Van Ardi Areni Reserve 2018
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This wine is made from the Areni grape grown on the volcanic soils of the Aragaston region and matured in Armenian and French oak barrels for 14 months. The result is a medium-bodied wine with aromas of cherry and raspberry layered against soft oak-derived notes of cacao and fresh roasted coffee. Elegant and food friendly, this wine is ready to drink now and will benedit from ageing for 5-7 years.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
Sitting just north of Iran and east of Turkey, Armenia is a mountainous and land-locked ex-Soviet republic. As part of the Transcaucasion region, which includes eastern Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia, Armenia is among the oldest of wine growing regions. While the prevalence and popularity of Armenian winemaking has evolved over the centuries, the wild vine Vitis vinifera silvestris (an ancestor of today’s Vitis vinifera wine-producing species) has been growing here for over a million years. Today the majority of the grapes grown in Armenia go to Brandy production, but the rising demand for Armenian wine in its most popular market, Russia, is fueling growth of still wine production. Most of the country’s wines come from the regions of Armavir, Ararat and Vayots Dzor. Though Armenia lays claim to hundreds of indigenous varieties, it uses only about 30 for the majority of its wine production, three quarters of which is white. The key white varieties include Chilar, Lalvari and Voskehat; for reds, Kakhet, Areni and Khndogni (also known as Sireni) are the main players.