This is a concentrated and intense wine, still showing fresh fruit seven years after the vintage date. There are savory herbaceous notes, bramble with green pepper reminiscent of Cabernet Sauvignon. Somm Ken says, “I’d have no hesitation calling this a Cab”. I’d say any Cab lover – whether Bordeaux or Napa – should seek out this wine while still available.
This is 100% Haghtanak, a native variety (yes, the tanak refers to high tannins) from the highlands of the Aragatsotn region in Armenia. The vineyards are farmed organically in volcanic soils and the minerality is apparent on the palate. The wine spent 12 months in French and Armenian Oak. This is an exceptional wine, well structured and balanced despite the relatively high alcohol and high tannins.
Read Vaurzhan Mouradian’s Wine Characters interview, and learn why he chose this one wine.
Note: this wine was reviewed by a two-person panel, including myself and Ken Collura – Somm at Large – and former Wine Direct/Somm at Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, the largest wine list in the U.S., with over 500,000 bottles, and Andina in Portland.