ARMENIA’S WINE HERITAGE

That wine has a long history here comes as no surprise. The Vayots Dzor landscape lends itself to wine cultivation. A center of seismic activity, the volcanic soil creates a perfect foundation for Armenia’s vineyards, rich with basalt, tuff, and obsidian. Steep gorges create fast flowing rivers, which keep the soil irrigated and rich.

A handful of grape varietals, including Areni and Voskehat, have been growing continuously on the steep mountainsides of this region for millennia.

However, it wasn’t until recently that the depth of Armenia’s wine heritage was understood. In 2010, an archaeological team working in one of Vayots Dzor’s many caves unearthed ancient karas, clay urns, which contained forensic evidence of wine production dating back 6,000 years. These finds in what is now known as the Areni-1 Cave, are widely believed to be the oldest known evidence of wine production anywhere in the world.

Wine has been produced here for the millennia since, surviving-even thriving in the region’s harsh climate and high elevations. From the heart of the ancient Silk Road, Armenian wines traveled far and wide, inspiring some ancient kingdoms to refer to this region as “the land of the vineyards”. Wine production here weathered centuries of foreign invasion, however, it wasn’t until the Soviet period that traditional wine production faced its greatest existential threat.

During the planned economy of the twentieth century, Armenian winemakers were compelled to produce fortified wines and brandy instead of traditional Armenian table wines. New grape varietals were introduced and the quality of Armenian wine was not maintained. Many vineyards fell into disrepair.

However, in recent years a new generation of winemakers have been rediscovered the ancient varietals that have survived in Vayots Dzor’s rugged mountains. The discoveries in the Areni-1 Cave, have inspired a renewed interest in Armenia’s wine heritage and throughout Vayots Dzor, a number of young winemakers have been setting a new high standard for wine production in Armenia. These winemakers are proud to be producing some of the finest examples of “Historic World” wines and driving the “rebirth” of Armenian viniculture.

Today, in the chic wine bars and busy restaurants of Yerevan, you can find Armenian wines for sale by the glass and by the bottle. However, to truly experience Armenian wine, there is no comparison to exploring Vayots Dzor, and other wine-producing regions. Here, a traveler will find both home-made wine for sale in cola bottles on the side of the road and some of the best wine Armenia has to offer.

Along the Wine Route, explore wineries with tasting rooms to sample local varietals, wine-inspired B&Bs, and the annual Areni Wine Festival, Armenia’s lively celebration of thousands of years of wine heritage.