tarllc, ‘061’ Vayots Dzor Red (2021)
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Vayots Dzor, Armenia— A very special red from one of the ancient cradles of winemaking, Armenia! 100% Sev Areni from 150 year-old, ungrafted vines planted to volcanic soil that had been previously abandoned for the past 30 years. The 061 site is above the village on a plateau significantly higher than the other sites, 6,500+ feet above sea level! A big, bold, earthy full-bodied red wine— Blackberry, cherry cordial, stewed fruits, burnt tomato, iron, pisco, old books on the palate. Pair with hearty meats and stews etc… Organic. No S02.
Aaron Rawlins left the US at age 18 to cook in France, Spain, and the UK, before moving to the Georgian and Armenian Caucasus to make wine. He lives an ascetic, almost hermetic existence making compelling wines from the region with the world's oldest archaelogical evidence of winemaking.
Aaron and Maral’s vineyards are located around the village of Aghavnadzor in Vayots Dzor province. This southeastern region of Armenia is sparsely populated and known for its wine production, mineral water, and cattle farming. It is also the home of the Areni-1 Winery, the oldest discovered winery, dating back 6,100 years, found in the Areni-1 cave complex.
Their estate comprises roughly 3 hectares of ungrafted vineyards, with old, gnarled vines up to 150 years old. Aaron and Maral farm organically, harvest by hand, and work exclusively with local grape varieties. The vineyards are planted in volcanic soil and range from 1300m to 1600m in elevation, with dry farming practices and no tillage or mowing. Organic treatments are used sparingly, no more than once or twice a year, and they prune or manage the canopy only when necessary to mitigate disease.