Tried this last night:
1. 6100 Trinity AreniNoir TrinityCanyonVnyd/Vayots Dzor Highlands (13%; www.TrinityCV.com; www.LACProducts.com; Caucasian oak; "drink in an amiable/good-natured frame of mind") VayotsDzor/Armenia 2013: Med.dark color; quite fragrant raspberry/spicy/blackberry/licorice classic varietal AreniNoir light toasty/classic Caucasian oak slight herbal/pungent/dried oregano/savory lovely/exotic rather modern nose; lightly tart very spicy raspberry/blackberry/AreniNoir light toasty/vanilla/smokey/oak slight herbal/oregano/pungent lovely flavor w/ light graceful tannins; very long very spicy/raspberry/blackberry/AreniNoir light toasty/vanilla/smokey/oak bit herbal/pungent/oregano/dried basil/Italian dried spices lovely finish w/ light gentle tannins; speaks strongly of classic AreniNoir varietal character and classic Caucasian oak coopered in Canton/Ohio; very classic Vayots Dzor terroir on the palate; quite modern in style and could easily pass for an ElDorado Syrah or a RRV Zin; very attractively priced at $16.00 (CB)
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. This was a wine that Darrell insisted I try and stuck it into my shopping cart. Armenia is the country just to the South of Georgia and attached to Turkey.
The VayotsDzor Highlands is very close to the Areni cave, where the first signs of ancient winemaking was discovered some 6100 yrs ago. I, of course, have my TN on that very wine, but the technology back then was primitive, so it's only on punched cards.
Areni Noir is an indigenous variety to Armenia & Georgia. It has no DNA information to share. Clearly, it's a variety they should be planting all up & down the coast in Calif.
The consulting winemaker is JeanLuc Isnard of Dom.Solence in Vacqueyras in the Rhone.
Having had a number of Georgian reds, I had very low expectations for this wine. However, just looking at stylish graphics on the label, I suspected it was not going to be one of those natural/funky/grungy/peasant-made wines. And it was not. It was very Modern in style, almost a Cambie-style wine. Served blind, I would have guessed it to be a Calif Zin. Perhaps the very modern winemaking style obscurs the AreniNoir varietal character. But I very much liked what I tasted. Thanks again to Darrell for doing my shopping.
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2. I presume it's obvious that some parts of this TN are TFIC.
Tom
