Massanois
Zulal Wines Vayots Dzor Areni 2021 750ml
Zulal Wines Vayots Dzor Areni 2021 750ml
ARMENIA : VAYOTS DZOR
SUSTAINABLE : Areni Noir
MED-BODIED, POMEGRANATE, DRIED CHERRY, VOLCANIC MINERAL, NEUTRAL OAK
Areni Noir from the volcanic highlands of Vayots Dzor — where 6,100-year-old wine-making artifacts were uncovered in the Areni-1 cave, a ten-minute drive from these vineyards. Aimee Keushguerian founded Zulal in 2015 to make a serious case for the variety, sourcing from 30-year-old vines across Aghavnadzor and Khachik on basalt and granite soils at 1,400–1,600 meters. Many are ungrafted — phylloxera hasn't reached these dry, rocky highlands.
Native yeast fermentation, 12 months in Caucasian oak (older barrels, lighter touch), light filtration. The oak adds texture and spice without dominating; the altitude preserves the bright acidity that makes Areni Noir work so well at the table. Decanter's Caroline Gilby MW scored it 89 points — "pomegranate, dried cherry, and spice; firm structure with a long finish" — and Karen MacNeil matched that score. At $25, this overdelivers.
PAIRINGS :
| Braised lamb with herbs and dried apricot | sour cherry mirrors the apricot; tannins cut the fat — the classic regional pairing |
| Khorovats (Armenian grilled skewers) | char and smoke amplify the earthy, spiced mid-palate |
| Aged Manchego or Pecorino | firm tannins and volcanic mineral finish work with salt and fat in hard cheese |
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