Vineyards
Zorah have 15 hectares of vineyards, surrounded by mountains at 1,400 metres above sea level and only steps away from a 6,100 year old winery, the vineyards are situated in the small rural village of Rind in the heart of Vayotz Dzor, Armenia’s quintessential grape growing region for quality wines. Long dry summers, with good sunlight and high daytime temperatures contrast with cool nights and encourage a lengthy growing season. The soils are rocky soils and rich in limestone, help maintain moisture for the vines during the intense summer heat. The indigenous vines are grown on original ungrafted root as the area is unaffected by Phylloxera.
Vintage information
A great vintage characterised by a long, hot summer with strong sunlight. This was balanced by fresh night-time temperatures. It was dry until mid-September which allowed the harvest to be pushed back to mid-October. At the beginning of September the canopy around the bunches was trimmed back to allow greater exposure to sunlight.
Vinification
The grapes were harvested by hand into small 15 kilo crates in mid-October. After de-stemming, the grapes were gently crushed. Fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at 28°-30°C for 10 days. Maceration on the skins lasted 24 days followed by pneumatic pressing. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally in barriques at 22° C in November. 20% of the wine was aged in 225 litre French oak barriques for nine months, 10% in 300 litre Armenian oak barriques for nine months and 30% in old 130 litre Armenian amphorae ( or ‘karas’) for 11 months. These are sealed with wax and are partially below the ground to maintain a constant temperature. The remaining wine was aged in stainless steel tanks. The wine was bottled in October 2011 where it spent a further 3 months.
Tasting Notes
Bright ruby red in colour, this wine has complex aromas of red fruits, lightly spiced with an elegant toasted note. The palate reflects the nose with a red fruit character, well-supported by a full-bodied structure, balanced, mature tannins and a long, evolved finish.
Vintage information
| Vintage | 2010 |
| Grape varieties | 100% Areni Noir |
| Region | Yeghegnadzor, Vayots Dzor |
| Winemaker | Alberto Antonini |
| Alcohol (ABV) | 13.5% |
| Acidity | 5.2g/l |
| Wine pH | 3.47 |
