ARENI NOIR
Areni Noir is the signature black grape of Armenian winemaking. It is also one of the world’s most ancient grape varieties (more than 6,000 years old!). Areni makes elegant, complex dry red wines and is often nicknamed the “Armenian Pinot Noir”.
Overview
Alfa and omega of Armenian winemaking, Areni Noir, a.k.a. Areni, is the signature grape of this country. It is also one of the world’s most ancient grape varieties – more than 6,000 years old! In 2011 a group of international archaeologists discovered the world’s oldest winery. This ‘winemaking facility’ was hidden in a cave in the south of Armenia. Specifically, the cave contained a wine press, parts of clay vessels, as well as traces of an ancient wine – all dating back to 4,100 BC. Further on, the scientists found out that this wine was made of the local Areni grape. Today Areni wine is the best known Armenian wine in the world.
Aromas And Styles
Elegant, complex and fresh, Areni wine bursts with aromas of red fruit, which has led to this grape being nicknamed the “Armenian Pinot Noir”. Believe it or not, some scientists suggest that Areni Noir could even be the ancestor of the acclaimed French grape.
If you love seductively fruity New World Pinot Noirs for their juiciness, subtle tannins and ample freshness, then you will like Areni wine. Get ready for lush flavours of cherry, currants, cranberry and other forest fruit. These are enhanced by delicate notes of herbs and spices – black pepper, cloves, nutmeg.
Some of the best examples of Areni wines are vinified and aged in the traditional clay amphorae (karases). If matured in oak, Areni develops inviting aromas of coffee, chocolate, smoke and leather. Indeed, these are harmonious wines with silky texture, a real zip and a long finish.
