Areni Noir
Armenia · Red · Available (A)
The flagship, centred on Vayots Dzor at some of the highest commercial vineyard altitudes in the world, much of it own-rooted and old. Thick-skinned with high acidity and moderate, fine tannin, giving pale-to-medium colour and a profile of sour cherry, cranberry, pomegranate, dried herbs and a savoury mineral edge. Comparisons to Pinot Noir and to Nebbiolo both get made and neither quite fits. Vines of 130 years are still in production. Reliably exported, including by Zorah, Yacoubian-Hobbs, Old Bridge and Zulal.