In any country where winemaking is developed, there is a legend about how the tradition of making wine was started. There is such a tradition in Armenia. If you believe the ancestors, the history of Armenia's wine goes back to Noah, who, having escaped from the flood, came to Mount Ararat and planted a vine that miraculously survived on the ark.
Archaeologists have discovered valuable rarities indicating that wines were produced in Armenia as early as the 10th century BC, and Herodotus's records contain information about the wonderful wines of Nairi, a country that existed on the territory of the Armenian Highlands.
History with geography
Already 2000 years ago, Armenian wines were exported to other countries, and at the beginning of the twentieth century, the Armenian "Madera" was awarded the Grand Prix at a prestigious international competition. During the Soviet era, winemaking in Armenia brought in more than a third of all food income.
The Museum of Winemaking, carved into the rocks of Armenia, is a unique depository, which contains more than 3000 varieties of wine that have been aged for several centuries.
Viticulture in Armenia is developed in several regions, the most important of which are Ijevan and Vayots Dzor and Kotayk regions.
Among the most famous wines of Ijevan is the Red Collection Cahors, named after the region and made from the Kakhet grape variety. Fruits of Voskevat variety yield collection white liqueur wine "Old Ijevan", which is aged in barrels for at least ten years. It is famous for its aroma of flowers and hints of spice in the aftertaste. Armenians prepare dry red collection wine from Saperavi grape variety, which is characterized by ruby color and pleasant long aftertaste.
Armenian Wine Festival
For Armenians, wine is more than just a drink. It contains national pride and respect for elders, ancestral traditions and opportunities for communication. Every year Armenian wines are widely represented at the festival held in early November in the village of Areni.
The grapes grown in the valleys of Armenia are characterized by a high sugar content, which makes it possible to produce dessert and fortified wines. The local winemakers are especially successful with Madeira, ports and muscat, and there are known cases when these wines won at exhibitions in the countries where they were first made. The Armenians are proud of the port wine, which overtook its rivals in Portugal, and the sherry, which won a medal in their historical homeland in Spain.
