Country: Armenia Region: Vayots Dzor
Varietal: Riesling Vintage: 2023
Category: White Wine Dry: Style
Producer: Zorah
"Zorik Gharibian planted six hectares of the native Areni grape variety in the Yeghegnadzor valley in southeastern Armenia in 2006, under the guidance of Italian viticulturalist Stefano Bartolomei. The vineyard is situated at an altitude of 1,370 metres, close to Mount Ararat and two kilometres from what archaeologists say is the oldest winery in the world, dating back 6,100 years.Because of the area's isolation, the vines are ungrafted, as phylloxera has never reached this part of Armenia. The wines are made under the guidance of Alberto Antonini. ""I was struck by the superb conditions when I first visited the area"", says Alberto. ""The altitude gives cool nights and a long growing season, so we don't harvest until the end of October. It is very dry with intense sunlight and stony, low vigour soils. It is one of the most exciting projects I've ever been involved with.""Voskì is made from equal portions of native varieties Voskéat and Garandmak. The grapes are planted on their own roots and are grown in an old village at 1,400 metres above sea level. The name Voskì means 'gold' in Armenian. The wine is unoaked and has a lovely intensity of perfume, great depth on the palate and lovely length.""Yeraz means 'dream' in Armenian. It is the culmination of all our dreams to make a wine like this."" It is from centuries old bush vines grown at 1,600 metres above sea level. ""The high altitude and age of the vines gives more complexity and elegance,"" says Zorik. The wine is intense yet balanced, a wonderful example of a once lost world of winemaking.Zorik is part of the seven million Armenian diaspora (there are just three million people living in Armenia). He was born in Iran into a family that had fled Armenia in 1915. His parents sent him to the Armenian school in Venice when the Iranian revolution took place. He stayed in Italy and built a successf
Country: Portugal Region: Vinho Verde
Varietal: Alvarinho Vintage: 2023
Colour: White Style: Dry
Producer: Fernando Guedes
Description:When Fernando Guedes acquired the historic Azevedo estate in 1982, he immediately set out to transform it and pioneered the production of quality Vinho Verde. He revolutionised the viticulture by planting 35 hectares of cordon-trained vineyards, rather than the traditional high-trained pergolas, and built a modern winery with state-of-the-art facilities for the production of fresh and elegant wines. Today, winemaker António Braga makes an impressive range of whites, all marked by a signature freshness and pure and precise flavours.
Tasting Note: This wine is clear and bright with greenish tints. On the nose intense aromas of peaches and nectarines mingle with ripe citrus fruit and herbal nuances. On the palate, it has a creamy texture with great concentration of flavour. A lively acidity invites a long and balanced finish.
Food Matches: Seafood, grilled fresh fish, white meats and as an aperitif.