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Armenian wines are not well known to the Russian buyer due to the youth of the industry. Winemaking in the country has been actively developing over the past fifteen years and is strongly influenced by European oenologists. Nevertheless, the wines of Armenia have a unique character, due to the peculiarities of the local terroir, so experts highly appreciate the potential of the industry.
History of winemaking in Armenia
Archaeological excavations carried out in the 1920s indicate that Armenia is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world. Soviet researchers discovered a wine storage facility built in the 2007th century BC in the ancient Teishebaini fortress. e., and in XNUMX in the mountain village of Areni, a group of archaeologists discovered the oldest winery in the world with fermentation vats, presses and earthenware jugs-karas.
In subsequent centuries, frequent invasions of the Arabs, Turks, internecine wars caused irreparable damage to viticulture. Before the 1917 revolution, wine production in Armenia had the character of small-scale production. By the 1920s, all private enterprises were nationalized and merged into the Ararat Wine and Cognac Trust. In the post-war years, the wine industry in the republic developed at a rapid pace, the average annual increase in planting area was 3 thousand hectares.
Armenian enterprises produced aged cognacs, as well as an extensive range of fine wines. Sherry, dessert brands “Arevik” and “Arevshat”, as well as the Armenian white wine “Aygeshat”, which are in demand even today, were the most popular among consumers. In the early 1980s, the plants of the republic produced 150 million liters of products per year. After the collapse of the USSR, all 38 factories of the Ararat trust were privatized.
The Armenian government has recognized the wine industry as a key one for the country. The difficulty lay in the fact that Soviet enterprises were mainly focused on the production of fortified wines. Entrepreneurs invited Italian and French specialists to the country, and since the early 2000s, the industry has received a new round of development. Currently, Armenian wines are winning international competitions, and export volumes are growing every year.
Eighty percent of the buyers of the products of Armenian wineries are the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union.
Features of Armenian winemaking
The peculiarity of Armenia is a huge number of native varieties, each of which has a long history. The vineyards of the country safely escaped the invasion of phylloxera, which made it possible to preserve all the vines in their original form. During the period of mass destruction of plantings during the anti-alcohol campaign, Armenia also endured safely; instead of vineyards, local collective farmers cut down old orchards.
Due to the unique terroir, European grape varieties (Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) acquire a sweeter taste here. Even Saperavi in Armenia is used to make dessert wines, not dry wines. This is due to the large number of sunny days – up to three hundred a year.
The most interesting varieties of Armenian grapes:
- Voskehat – the taste depends on the conditions of ripening, in cold years the berries are characterized by a pronounced shade of peach, in warm seasons the bouquet is saturated with tones of tropical fruits;
- Karmrahyut – contains an increased amount of tannins in the peel;
- Kangun is an acidic highland variety used to make sparkling wines;
- Black Areni is the Armenian analogue of Pinot Noir with hints of blackberry, strawberry and cranberry.
Production regions
Grape growing regions are located in the foothills, in the Ararat valley, in Vayots Dzor, Kotayk, Shirak, Tavush regions. Agricultural zones are located in the north-east of the country, and also occupy the entire southern part of Armenia.
Famous varieties and brands of Armenian wines
Currently, Armenian wineries produce about four dozen different types of wines, including fortified, dessert, table and sparkling. The production of fruit wines from fruits and berries is well developed: pomegranates, quince, blackberries, plums.
Wines are divided into two large groups:
- ordinary – produced according to a strictly defined technology, the ripening period is from 3 months to 1 year;
- sorted – wines aged from 3 to 6 years from a certain grape variety, carefully checked for quality.
A significant part of the wineries use Caucasian oak barrels, which bring sweet vanilla and spicy eucalyptus tones to drinks. Imported French containers are used less often due to their high price. Experts also believe that the Armenian oak gives the wine a more intense taste and reduces the aging time.
Armavir Vineyards (Vineyards of Armavir)
One of the most famous manufacturers outside of Armenia. The company is located in the Western Armavir region and has been operating since 2002. The vineyards are located on volcanic soils on a small plateau between two mountain peaks. Winery consultant – French oenologist Michel Rolland.
Products:
- Areni Khndoghni – premium dry red wine with cherry, prunes and violet flavors, created from a mixture of Areni and Artsakh native varieties;
- Reserve – the best line of the manufacturer with an indication of the vintage, the wine is aged in barrels for at least a year, the bouquet contains tones of black currant, cherry, rosehip and pomegranate;
- Dyutich, a semi-sweet sparkling wine made from Muscat Ottonnel grapes with a fruity-floral taste, has been taking pride of place on the guest pages of the Russian Wine Guide for several years in a row as one of the best examples of Armenian winemaking.
The company’s vineyards are still young, but the peculiarities of the terroir make it possible to grow varieties that give the wines a rich structure and a well-recognized taste. The enterprise has more than a dozen awards of international competitions, including the highest ones.
Armenia Wine (Armenian wine)
The plant was founded in 2008 and is equipped with modern equipment designed to process up to 600 tons of raw materials per day. The winemaking direction is headed by the French specialist Jean-Baptiste Sula, the production of sparkling wines at the enterprise is monitored by the Italian Paolo Peyra. The company buys raw materials from farmers in several regions of Armenia, own small vineyards are located in mountainous areas at an altitude of 1650 m above sea level.
Products:
- Armenia (champagne) – a series of refreshing sparkling wines from Kangun grapes, which are squeezed on gentle presses;
- Takar – pink and dry bruts from Areni grapes with a floral aroma and citrus flavor;
- Yerevan 782 BC is an Armenian pomegranate wine made from a mixture of pomegranate (70%) and grape (30%) juice, which is fermented for two weeks. The ruby drink is distinguished by its multifaceted bouquet, which mixes pomegranate, berry and cherry shades;
- Tariri is a dry red wine aged for at least 12 months with the indication of the vintage, a blend of Areni grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The fruity aroma is replaced by an interesting mixture of honey and eucalyptus, cherry, dogwood, prunes and pomegranate are felt in the taste.
A feature of the plant’s products is assemblages of local grape varieties with traditional European varieties. The winery is stylized as an ancient Armenian fortress, which makes the plant attractive for tourists to visit.
How to drink Armenian wines
In Armenian culture, there is the concept of “ginovtsats”, which means the uplifting and inspiring effect of wine on a person. The abuse of alcohol in the country is not welcome. Wines serve as an attribute of big holidays, where the toastmaster makes toasts.
What to eat Armenian wines:
- quince, plum pomegranate are served with aged cheeses, grilled meat;
- blackberries are combined with game, meat with spicy sauces;
- Areni is accompanied by lamb dishes, fried poultry and hard cheeses;
- aged red wines make a gastronomic pair with Armenian national dishes – khorovats (barbecue of lamb or poultry), kufta (minced meat balls), khashlama (stewed lamb with vegetables);
- muscats are drunk as an aperitif, snack on fruits, herbs and vegetables.