The 2010 Zorah Karasi Areni Noir, made from grapes from the Areni region of Armenia, was ranked in Bloomberg’s top 10 list.

Bloomberg’s Elin McCoy, in the piece entitled “Top 10 Wines of 2012 From Burgundy to Armenia to Sonoma” said that the Top 10 list was compiled after sampling 4,000 wines during 2012.

“I was wowed by my first-ever taste of an Armenian wine, this stylish red made from areni noir grapes and aged in traditional clay amphora,” said McCoy.

“Smoky, silky elegance, soft mulberry-like fruit and wild earth notes are part of the wine’s appeal; I also savored the thrill of drinking history. It’s the first vintage from a new wine making project near the Areni-1 cave, where archeologists discovered the world’s oldest winery, dating back 6,100 years,” added McCoy.

Founded by Zorik Gharibian, an Armenian living in Italy, Zorah was conceived after Gharibian’s several visits to Armenia informed him of Armenia’s deep-rooted wine culture.

Gharibian decided to buy a vineyard in Armenia, instead of investing in one in Tuscany, with a wish to expose Armenia’s potential in creating wines which rival the best in the world.

Gharibian lives in Milan with his wife and two children.