This is an excellent red wine blend from the team at Karas Winery in Ararat Valley/Armavir Region in Armenia. The blend is comprised of two indigenous varieties – 40% Areni and 60% Sireni – and aged in both amphorae and French and Armenian oak for 6 months.
The wine is opaque and super purple in the glass with density and saturation to the rim. We got aromas and luscious, rich flavors of dark red fruit on the palate. We were reminded of Mouvedre from the South of France, or Mencia in Northern Spain. We were particularly impressed with the mid-weight texture of this wine and the possibilities for flexible food pairings.
Read Juliana Del Aguila Eurnekian’s Wine Characters winegrower interview to learn what this wine means to the 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.