape and can also be made into a varietal wine. In varietal wine, it expresses notes of dark berry, pepper, dark chocolate, clove, eucalyptus, tobacco, and licorice. In our interview with Turkish wine maestro Burcak Desombre, she recommends the Kavaklidere Prestige as a fine example of this variety.

Emir

“eh-meer”
Native to and grown exclusively in the famous Cappadocia region of Turkey, this grape thrives in high altitude, volcanic soil, and diurnal temperature variation (hot during the day and cool at night). Its name translates to “lord/ruler,” as the wine made from Emir was once a popular choice at the local lords’ tables. It produces a smooth and crisp white wine with yellow-green hue. The flavor profile includes apple, yellow pear, pineapple, blood orange, kiwi, melon, and a touch of pine. Emir is often compared to Albarino and Pinot Grigio; while Sarah Abbot MW describes it as “a bit like Manseng but with more aromatics”.

Öküzgözü

“ur-kuz-gur-zuh”
This grape is native to the Elazig area in Eastern Turkey. It likes hot, dry summers, and cold winters, which matches up perfectly with the extreme continental climate of the Anatolian Plateau. The name means “ox eye,” which hints at its round and fleshy appearance. Öküzgözü has high acidity and floral aromas. On the palate, it leans towards raspberry, plum, pomegranate, brown spice, and earthy flavors. The high acidity is what stands out the most in this grape. It is often blended with Boğazkere for added structure. On its own, it makes some memorable, fruit-forward wines.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Choice: Kayra, Buzbag Bölge Serisi Elazig, Öküzgözü, 2012

This is a juicy, balanced, and delicious Turkish wine made from the indigenous variety Öküzgözü. If you are looking for a red wine that’s bright, fruity and without pretense, then this is a wine for you. This is produced by a big producer called Kayra who has many vineyards in eastern Turkey. The flavors are of sour cherry, fruit punch, and earth, with nice tanginess and smooth tannins. It goes extremely well Turkish grilled meat dishes.

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For a listing of articles and videos on Armenian, Georgian, and Turkish wines and wine travel in the Caucasus Region, check out our page Uncorking the Caucasus. To purchase the Kindle or paperback copy of the book Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia, please head to this Amazon product page. 

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Hello, thirsty readers. It’s the time of the year again. Round-up, conclusion, evaluation, assessment, goal setting… what a load that only wine can make it lighter and better! Let’s make WINE great again.

We’ve been traveling full-time for wine for nearly two years now, but 2016 is particularly significant because it marks our first official year in the wine industry. In 2016, we visited the wine regions of Armenia, Baja California (Mexico), Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Santa Barbara County (California, USA), Serbia, and Virginia (USA). With all the travel, work, dinner parties, and self-study, this year we’ve tasted around 3,000 wines in total. That’s a lot to recall for two ethanol-soaked brains.

But what has to be done has to be done: the veritable internet-breaking listicle. This year, in addition to the hundreds of excellent exotic wines, we’ve also managed to cross out a few bucket-list wines from the illustrious part of the wine world. As advocates for diversity in wine and the lesser-known wine regions, we hope our list reveals the ever-expanding variety available to consumers today. With wines from eight countries and across different styles—from the classic Old World red to the defiant amber wine—this list is nowhere close to being comprehensive but yet should appease every palate: from the refined to the adventurous.

Ultimately, this is our way of paying homage to the wines we enjoy drinking the most this year. The choices are not affected by the speculation of ageabilitiy, the reality of price, or the limiting availability. The choices are also subjective; there’s no Dawkin-esque, rational notion of truth or big-data mathematics here. Most importantly, the wines are chosen for their sensory merits. In some cases, the stories matter as well.  However, the common denominator they all share is the unique memory each wine evokes. Every wine on this list is a time machine in which we can be transported back and recall the experience of the wine and the people whom we shared the bottle with.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Best Wines of 2016

Here are our top 16 wines of 2016. The wines are listed in chronological order based on when we tasted them, starting with the beginning of 2016. We’ve deliberately left out the scores, rankings, and detailed tasting notes in order to focus on the underlying enjoyment of wine.

THE CLASSIC

• Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage, 2002 (Rhone, France)

One of the finest wines we’ve ever tasted. We drank this at a Michelin-starred French restaurant in Singapore called Odette. It was Charine’s birthday gift from our dear friend, also called Matt. We were a party of four and all of us spent a significant amount of time just smelling this wine.

To Matt, it is Syrah at its finest. To Charine and her food-motivated brain, it is herbal chicken & mushroom soup in a bottle.

This family-owned domaine is one of the finest and oldest estates on the Hermitage hill in Northern Rhône. The first generation of vine growers in the family can be traced back to sometime around 1480. In the movie Somm: Into The Bottle, Jean-Louis Chave was the cool guy who opened a bottle of 1969 Ermitage, which was made by his grandfather.

If you are a Syrah lover, put this on your list of wine goals now!

 “When it comes to Hermitage, there is one name that most aficionados utter with a sense of reverence: Chave.” –  Jeb Dunnuck

 

• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Échézeaux, 1997 (Cote de Nuits, France)

It was Charine’s homecoming in Singapore where she was treated to a special bottle from her wine collector-friend’s stash: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, typically abbreviated to DRC, is the holy grail of Burgundy reds. In 1988, DRC switched to organic farming in the vineyards. With the 2008 vintage and onwards, the wines are fully biodynamic.

The bottle was left to decant as the night continued with many well-aged French wines. After many hours of aeration, the DRC shed its shy countenance and developed into a full-fledged powerhouse. The consensus favorite of the night was this wine, with a Margaux 1982 (below) coming in a close second.

Charine calls this “the life-ruining wine” because one can never look at Pinot Noir with the same lens again after tasting this.

“Not all pinot noirs are constructed to express their terroirs, and, indeed, not all terroirs have anything of interest to say.” – Eric Asimov

• Chateau Margaux, 1982 (Bordeaux, France)

As mentioned, this was tasted next to the DRC Échézeaux 1997. This appeared to be more intense and present than the DRC at first, with its smokey edge on the nose and ever-evolving flavors. Charine spent more time smelling this wine than drinking it; not that it didn’t taste good but the aroma was telling the story of Margaux’s long pedigree.

If decadence has a smell, then this is it.

• Domaine Dujac, Chambolle-Musigny, 2004 (Cote de Nuits, France)

This wine arrived a tad late in the night for a full, honest appreciation. Nevertheless, it was tasted side by side with a Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny 1999 and the Dujac was the one that shook Charine out of her stupor. Succumbing to further indulgence and collective enthusiasm, an order for tuna belly sashimi was put forth.

Fat always has a way around wine—either it brings out a certain elusive trait in a wine or in this case, it harmonizes the interplay between feisty and funky.

• Chateau d’Yquem, 1986 (Sauternes, France)

Neither of us is partial to sweet wine but this is Charine’s favorite wine of all time. Liquid gold in a bottle! To her, this is chocolate & coffee, bacon & cabbage, potato & onion, and perfection of all forms. It seems fitting to dedicate this wine to a pair or sort that seems to partake in a higher order of compatibility. We reckon it’s the same deal as saying you’d never date that neighbor of yours based on what you assume to be typically “your kind”, or not. And then one day you realize that this neighbor is as magical as the work of Picasso in your bedroom or Big Green Egg in your lawn.

CULT WINES FROM SERBIA, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, AND CROATIA

•  Matalj, Kremen Kamen, 2011 (Negotin, Serbia)

This is through and through a cult wine and the most difficult wine to get in Serbia’s frenzied domestic market. The winery is located in the isolated far east of the country. The production of this cru wine is 5,000 bottles in good years. It is a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Merlot.

We drove all the way out to meet this producer, and as it turned out, he didn’t have a single bottled wine left in the cellar. Now, that is real demand and popularity. The owner and winemaker, Nikola Mladenovic Matalj, was very kind to let us taste samples of the new vintages from the tanks and barrels. Afterward, he took us to a local restaurant where he bought back his own wines so that we could try them. Unfortunately, the restaurant too had run out of this magnum opus. A few days later when we arrived in Belgrade (the capital city of Serbia), our friend Zoran met us with a bottle of this beast in hand. He had serendipitously found a bottle of Matalj Kremen Kamen 2011 as it was left forgotten on the top shelf of a wine bar. The latest vintage of this wine available on the market was 2012 at that time. So we really did score big time with this bottle.

This wine has a tireless end palate. An evocative combination of strength, elegance, and playfulness. Our friend Daniel Curovic, who is importing Croatian wine to Sweden, puts it well, “I tasted the Kremen Kamen, and it might be the finest wine coming out of the entire Balkan area.”

We would confidently bring this wine to serious Napa Cab or Bordeaux drinkers and have them taste it blind.

Read – Matalj Kremen Kamen: A Vertical Tasting

• Brkić, Mjesećar, Žilavka, 2013 (Western Herzegovina, Bosnia-Herzegovina)

We visited this boutique producer and were lucky that time was on our side. He makes only one barrel of this wine in good years.

This wine is so unusual and refreshing. It starts out tasting like an archetypal amber wine with flavors of nuts, dried apricot, and dried peach. Then, the oxidative style completely vanishes and the wine becomes perfectly crisp. The acidity is pronounced and shows up buoyantly with citrus flavors. A sensory experience that is ready to dazzle any bored palate.

Read – Brkić Plava Greda 2015 and Brkić Limousine 2007

This wine by Brkić is called Mjesečar, which means “moonwalker”. Made from an indigenous grape called Žilavka, it is a biodynanamic wine that was fermented, aged sur lie, and left for 9 months on the skins in Bosnian oak barrel. No added sulfite and bottled without filtration. The label design aptly represents how this wine is made–in accordance to the lunar calendar.

A video posted by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on May 25, 2016 at 5:50pm PDT

“Mjeseċąr feels pure and fresh to the end.” – Simon Woolf

• Clai, Ottocento Crni, 2013 (Istria, Croatia)

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Teran, and Refošk. We first heard about this producer on Gary Vaynerchuk’s Wine Library TV. The proprietor Giorgio Clai is considered by many to be “the godfather of Istria”. We visited the winery with our wine-loving Croatian friend; when he drank this wine for the first time, he said, “Fucking Clai, I don’t want to spend so much money on wine. But this is so good, I want it all the time.”

We’ve drunk three more bottles of this wine since our winery visit, and each new bottle managed to emerge like a victorious new variety clone—always enchanting and surprising. And somewhat always better than the previous bottle; that’s a huge feat.

Read – Cracking Croatian Wine: A Visitor-Friendly Guide

• Jonata, Fenix, 2007 (Santa Barbara, California USA)

Jonata shares ownership with its cooler, fancier cousin: Screaming Eagle of Napa. We got to taste this wine during our “Sideways” Santa Barbara pilgrimage at a hip wine bar downtown called Santa Barbara Wine Collective.

A blend of 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot; this was dense, ripe, and incredibly structured. Charine, being a scornful taster towards most big and ripe wine, was utterly confused by the wholeness of this. She kept sniffing and drinking, yet could find no fault or unhappiness in this wine. In the end, she decided to divorce her critical side and proclaim this wine as one of her favorites of all time.

Read – Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail: Highlights & Tips

• Brewer-Clifton, Acin, 2013 (Santa Barbara, California USA)

The trip through Santa Barbara Wine Country was a fulfilling one, both for the mind and palate. Matt was checking off all the places that appeared in Sideways in the most loyal fanboy manner. All of the wineries were so impressive that it took painful concentration to mark the wines. That said, the tasting at Brewer-Clifton was the top wine experience in Santa Barbara County for both of us. All 10 wines that we got to taste were spectacular. We could understand why Antonio Galloni was impressed.

This Chardonnay stands out the most because it’s oily and tastes gently oxidative. An immediate, boundary-pushing attitude is erected. It is whole-cluster pressed and aged in neutral barrels for 12 to 18 months. Somewhat a cross between a Mâconnais—with starfruit and ripe melon and gentler oak influence—and a breed of its own unique kind, this is a deviant with a wacky vision.

The partnership between Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton started more than 20 years ago when they pioneered single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines in Santa Rita Hills. The duo split up in 2015 and Steve Clifton now owns a different winery while Greg Brewer continues to take the helm at Brewer-Clifton.

Read – Brewer-Clifton: Combining Expertise, Gravitas, and Nature

• Chateau Camou, El Gran Vino Tinto, 1997 (Baja, Mexico)

Chatea Camou was one of the first in Baja Mexico to kickstart the boutique, high-quality wine movement.

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grapes harvested from the desert part of Baja; but don’t let that fool you, there is a lot of wine being made there.

1997 is widely considered to be a stellar vintage in Mexico. We tasted a number of stunning wines from that vintage and this one came out on top—narrowly above a Cavas Valmar’s Cabernet Sauvignon. This was the first of many outstanding Mexican wines we tasted during our two and half month stay in Mexico’s most prominent wine region. For this particular wine and vintage, it was made by Dr Victor Torres-Alegre, who received his doctorate in enology from the University of Bordeaux, and with the assistance of Michel Rolland. Both Dr Torres-Alegre and Michel Rolland have moved on from Chateau Camou.

GOING BACK TO THE CAUCASUS

• Okro’s Wine, Rkatsiteli, 2010 (Kakheti, Georgia)

We tasted this on a press trip through Georgia with journalists from all over Europe. This wine was aged for three years in the qvevri (buried terracotta vessels). Just as we were about to sample this wine, a huge storm rolled in and knocked out the electricity. The wine was eventually drunk under the candlelight and everybody in the press group was awestruck by this sensory treat. Incredibly clean, full of earthy notes, and firmly structured. A wine so outspoken and so distant from its other well-mannered, generic cousins.

Shout-out to our dear friend John Wurdeman from Pheasant’s Tears for introducing us to this life-defining wine!

Read – Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia

• Lagvinari, Goruli Mtsvane, 2015 (Kartli, Georgia)

Goruli Mtsvane means “green from Gori,” and Gori is a city in south-central Georgia. A late-ripening grape that oxidizes easily, only a few winemakers make wine from this rare variety.

Eko Glonti, the owner and winemaker at Lagvinari, is a heart surgeon, turned geologist, turned winemaker. The first time we drank this wine, we were at his home with classical jazz music playing in the background. The second time we drank this was with a group consisting of an Australian winemaker, a sommelier, and a Master of Wine. After the first sip, the Australian winemaker said, “This is fucking sexy.”

This is a qvevri amber wine with high-toned aromas of peach, lime, apricot, wildflower, pine, and nut. On the palate, the weighty body is reminiscent of a light red wine.

Hunting down a Goruli Mtsvane wine can be challenging but also incredibly rewarding.

Read – 2015 Lagvinari Wine from Georgia

• Zorah, Yeraz 2013 (Vayots Dzor, Armenia)

We drank this wine from a cask sample at the beautiful Zorah cellar. The winery is situated in a vast, open space 1,200 meters in altitude and may be the most beautiful wine estate we have ever seen. Zorah is famous for its flagship wine, the Zorah Karasi. The Yeraz is their cru wine, named after the owner’s wife. The word Yeraz also means “hope/dream” in Armenian.

This wine is made from the indigenous variety called Areni, with grapes harvested from ultra-centennial bush vines that are planted at 1,600 meters above sea level. It is fermented with natural yeast and partially aged in amphora. The vines of Areni are ungrafted as they’ve never been affected by phylloxera. By dint of the location and elevation, vineyard management is relatively natural with minimal intervention. The Zorah Yeraz 2013 brings a whole new canon of exquisiteness that demands a quiet mind to understand. Reticent at first and requires some coaxing, it is ethereally gentle—like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you might miss with a blink. This is a wine that can challenge many Burgundy Grand Crus.

If you’ve tasted the Zorah Yeraz 2012: the 2013 is a celestial kin to its first-born sibling; at least that’s how they are showing right now.

Read – Zorah Wines: Depicting Armenia’s Ancient Wisdom

A trip of any kind in Armenia is never complete without a taste of Zorah wine. Here’s a quick capture of Zorah winery, inside and out. For more detailed notes on Zorah and Armenian wines, check out our book; link in bio. #UncorkingTheCaucasus

A video posted by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 11, 2016 at 10:16am PDT

“Yeraz has a lovely ethereal nose and fine, elegant, pure lingering flavour, it’s like a blend of cru Burgundy mixed with top Sangiovese in character but with its own distinctive hints of spice and crushed raspberry.” – Caroline Gilby

FINISHING 2016 IN CROATIA

• Roxanich, Antica, 2009 (Istria, Croatia)

Made with organic Istrian Malvasia grapes that went through spontaneous fermentation, 60-day maceration, 3-year aging in big oak cask, and another year or so in the bottle, this is the brainchild of a bonafide natural winemaker. This is an unfiltered, amber Malvazija (the Croatian name for Malvasia) wine that we got to enjoy while doing a podcast with our Croatian wine importer friend Daniel (mentioned above). We flipped our lid drinking this.

This is an amber wine that can handhold many conventional wine drinkers to the orange side. Imagine an amber wine so expectedly jam-packed with flavors of cinnamon, sliced almond, dried apricot, dried fig, forest floor, and a touch of savory spice. And then it hits the palate with welcoming juiciness and stern acidity. Balance, intensity, length, and complexity are all checked. The tannins are noticeable yet discreet as it goes shoulder-to-shoulder with the dominant notes of clementine orange and ginger powder, backed by still alive yet subtle secondary, toasty flavor. This is currently holding a spot on our “top 10 amber wine” list.

Read – 15 Amber Wines (Orange Wines) to Try in Croatia

• Tomac, Amphora Pjenušac Brut, 2010 (Plešivica, Croatia)

A winery located just outside the capital city of Zagreb, Tomac is the de facto name for sparkling wine in Croatia. Allegedly, Tomac is the world’s first producer to make a méthode traditionelle sparkling wine with amphora. His first vintage of amphora sparkling wine was in the 2000s. Today, the influence of Tomac and the beauty of amphora sparkling have spread all over Champagne as several renowned grower Champagne houses begin to take inspiration from him.

Right on the same day when the latest issue of Decanter magazine was released and in which this wine was listed under “75 Stellar Buys of 2016”, we visited Tomac and he took us through all of his wines. Decanter magazine describes this wine as a bit rustic, with strong and almost burnt caramel and orange aromas and nuances of autumn fruits with vivid acidity. We agree and also notice some notes of lemon rind, brioche, pleasantly oxidative tone, and a drying finish. It is only lightly effervescent but has a wonderfully tiny bubble structure.

Read – Tomac Winery: Leading the Charge in Croatia

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Exotic Wine Travel’s 16 Wines of 2016 appeared first on Wine Travel.

While the history of winemaking in Armenia dates back to ancient time, its modern wine industry is still in its infancy stage. As of now, the two head honchos are the critically acclaimed  Zorah Winery and the goliath-sized Karas Winery, which has Michel Rolland as a lead consultant. The rest of the fledgling industry is made up by around 25 commercial wineries, which are constantly improving and are worthy of attention.

In October 2016, we returned to Armenia for a month to gauge how the wineries have been evolving and were delighted to discover a new personage in the fine wine scene.

Voskevaz Winery is named after a village of the same name. It is located on the slopes of 4090-meter-tall Mount Aragats, the highest mountain in the Lesser Caucasus Range. The winery was established in 1932 and was making predominantly Sherry-type wine for the Soviet Union. For a number of years between then and now, the winery fell out of fashion and then bounced back to produce simple table wine and semi-sweet wine for Russia. The wines of Voskevaz were not available in the local market when we visited Armenia in the fall of 2015–as we were tasting and researching for our book Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines From Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia. As of 2016, Voskevaz is rebalancing its focus and putting considerable effort into creating a presence in its domestic market in Armenia. Simultaneously, recent investments have modernized the winery and have given the property an integral facelift.

The head winemaker Alexey Sapsay has spent time in France, Italy, and Spain. His last stint was in the much-heralded Spanish wine region of Priorat. Alexey said that, besides the new focus on the Armenian domestic market, Voskevaz will also be shifting towards making high-quality wines. The harbinger of this shift is its Karasi Collection. The first batch of this premium line is made up of around 3,000 bottles; the winery aims to increase the production to 60,000 bottles, which will include varietal wines made from indigenous Armenian grapes Areni, Voskehat, and the rare Haghtanak.

The winery is less than a half-an-hour drive from the capital city Yerevan. The modern facilities–which includes a restaurant and guest house–are not finished but the new stone buildings are already covered in hand-carved decorations. The winery has the charm of new medieval-inspired architecture coupled with old Soviet buildings. As the village of Voskevaz is a tiny and lesser-developed area, there are high hopes that the finished one-stop compound of Voskevaz will bring much-needed jobs and economic growth to the village.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S PICKS

•  Voskevaz Rosé 2014 – 100% Areni

Salmon in color. The aromas are muted with a hint of strawberry and mineral. In the mouth, the flavors are packed with characteristics of melon, strawberry, earth, spice, and flower. A shy yet charismatic rosé.

• Voskevaz Areni 2013

Inviting aromas of cherry-coated sweetness, brown spice, smoke, and a slight earthiness. The palate is loaded with tastes of sour cherry, red kool-aid, and smoke. The end-plate is noticeably grassy. With all these characteristics packed in a glass, this is one of the few Areni wines that bear a strong resemblance to a Californian Pinot Noir, yet distinctly different because of its smoothness, earthiness, and spice. A fantastic food wine.

• Voskevaz Karasi Collection Voskehat 2015 – 100% Voskehat

The first vintage of its kind with only less than 3,000 bottles released, this premium line of Voskehat wine is crafted with grapes from 60-year-old vines. Made with whole-cluster pressing, fermentation in the karas (clay vessels) with 1% skin contact, and four-month aging in the barrel, the delicateness and depth jump right out in the first contact. On the nose, it delivers a long chain of subtle aromas like tropical fruit, ripe melon, star fruit, plywood, butter, and spice. On the palate, it shows signs of tart Asian pear, starfruit, pineapple, and wet stone. The texture is light, smooth, and buttery. Overall, we find this wine to be an absolute stunner that reminds us of some Burgundy white. Despite its relatively high retail price in Armenia, we think it’s worth every cent and serves as an exemplar of what the variety Voskehat can achieve.

• Voskevaz Karasi Collection Areni Noir 2014 – 100% Areni

Just like the Karasi Collection Voskehat, this is the first vintage of its kind, made in a single karas that yielded only 800 bottles. This wine is made from the indigenous grape called Areni. The grapes are harvested from 120 year-old vines that are planted at 1,600 meters in elevation. Fermentation and maceration happened in karas and then the wine was transferred to age for 14 months in new Armenian oak sourced from nearby Nagorno-Karabakh. The nose is an immediate showstopper–with characteristics of freshly cut grass, strawberry, red cherry, caramel, chocolate, and a touch of tobacco. The taste is dominated by red fruit and rubber, led by a tight tannic backbone. On the end palate, it swings harmoniously into a still fruit-driven, but also slightly spicy and slightly green finale. This has won a gold medal winner from Mundus Vini 2016 and is one of our top picks for Armenian red wines. However, more joy can be achieved in this wine if the body was bigger. 

For a listing of articles and videos on Armenian wines and wine travel in Armenia, check out our page Uncorking the Caucasus. To purchase the Kindle or paperback copy of the book Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia, please head to this Amazon product page.

You May Also Enjoy
A Brief History of Wines from the Caucasus
Armenian Wines: One Year Later

The ideas expressed in this article are personal opinions and are not associated with any sponsors or business promotions.

The post Voskevaz: A New Face in the Armenian Wine Scene appeared first on Wine Travel.

To learn more about the wines from the Caucasus, check out our book Uncorking The Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia, on Amazon now. 

The Caucasus region is a geographical area that surrounds the mountain range of the same name. The region consists of the countries Georgia, Armenia, eastern Turkey, Azerbaijan, and parts of Russia and Iran. It is a mountainous region with most of its land situated on the Anatolian and Armenian plateaus. The northern border of the region is the Greater Caucasus range, which are the highest mountains in Europe. The Black Sea and Caspian Sea serve as the western and eastern borders of the region respectively. The southern reaches of the region are made up of southeastern Turkey and northern Iran.

The borders of all these countries, especially Armenia, have shifted throughout human history; but somewhere in what is present-day Armenia, Georgia, eastern Turkey, and northern Iran, mankind planted a new chapter in history.

The History of Wine

Many people think of the classic Vitis vinifera wine grape varieties as Western European, but Vitis vinifera’s origin lies in the Caucasus, where Europe and Asia intersect and where ancient trade routes traversed the mountains between the Black Sea and Persia. Within the Caucasus region, Turkey, Iran, Armenia and Georgia all have archaeological evidence that supports their claims of being the birthplace of wine.

Referencing Karen MacNeil’s magnum opus The Wine Bible, Dr Jose Vouillamoz and Dr Patrick McGovern published a research in 2012 stating that the people in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) grew and harvested grapes as far back as 8000 BC.

Archaeology, the publication of the Archaeological Institute of America, printed an article in the late 1990s stating that clay pots with traces of wine residue that date back to about 5000 BC. were found in the Zagros Mountain range in Iran. Those shards of pottery were discovered in a Neolithic mountain village named Hajji Firuz Tepe. Today, this area of northwestern Iran borders southeastern Turkey and southern Armenia.

Just north of Hajji Firuz Tepe, at the Areni-1 cave complex in the Vayots Dzor region of Armenia, the oldest large-scale wine production in the world was unearthed. It was also at the same site that the world’s oldest leather shoe was found. Scientists believe that the cave complex is around 6,100 years old, putting its functional existence between 4100 BC. and 4000 BC. When we traveled through Vayots Dzor, the Areni-1 cave complex was closed to the public. We were lucky to have a glimpse into the complex with the help of a local winemaker. More on this in the Armenia chapter of our book.

In our opinion, the Georgians are the most adamant about their country being the birthplace of wine. A source supports the claim with the discovery of wine residue found inside clay jars, in Shulaveri, Georgia. Dr Patrick McGovern (the same professor from the Anatolia’s finding) believes that those jars date back to 6000 BC.

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“In this part of the world, you won’t find many nice cellars, sophisticated tasting rooms, and elegant chateaus, but what it offers is something more profound and educational—the ancient history and culture of wine from the perspective of each country, intertwined with modern society, politics, and human aspiration.”

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Based on these findings: on a map, if we draw a line from Shulaveri in the Kartli region of Georgia southeast to Hajji Firuz Tepe in Iran, it would be approximately 500 kilometers and the line would pass by Vayots Dzor and Areni-1 in Armenia. We can then draw a straight line almost 600 kilometers northwest from Iran to the eastern part of Anatolia—around Elaziğ, Turkey—where some scientists believe wine grapes could have originated. From there, draw another line nearly 600 kilometers northeast back to Kartli, Georgia. This would make an almost equilateral triangle connecting the four places where the earliest remnants of winemaking have been discovered thus far, with Mount Ararat*—the speculated resting place of Noah’s ark—sitting somewhere near the middle.

(*Some scholars argue that the biblical “mountains of Ararat” does not specifically refer to Mount Ararat.)

Map adapted from the United States Central Intelligence Agency, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

Within this triangle lie three modern-day countries. However, the controversy that comes with making a claim of being the first country to produce wine is that the countries’ borders have been fluid between antiquity and now. Not to mention the tenuous relationships between the countries, especially Turkey and Armenia, are likely to conceal the fact further. This volatile relationship was palpable when we traveled through the Caucasus. Add that to the humorous rivalry between Georgia and Armenia and it’d lead to some heated discussions about wine. To complicate things further, wine goes so far back that its roots lie in prerecorded human history; recorded human history begins between 4000 BC. and 2000 BC. which falls after the evidence of early winemaking of 8000 BC. to 4100 BC.

Wine production started before the bureaucracy of international borders; therefore, the interpretation of the birthplace of wine is debatable but not winnable. What is indisputable is that based on archeological findings to date, the Caucasus is considered the cradle of wine. The people from Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia are sure to let us know that. Each country has its own tale that has been passed down from generation to generation. Each story is being told with so much passion and conviction. Perhaps there’s no need to assume that wine has a singular and an exclusive origin.

The countries in the Caucasus all boast a mountainous climate with breathtaking vistas. Unfortunately, they are shrouded in the shadows of historical enemies that still, in the modern times, sporadically create barriers to trade. This geopolitical strife continues to undermine the developments of commerce and innovation, including that of wine.

The wine regions of the Caucasus may not have the international reputation of the likes of Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Tuscany. In this part of the world, you won’t find many nice cellars, sophisticated tasting rooms, and elegant chateaus, but what it offers is something more profound and educational—the ancient history and culture of wine from the perspective of each country, intertwined with modern society, politics, and human aspiration. This collection of unique perspectives is a legacy that must not be ignored or eclipsed by fancy, fine wines.

Some of the wines mentioned in Uncorking The Caucasus can be challenging to assess. It is surprisingly difficult to decide how much we like something when the experience is so different from what we normally encounter. But whether we, or you, end up liking the wines from the Caucasus or not, the pertinent point is that the world of wine would be poorer without them and their intrinsic stories. The wines of the Caucasus bring diversity to the world stage. The wines are inspired by a sense of place, history, culture, and philosophy. We truly respect the winemakers from Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia, who are willing to venture into the uncharted zones and risk their effort by bringing us something that hasn’t been approved by the mainstream.

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If you like this article, check out Uncorking the Caucasus, which contains a listing of articles and videos  about the wines from Armenia, Georgia, and Turkey. To purchase the Kindle or paperback copy of the book Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia, please head to our Amazon page. 

The post A Brief History of Wine from the Caucasus appeared first on Wine Travel.

For a listing of articles and videos on Armenian wine and wine travel in Armenia, check out our page Uncorking the Caucasus. To purchase the Kindle or paperback copy of the book Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia, please head to this Amazon product page.

A Brief History About Armenian Wine

Armenia falls within the geographical region that is associated with the birthplace of wine. It is the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion. As such, Armenians resonate strongly with the story of Noah landing his ark near the mountains of Ararat and planting vines in the vicinity. Armenians also believe that they are the immediate descendants of Noah, making them one of the oldest ethnicities in the world and the initial winemakers in history. Archaeology backs up this belief to some degree with the oldest large-scale winery, the Areni-1 cave complex, found near the town of Areni.

In modern history, Armenia struggled through a long period of violent conflict with its two neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan, which caused a vast number of Armenians to emigrate. Today, Armenians are all over the world and have a reputation of achieving business success in many different industries and countries.

Following Armenia’s independence in 1991, the Armenian diaspora started moving back to their homeland and brought along with them a new interest in wine. In 2010, led by young talents and prolific visionaries, the country’s wine scene started to take off at a rapid pace. Considerable investments were made to create a surge in wine culture and modern winemaking equipment was imported to bring the Armenia’s wine industry up to speed. While there were many international grapes grown, the reverent focus remained on rediscovering historic, indigenous varieties and realizing their potential.

To understand this tapestry of tradition and innovation, we spoke with:

Mr Vahe Keushguerian, the founder of Semina Consulting and project manager at Karas Winery.

Vahe is committed to reinvigorating the Armenia’s wine culture. By using DNA technologies to identify grapes found in abandoned monasteries and villages, then cultivating those grapes in his nursery, Vahe and his team have been recovering historic wine grapes and bringing them back to life. All in all, he is a giant among the movers and shakers of the burgeoning Armenia’s wine scene.

• How did you get into wine?

From the age of 19, I moved from Lebanon to Italy, and then to California. In California, I was initially working at restaurants and eventually moved on to importing Italian wine. In 1994, I relocated to Italy and started making wine in Chianti and Puglia. After my first trip to Armenia in 1997, I decided to buy a plot of land and plant vineyards there. From then on, I started going back to Armenia every year. In 2009, my family took a gap year in Armenia. The timing was right and I got involved with Karas, and that cemented my place in the Armenia’s wine industry.

• Armenia is very exotic in the wine world. What types of indigenous grapes are available for winemakers?

Armenia has an incredible number of white varieties. I don’t know if it was an effect or a cause of the terroir or brandy production*. A reason why so many varieties survived could be because they served their purpose, which was for the distillation of spirits. The leaders of the pack for white wines are Voskehat and Khatoun Kharji. We are also experimenting with Tchilar, which has characteristics of Sauvignon Blanc and Gruner Veltliner. Tchilar has some smokiness and grassiness, and we are happy with the early results we’ve gotten from this variety. There is a lot of potential and we can do a lot with white grapes.

For now, Areni is the leader of the pack for red wine and is defining the Armenian wine industry. Most wines are made from unselected Areni; with clonal selection, we can breed the grape so it has a little more finesse and structure. Areni lacks color when it’s not too manipulated, but so do Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, and Nebbiolo. So that’s not a big deal. Khndoghni, also known as Sireni, is showing potential and lends itself good to aging in the barrel, perhaps more than Areni. Kakhet is another interesting red wine variety, but because of the small quantities harvested, we don’t have enough experience with it yet.

(*During the Soviet Union era, from 1922 to 1991, Armenia was assigned the role of being the brandy-producing state. )

• The Soviet times have caused a big gap in the Armenia’s winemaking history. Can you share more about the history of modern Armenian wine, which is loosely defined as the post-Soviet period?

There were some efforts to make good wine in the 1990s and early 2000s, but the technology and hygiene were not there. Perhaps there are examples of great wine made during Soviet times but none that I am aware of. Fast forward to 2009, four or five wineries came into the scene and turned the tide for the industry. One of them was Armenia Wine Company, which initiated modern packaging and modern technology for domestic wine. In 2010, Karas changed the game as it was the first modern, commercial winery in Armenia to make wine with grapes harvested from its own vineyards. Karas didn’t have to deal with vineyards that were haphazardly planted with all kinds of varieties, or badly maintained Soviet vineyards with dead vines scattered all over. Those were some of the problems that many pioneer modern wineries without their own vineyards had to deal with.

• A lot of winemakers in the Caucasus region choose to age their wine in Caucasian oak, could you tell us more about this oak?

Caucasian oak is interesting. It is not identical to European oak; it’s a species of its own. The oak native to Armenia is a dry, slow-growing oak that comes from high-elevation areas. Similar to European oak, you need to split the oak across the grain, which means a lot of wood is wasted in the process. Our experience has been intense but variable because the oak is not treated the same and not aged for as long as French oak.

• What needs to be done in order to reinvigorate the Armenia’s wine industry?

Domestically, we have to reacquire our wine culture. The culture was lost during Soviet times, but we can regain it back quite easily because we have an ancient culture in wine—wine is a part of our social stories and the country’s history. Currently, we are trying to revive the culture mostly through wine tastings in different cities. There are about nine wine bars in Yerevan that opened in the last two years. The good news is that most of the bars are often buzzing with customers, which means people are receptive to the movement and are welcoming the revival.

The sad news is that wine is an expensive commodity in Armenia. All the good wines are not accessible to the general population. We are working on high-quality wine in pouches and bag-in-box for restaurants to serve by the carafe to their customers. The important thing is to produce Armenian table wine that is not just good, but very good, without the excess cost of corks and glass bottles. This will come in a matter of time.

The next challenge, on an international level, is the narrative of the industry. We need a big group of producers to work in unity. A big, first step we’ve taken is by creating the group Vineyards of Armenia, a brand which I have started for the Armenian producers. We have 10 founding members and are open to welcoming more in the near future. The next step is to go out and share what we do with the rest of the world. It is vital to speak at trade shows as a unified group.

Another challenge is marketing. We want to position Armenia as a country in the historic winemaking world, not new or old. Once we do that and continue to make quality wine, the market will take its course. We want to aim for the American and Northern European markets where there is a willingness to pay for exotic wines.

I am a positive person and I see huge potential in the future of Armenian wine. We are blessed with good vineyards. But one thing we lack is institutional support. We don’t have the resources for research.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S CHOICE

Keush Origins Methode Traditionnelle

Undisclosed blend of two indigenous grape varieties, Voskehat and Khatoun Kharji, and aged in bottle for a minimum of 15 months. A crisp and refreshing sparkling wine bursting with citrus flavors. Keush is the brainchild of Vahe, who’s a lover of champagne (especially when it comes in a Magnum bottle).

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Armenian Wines: One Year Later
Ancient Wine Grape Varieties from Armenia, Georgia, and Turkey
Trendsetter: Vahe Keushguerian from Armenia [in Russian].
The World’s First Winery
Check out our video at the Areni Wine Festival 2016:

The ideas expressed in this article are personal opinions and are not associated with any sponsors or business promotions

The post Trendsetter: Vahe Keushguerian from Armenia appeared first on Wine Travel.

We will start posting articles about our finds from the unheralded corners of the wine world. Today, we are sharing an exotic wine that is available in the USA.

We went to Armenia with full knowledge about Zorah Wines, specifically Zorah Karasi. The first vintage from 2010 was placed on Bloomberg’s Top 10 Wines of 2012. With high hopes, we contacted Zorah Winery a month before our trip. Unfortunately, the winery told us that they do not take visitors. However, as serendipity works its way to our hopeful hearts: we ended up staying at a wine town in Vayots Dzor, Armenia and by coincidence, the owner of Zorah was staying at the same place as us.

Armenia: An Ancient Wine Country

Wine production in Armenia dates back to over 6,000 years, with evidence from the discovery of the world’s oldest winery the Areni-1 Cave Complex, which is located close to Zorah Winery. The oldest leather shoe in the world was also found inside the same complex. We were fortunate to visit the archaeological site of this winery even though it was boarded up due to the lack of funding. From the moment we stepped in, buried amphorae in every room of the caves filled our sights. The clay pots varied in size. Some were broken. Some looked as if they were still serviceable. Tools, ropes, and other equipment lay neatly stacked in the corners of the cave. Makeshift lighting was strong all around. It was astonishing to imagine that large-scale winemaking took place in the exact same caves thousands of years ago. During our trip, we also visited an old bridge along the Arpi River. According to the locals, many Silk Road travelers enjoyed coming through this part of Armenia to taste the unique wines of the Vayots Dzor region.

Zorah Wines

Zorik Gharibian, the founder of Zorah Wines, is an Italian Armenian. Based in Milan, he’s been working in the fashion industry for many years. In the 1990s, he came to visit his ancestral homeland and returned to Italy feeling inspired. He was determined to craft world-class wine made from indigenous grapes in Armenia and target the true wine lovers of the world.

Located in a remote village at 1,400 meters in altitude, Zorah Winery provides the ultimate notion of “wine with a view”. You can check out the views in this video where Zorik also shares more about his struggle, inspiration, and plan with Matt.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Choice:
Zorah Karasi 2013 – 100% Areni

The indigenous grape variety Areni grows in the high-altitude Armenian village of the same name. All Areni vines are grown on Vitis Vinefera rootstock; because of its isolation and elevation, it has never been affected by phylloxera. Jancis Robinson states in her Oxford Companion to Wine that the Areni grapes produce “wines that are medium body with zip”.

Alberto Antonini, the oenologist at Zorah is a celebrated figure in the wine world; his credits include being a senior winemaker at Antinori and Frescobaldi in Tuscany. By dint of these experienced hands and the vineyards’ innate advantage, Zorah wines are made with minimal intervention. All the red wines at Zorah are fermented and aged in concrete eggs or amphorae, with the exception of its top red wine which goes through further aging in untoasted oak casks. While there were steel tanks and big oak casks to be in found in the winery when we visited, the plan is to move the entire production to concrete vessels.

After our trip through Armenia, we went back to Singapore and brought along a bottle of Zorah Karasi for our good friend who’s a serious wine drinker. Following a meat-dominated dinner—which was paired harmoniously with a Hugel Jubilee Riesling 2008, a Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005 and a d’Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz 2001—the conversation switched to our journey through the Armenian wine regions. Our friend’s curiosity was piqued and it was the perfect moment to uncork the Zorah Karasi. It was also a great opportunity to put Zorah’s vision to an unbiased test: would an Armenian wine made from an ancient, indigenous variety satisfy the discerning and experienced palate?

Tasting Notes

The wine expresses vibrant notes of strawberry, sour cherry, grass, vanilla, coffee, smoke, and a touch of earth. Its medium body is congruent with its acidity. The end palate is long and focused. There is almost a sense of Italian-ness in this wine, perhaps because of the sour cherry and high acidity that are redolent of a lighter Sangiovese (like a Pian Del Ciampolo, which is often described as being Burgundy-esque). However, the combination of flavors, structure, and balance in this three-year-old wine is nothing like we’ve tasted before. Everyone at the table is impressed. Notwithstanding that this is drunk after an aged Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, the Zorah Karasi 2013 is expressing much presence on the palate. It shows up well next to the New World big names like Robert Mondavi and d’Arenberg.

Besides the Karasi wine, Zorah also produces a white wine made from a blend of two local varieties called Voskehat and Garandmak, and a premium varietal red that’s named after his wife Yeraz. The word Yeraz also means “dream” in Armenian. The Zorah Yeraz is made from wild bush vines of Areni found higher up in the mountains at 1,600 meters above sea level. The locals believe that these vines are over 100 years old.

Check out the Zorah vineyards here; we’d be hard-pressed to find a better spot for wine.

The Zorah Karasi retails for around USD 36 in the USA. For more information on the exact price and distribution network, go to Wine Searcher.

More information about Armenian wine and wine tourism in Armenia can be found in our book Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia.

Note: This article is not associated with business endorsements of any kind. 

You May Also Enjoy:
Armenian Wines: One Year Later
A Brief History of Wines from the Caucasus
A Trendsetter in the Armenian Wine Scene: Vahe Keushguerian
Meet the Man Bringing Incredible Armenian Wine to the U.S.

The post Zorah Karasi: Wine of Ancient Grapes from Armenia appeared first on Wine Travel.