🍷 Karas

The karas is a large clay vessel for fermenting and storing wine. It is an Armenian tradition thousands of years old. Karases come in different sizes, usually rounded with a wide neck. They are often buried in the ground so the temperature inside stays even and cool.

Crushed grapes are poured into the karas. They ferment there with their skins, and then the wine is stored in the same vessel. The karas is then sealed to keep air out. Clay lets in a little air, so the wine matures gently.

The roots of this tradition go back to deep antiquity. In the Areni-1 cave in Armenia, archaeologists found traces of an ancient winery with a treading vat and fermentation jars. It is one of the oldest known sites linked to winemaking.

The karas belongs to the family of clay wine vessels, like the Greek pithos and the Georgian qvevri. Armenians still use it for special wines, returning to the old technique. Alcohol is for adults.