This wine was produced with 100% Areni grapes from old own-rooted vines in the Vayots Dzor region in Armenia. It was aged for 12 months in neutral French and high-elevation Caucasian oak.
The Areni presents light and brick-colored glass. This is a savory and herbaceous wine with terrific mid-palate texture and a medium-long finish. It exhibits some tertiary characteristics similar to a well-aged French or Alsatian Pinot Noir. The wine is still drinking well, and we’d suggest pairing it with beef kabobs or burgers.
Aimee Keushgarian, the winegrower, founded Zulal in 2017 having worked with her father, Vahe at Keush Winery. 2018 was one of Aimee’s first vintages. Read why she chose the Areni Reserve as the one most most emblematic of the Zulal brand.
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.