Zorah Karasi Areni Noir 2022

The Land

The Areni grape takes its name from a village in Vayots Dzor, next to the Areni-1 cave, where archaeologists found a winery dating to about 4000 BC, roughly 6,100 years old. Zorah's vineyards in nearby Rind sit at about 1,400 meters, with a few small, unirrigated parcels of century-old vines reaching about 1,600 meters, among the highest vineyards in the northern hemisphere. The soils are rocky, sandy limestone with large stones, over volcanic geology, and phylloxera never arrived, so the Areni grows on its own roots. Severe winters, dry summers, intense sun, and cold mountain nights draw harvest out to October. That long, cool finish to the season gives Areni Noir from Armenia its signature mix of dark fruit, spice, and fresh acidity.

The Wine

Zorah Karasi Areni Noir 2022 is 100% Areni, ungrafted and indigenous. It ferments with natural yeasts in rough, temperature-controlled concrete tanks, then ages about 12 months in karasi, the large Armenian clay amphorae that give the wine its name, buried three-quarters underground. The buried clay holds a steady, cool temperature, and the difference between the underground and exposed sections keeps the wine slowly circulating, which builds texture without any oak influence. Six more months in bottle follow before release. Expect smoke, dark berries, crushed herbs, black pepper, and anise on the nose, then a textured, silky palate with firm, fine-grained tannins and a long, savory finish. Karasi was Zorah's first commercial release, in 2010, and it remains the estate's signature.

The People

Zorah's goal is to make wine the way it was made in Vayots Dzor for six millennia, then hold it to modern standards. The karas is central to that. Large Armenian amphorae stamped with their year of production turned up by the hundreds at the ancient Karmir Blur site, and Zorah has spent more than two decades relearning how to use them. Founder Zorik Gharibian brought in Tuscan winemaker Alberto Antonini, formerly of Antinori and Frescobaldi, who first came to Armenia in 2003 and has consulted since the start. The next generation is already in place: Zorik and Yeraz's children, Oshin and Nayiri, have joined the business, and Oshin earned a master's in agronomy and enology at Università Cattolica in Milan. This is the reference point for amphora-aged red wine from Armenia.

Food Pairing

Karasi wants grilled meat and warm spice. Lamb khorovats, skewers marinated with onion and paprika and grilled over wood, is the obvious match, with the firm tannins grabbing the char. Try ground beef and pork kebabs with sumac onions and lavash, where the pepper in the wine meets the spice. Stuffed grape leaves with lamb and rice, finished with garlic yogurt, echo the herbal side. A slow-roasted eggplant and tomato stew is a solid vegetarian choice. Pour it the next time you grill, and let it be the bottle people remember from that evening.