2023 Karasì Areni Noir, Zorah

• Style: Bright, spicy Armenian red with delicate tannins
• Taste: Ripe red cherry, herbal spice, mineral finish, lively acidity
• Food: Roasted lamb, grilled meats, beef, game, stews & braises
• Occasion: Sunday lunch, date night, special meal
• Serve: 13.5% ABV, lean and energetic, drink now or age gracefully

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Deep ruby red with surprising freshness: spicy, herbal notes threading through ripe red-cherry fruit, finishing with lively minerality that speaks to limestone soils and high elevation. The tannins are delicate and fully resolved, making this gratifying now yet built to age gracefully. At 13.5% ABV, it's lean and energetic—the opposite of heavy.

The Winery — Zorah

Zorik Gharibian, born in Iran to parents who fled Armenia in 1915, studied in Venice and built a fashion business before returning to pursue his winemaking passion. In 2006 he planted six hectares in the Yeghegnadzor Valley at 1,370 metres, just two kilometres from one of the world's oldest wineries. His ungrafted vines thrive in this remote region where phylloxera has never reached. The 2023 vintage benefited from warm, sunny conditions tempered by cool nights—ideal for slow, even ripening. Fermentation used only indigenous yeasts in concrete tanks, followed by twelve months in traditional karasi amphorae buried in the earth, honouring ancient Armenian practice.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

This wine pairs confidently with roasted lamb, grilled red meats, beef, game, and aged cheese, yet remains graceful enough to drink on its own. The structure and balance make it equally at home at a Sunday lunch or a date-night table. Its mineral character and lively length reward slower sipping, and the resolved tannins mean it works whether you're reaching for it now or cellaring for future enjoyment. Explore our Armenia selection to discover how this remote, high-altitude region is reclaiming its place at the world's table, or browse our full bodied red wine range to find similarly characterful bottles.