Let's talk little, let's talk wine
Description of Domaine Qotot
Domaine Qotot is located in Armenia, an ancient wine region renewed for its historical richness and winemaking tradition. This estate is dedicated to the rediscovery and valorization of Armenian indigenous grape varieties, using winemaking methods that combine tradition and modernity to produce wines that fully express the unique character of their terroir.
Description of the Cuvée Areni
Qotot's Cuvée Areni is a red wine made exclusively from the Areni grape variety, a grape indigenous to Armenia, known for its ability to produce elegant and expressive wines. This wine highlights the finesse and complexity of the grape variety, with a particular emphasis on pure fruit expression and balanced structure.
Aromas of the Cuvée
Areni reveals intense aromas of red fruits such as cherry and raspberry, accompanied by nuances of black pepper and dried herbs. With aging, it develops more complex notes of leather and tobacco, enriching its aromatic profile with great finesse.
Characteristics of the Cuvée
- Grape variety: Areni
- Profile: This wine has a medium structure with supple tannins that frame a palette of lively fruit flavors. Well-integrated acidity contributes to a long and elegant finish, marked by a beautiful freshness.
- Aging Potential: Thanks to its balance and complexity, Qotot's Areni is able to age gracefully, developing greater aromatic and textural complexity over time.
Pairings with this Cuvée
Ideal for accompanying meat dishes such as lamb stew or grilled pork, Areni also pairs well with richly flavoured vegetarian dishes, such as mushroom dishes or grilled vegetables. It is also superb with hard cheeses.
The little history of the country
Armenia
In the eighth century, Armenia was called the “Land of Vineyards.” Grapes grew wild in these regions for more than a million years before being domesticated. More than a decade ago, a series of archaeological “firsts” were discovered in a cliffside cave near the mountain town of Areni. These include the oldest known shoe, the oldest known brain tissue from the Old World, and a 6,100-year-old wine cellar, the oldest ever discovered on earth. In what is now known as Areni Cave, the public can see cylindrical clay vessels (each more than a meter in diameter) where wine was produced for burial ceremonies. Armenia, which was part of the USSR for a long time (1922-1991), was its main commercial outlet. Since the implosion of the communist bloc, it has experienced a revival with a decrease in consumption of "Brandies" and an increase in the consumption of wines and an opening to international markets. Throughout the Soviet period, Armenia was the center of production of "Brandy". Armenian "Cognac" was particularly renowned for its quality and Winston Churchill was a regular consumer. It was Armenia's independence that was the driving force behind the revival of the wine industry with the return to the country of many Armenians from the diaspora. Armenia's specialization in distillation favored white grape varieties at the expense of red grape varieties and today there are 12 varieties of white and only 3 varieties of red. The country is located between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, however the climate is dry and the majority of the vineyards are stuck between the deserts in the south and the great plains in the north. The climate is continental with particularly harsh winters and very hot summers so that quality viticulture is done at altitude (90% of the country is at an altitude above 1000 meters). This allows the vegetative cycle of the vine to take place in good conditions because the temperature differences are significant.