ON THE EDGE OF WINEMAKING

At the foothills of Biblical Mount Ararat
A stone’s throw from the world’s oldest winemaking facility
In the remote village of Rind, in the heart of Vayotz Dzor, the vineyards and winery of ZORAH straddle across rugged mountains reaching elevations of 1600mtrs /5250ft above sea level making them some of the highest vineyards in the northern hemisphere.

Soil
to Grape

The main vineyards at 1400 mtrs above sea level (4600ft) are planted on their own roots directly into rocky, low vigour, sandy, limestone soils which have never been touched by Phylloxera. The cuttings for the vineyards come from ancient abandoned vineyards of a nearby 12th Century monastery.
Winters are severe, the summers, on the other hand are very dry with intense sunlight.
The altitudes give cool nights resulting in huge day /night temperature variations which add freshness and depth to the grapes, while the extended growing season
pushes back harvest to October.

Ultra-centennial
Vines

On the edge of extreme viticulture, ZORAH’s small parcel, ultra- centennial bush vine vineyards can be found at elevations of around 1600 mtrs above sea level (5250 ft) with a combination of volcanic, sedimentary and limestone soils and no irrigation. Although mostly Areni, these small vineyard parcels encompass a mosaic of ancient varieties which have survived and evolved through the ages.

NATURE OVER NURTURE
The true creative force behind any wine is ultimately its place of origin. We attach great importance to our vineyards which are wild and beautiful yet ancient but vital. In an attempt to safeguard this incredible terroir we respect sustainable farming practices.
We are convinced that making unique individual wines with a strong sense of identity is a consequence of making wines in as a natural way as possible. The vineyards of ZORAH are, therefore, very much about nature over nurture and responsible agriculture.