2017 Karas Red Wine ($18)
The 2017 Karas Red Wine is made by Karas Wines, located in the Armavir province of Armenia. The company grows its grapes in the Ararat Valley, a place where people have been making wine for over 6,200 years. The winery is named after "karas," which are traditional clay jars that locals used long ago to ferment their grapes. The vineyards are located high up in a dry area with very hot summers and freezing winters.
The winemaking process blends traditional hand-picking with modern cellar technology. Workers pick all the grapes by hand. Inside the winery, the juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks. The final 2017 red wine is a blend made from several different grape varieties: 35% Syrah, 35% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Tannat. After the wine finishes fermenting, it is poured into oak barrels where it ages for one year before being bottled.
This wine is deep purple in color with aromas of black fruit. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has rich flavors of blackberry, raspberry and boysenberry. Its tannins are medium and its acidity is medium-high. It finishes a bit tannic (give it some extra time in a decanter) and jammy. This is my first wine from Armenia, but it won’t be my last. It’s a good one. And, this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!
The opinions expressed are entirely my own.