Armenian wine, obscure but surprisingly interesting

Armenia, in the Southern Caucasus, is the oldest Christian country in the world. Wine has been produced here for at least 6,000 years. Despite this impressive history and dozens of ancient, indigenous grape varieties, Armenia is a virtually forgotten wine country. High time to get to know it, because there is secretly a real revival going on! Winemakers make surprisingly good wines from very local grapes, often from vineyards at high altitude.

The history and the many indigenous grape varieties make Armenia a unique wine country. But the wines are not common across the borders. Especially in the Western world, these wines are very scarce. Recent investments in Armenian viticulture are slowly but steadily pushing up the quality and the wines across the border.

Armenian wine history

The oldest wine cellar was found near Areni, in the south of Armenia on the border with Iran. Apparently, this wine producing facility dates back to the Copper Age, about 6,000 years ago. A wine press, jars in the ground, chalices and grape seeds prove that the region belongs to one of the oldest wine regions. Incidentally, the seeds found are from grape varieties such as Voskeat and Makhali, which are still grown. The wine may have been intended for ceremonies at the time, as traces of viticulture have been found near burial sites.

The grapes were trampled underfoot in clay basins before the must was poured into clay jars in which the fermentation process could take place. The liquid, the wine, was then stored in pots underground where it was dark and the temperature constant. Until the Persian conquest of the region, wine was part of everyday life.

Armenia's political and territorial history has been quite tumultuous for centuries. Since 1991, Armenia, which used to be part of the Soviet Union, has been an independent republic and peace has been restored to a reasonable extent. Viticulture has suffered from this instability. Fragmented small vineyards, individual winemakers using machinery and techniques from the Soviet era, are now facing serious competition from larger wineries that opt ​​for state-of-the-art. Too many bunches on a vine, vineyards without irrigation and harvesting grapes too early will be a thing of the past in the near future.

The climate for wine growing in Armenia

Armenia is located high, consisting of mountain ranges and plateaus; the vineyards are also located at up to 1700 meters on stony and volcanic soils. The Ararat Valley in the southwest is the most important wine region. Furthermore, in the south, Vayot Dzor and Syunik wine is grown. On a smaller scale, vines are planted in the northern Llevan.

The prevailing continental climate alternates with subtropical elements in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Warm summers, but severe winters with a chance of frost in late spring and early autumn. Here too, modern techniques can protect the grapes from the unwanted cold. Due to the lack of sufficient rain, irrigation is necessary.

Armenian grapes for wine

About 400 grape varieties, most of which are intended for table grapes and brandy, are spread over 13,000 hectares. Remarkably, Armenia has different indigenous grapes in its vineyards than neighboring Georgia. For wine, Areni Noir, Khindogni, Charents, Kakhet, Haghtanak, Karmrahyut and Pinot Noir represent the blue grapes. The most common grape, the Areni Noir, is mainly found in the southern province of Vayot Dzor. The wines from this grape are light, refined and fruity. For white wines, Kangun, Voskehat, Mskhali, Muscat Vardabuyr and Rkatsiteli are mainly used.