Zorah Yeraz 2017

Zorah Yeraz 

Region: Yeghegnadzor, Vayots Dzor, Armenia

Vintage: 2017

Bottle size: 75cl

Grape: Areni Noir

ABV: 13.5%

Vibrant and lively, this wine has aromas of red and black fruits, with floral and herbal notes. On the palate, it shows intensity and complexity that come from the old vines. Full-bodied with balancing acidity, this wine has silky tannins, and a long finish.

Zorah has 15 hectares of vineyards, surrounded by mountains at 1,400 - 1,600 metres above sea level and only a little over a kilometre from the oldest winery in the world. The vineyards are situated in the small rural village of Rind, in the heart of Vayotz Dzor. Long dry summers with plenty of sunlight, high daytime temperatures and cool nights encourage a lengthy growing season. The phylloxera-free soils are rocky and rich in limestone, helping maintain moisture for the vines during the intense summer heat. The indigenous vines for 'Yeraz' come from a single site at 1,600 metres and are over 100 years old. Each small vineyard parcel encompasses a unique combination of the varying strains of the Areni variety which have survived and evolved through the ages.

In 2006, Zorik Gharibian planted a six-hectare vineyard in Armenia’s Yeghegnadzor Valley, under the guidance of Italian viticulturist Stefano Bartolomei. Here, the indigenous Areni grape variety thrives at an elevation of 1,370 metres, close to Mount Ararat and just two kilometres from one of the world's oldest wineries, dating back 6,100 years. The vineyard is also ungrafted, as phylloxera has never reached this remote area of Armenia. It was from these vines that the Zorah project was born.

https://www.zorahwines.com