Karasi 2018 - Zorah - - Armenia

Full of energy, bright and straight with subtle spices. The red fruits are interwoven with herbaceous aromas. Vibrant chalky tannins, a touch of graphite and a long and evolved mineral finish.

CEPAGE - ARENI BLACK

Perhaps one of the oldest grape varieties in the world, Areni has been present in Armenia for millennia. Never grafted, in mass selection, it is 0%native and has a unique DNA profile that does not correspond to any other. Extremely resistant to disease and very thick skin, the Areni Noir has developed the unique ability to adapt perfectly to the extreme climate of Vayotz Dzor, its natural habitat.

Territory

The pinnacle of the ZORAH vineyards (high altitude viticulture) is 1,400 metres away. It is a terroir without phylloxera, subalcalin, sandy, rich in limestone and made of large stones.

Winemaking

Fermentation takes place in raw concrete vats, at controlled temperature, using only native yeasts. Aging takes place in traditional Armenian amphoras of different sizes (some buried in the ground and others on the surface) for about a month. In addition, 6

months of aging in bottles.

Learn more about areni and Zorah...

It is perhaps one of the oldest grape varieties in the world. Areni has been present in Armenia for millennia. Never grafted, it is 0%native, with a unique DNA profile that does not correspond to any other grape variety. Extremely resistant to the disease, it has the distinction of adapting perfectly to continental climates. Its thick skin, while helping to maintain the freshness of the grapes, protects it from the very large variations in temperatures (40oC during the day/20oC at night) that are found at 1,375 m altitude during the summer months in the high altitudes of Vayotz Dzor.

This grape is also the result of a meticulous selection by the Zorah estate, from old abandoned vines of a 13th century monastic complex.

Unique geographical and climatic forces have allowed the Yeghegnadzor Highlands to remain one of the few vine growing regions in the world where original rootstocks have survived for centuries, unaffected by phylloxera.

Thus, Zorah's authentic varietal purity from root to wine, combined with a high density of feet per hectare and low yields, give the wines pure and rich flavours of exceptional quality.

A 40-hectare vineyard with an atypical microclimate to produce beautifully healthy fruit

Long, dry summers

High daytime temperatures contrast with cool nights

Grapes picked at perfect maturity towards the end of October

Rock soils, rich in limestone, help maintain vine moisture during the summer heatwave

Slow maturation ensures the development of natural sugars and acidities