Voskevaz - Taraz Areni Red Dry Wine 2019

Wines made from Sev Areni or Areni Noire, as they like to call it, whilst young, are notable for their intense colour, expressed acidity and freshness. In the bouquet are delicate aromas of cherry, backcurrent and black pepper. On the palate the wine shows elegance and balanced tannic structure. Having the privilege of exposure to Armenian oak, reserve of oak-aged Areni grows noble and velvety enriched with aromas of blackberry, plum, pomegranate and sweet vanilla. These wines are unique reflection of Vayots Dzor’s terroir (a province of the Republic of Armenia).

Sev Areni or Areni Noire, is one of the most treasured indigenous Armenian grape varietals. Some of its grapevines that are as old as 120 years can still be found in Armenia. It is an indigenous Armenian varietal belonging to oriental eco-geographical group. Sev Areni can be found in almost all Armenian viticulture areas, but it is mainly spread in the western part of Vayots Dzor region, along the Arpa river bank. This old varietal originates from the same gorge where the oldest winery in the world (4100 B.C.) has been excavated, and archeo-genetic studies speak to its uninterrupted cultivation spanning thousands of years.

 

Sev Areni is characterized by medium-sized, dense, and conical bunches, sometimes with wings and medium-sized, black, partly oblong berries, sometimes ovate with a rounded top. The skin is thick, covered with a thick layer of bloom, the pump is juicy, and the juice is colourless. The ripening is late and the yield per plant is four to five kilograms (9 to 11 pounds). The first harvest comes in the fourth to fifth year after planting. Time of ripening is the end of September or beginning of October. Sev Areni has high resistance to frosts, moderate resistance to powdery mildew and considerable susceptibility to downy mildew.

The winery purchases 694 tons of grapes from other vineyards around the country. The vineyards are mostly very rocky with a high level of mineral and volcanic soils and with a high percentage of clay.

 

In the fermentation process, they use selected dry yeast from France. Apart from the Karasi Collection wines, which are fermented in the traditional Armenian clay amphorae, the alcoholic fermentation is completed in stainless steel tanks with temperature control. Malolactic fermentation happens in Armenian oak barrels or stainless-steel tanks. Depending on the wine, they conducts pre and post-fermentation maceration.

Voskevaz Winery produces high quality wines from only Armenian grape varietals, which have not been crafted on American rootstocks. Voskevaz Winery is situated in the Aragatsotn region in Armenia close to the mountain Aragats (highest mountain in Armenia) in the village Voskevaz.

 

Voskevaz Winery was founded in 1932 and is one of the oldest still producing wineries in Armenia. The connection of modern innovations and ancient Armenian winemaking traditions is their pride. They work hand in hand with numerous small winegrower families from different regions in Armenia and vinify their grapes in over hundred-year-old, classic Armenian clay amphorae (karas) and Armenian oak barrels (takar) as well as in modern stainless-steel tanks.

 

They have a large selectin of wines from young, fresh white wines, rose or aged red assemblages to limited edition single block single varietal wines. These varietals come from very special regional terroirs, some of which are from a altitude of over 1,600 meters (5,200 feet) above sea level with vines from sixty to over 120 years of age. Voskevaz Winery proudly carries on the over six-thousand-year-old tradition of Armenian winemaking.

Voskevaz Winery is a family owned company, and it is currently operated by Davit Hovhannisyan. The winery is a unique castle with Armenian architecture. The main goal of Voskevaz Winery is to work with ancient Armenian grape varieties, to recreate and keep the heritage of traditional Armenian winemaking.

 

Currently, Jean-Paul Berger and his wife Tatevik Gabrielyan are the winemakers of Voskevaz Winery. Born and raised in northern Germany. Winemaker Jean-Paul Berger moved to Switzerland by the age of 23 and fell in love with winemaking. He worked in numerous cellars and vineyards in the Lake Geneva region and decided to take courses at the Ecole d’ingenieurs de Changins for a deeper understanding of wine-cultivation and processing. That’s where he met his future wife Tatevik, who was studying there too. After some years of working in Switzerland and Germany, they decided to move to her home country of Armenia to both work together and advance Armenian winemaking.