A Review of ReVah Pomegranate Wine

I'd venture to guess that some Americans have never heard of the tiny former Soviet republic of Armenia, located in the Transcaucasus region and bordering Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. I was lucky enough to get to live there as a Peace Corps Volunteer for two years in the mid 1990s. The experience changed my life and introduced me to a wonderful new world of culinary surprises.

One product that is made in Armenia that I didn't discover when I was living there is pomegranate wine. My husband Bill and I spotted ReVah Pomegranate Wine while shopping in our favorite liquor store near Peachtree City, Georgia. I was curious about it, since the bottle indicated that the wine had been imported from Armenia. I have had many wonderful Armenian wines made of grapes and have enjoyed some exquisite Armenian brandies. Pomegranate wine of any kind was new to me. The bottle of ReVah was priced at about $10, so we decided to try it just once. I'm so glad we did.

The Basics

ReVah Pomegranate Wine is produced by the Proshyan Wine Factory in Yerevan, Armenia. Because it is made from pomegranates instead of grapes, it has a very different flavor and color than the wines I usually drink. My husband and I drank it in a burgundy style wine glass at a temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Pour

ReVah Pomegranate Wine pours out clear and light, garnet in color with slightly orange undertones. The wine looks light and fruity in the glass with only a few bubbles forming on the surface. I see legs form when I swirl the wine in the glass. It has an alcohol content of 12.5% by volume.

The Nose

The first aroma I notice when I put my nose to work is that of pomegranates and cranberries. I also smell cardamom, raspberry, strawberry, and cinnamon. It has sort of a fruity, spicy bouquet that is very pleasing.

On the Palate

I was actually a little hesitant to taste this wine because I thought it would be sweet. I don't usually like sweet wines very much because, to me, they tend to be heavy, syrupy, and cloying. When I first let this wine cross my palate, it did come across as a bit sweet. However, it was also very light and refreshing. In fact, while I normally don't like sweet wines, I did really enjoy this semi-sweet wine, with its delightful pomegranate flavor accented with hints of strawberry, raspberry, and a touch of clove. This pomegranate wine has some tannins, which cause it to make the mouth feel a bit dry. The finish is very satisfying; there was no unpleasant aftertaste of alcohol or excessive sweetness.

Accompaniments

Bill and I drank this wine with barbecued country pork ribs, baked potato, and steamed asparagus and it went reasonably well. We both think ReVah Pomegranate Wine would also work well with poultry dishes, particularly turkey or chicken. It might make a nice alternative to grape wines in the fall. I also think this wine would go well with hard, flavorful cheeses or just by itself.

Final Thoughts

I have a feeling that ReVah Pomegranate Wine would be very popular with women because it's a bit sweet. It actually reminds me a little bit of sherry, only with less alcohol and a lighter texture in the mouth. My husband and I both liked this wine, both to drink, and potentially in recipes that traditionally call for grape wines.

We have found ReVah Pomegranate Wine offered in several wine and liquor stores south of Atlanta. We have also seen it at A Southern Season in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I don't know how available it is in other parts of the country. I would imagine it could be found in areas where there are a lot of ethnic Armenians, such as Boston, Massachusetts or in southern California.

For more information, check out Proshyan Wine's Web site: http://www.proshyan.am