Fine wines emanate from far and wide. No one country or wine region has a monopoly on quality wines, though only one country, Armenia, can rightly claim to be the birthplace of wine. Even more importantly, Armenia, has consistently fashioned quality wine longer than anywhere else on earth. In spite of centuries of domination by larger neighbors and genocidal attempts to extinguish Armenia and its people, Armenia is alive and well and so are its wines. And nowhere is wine more important and its land more suitable for the cultivation of the vine than Armenia.
Located in the Caucasus Mountains between Asia and Europe, Armenia is the site of the Earth’s oldest winemaking facility, the Areni-1 cave complex. Recently unearthed, the 6,100-year-old caves contain definitive archaeological evidence of advanced winemaking, including the possible use of sulfur as a preservative. Moreover, archeological excavations carried out in the 1940s reveal that as early as the first millennium B.C. during the Kingdom of Van, present day Armenia was western Asia’s leading wine producing region. Longer than anywhere else on earth, Armenia has continuously produced fine wine from indigenous grape varieties, a practice that continues, allowing Armenia to again attract the world’s attention for its venerable wines.
Once again, Armenia’s ancient red and white indigenous grape varieties dominate the country’s fine wine production with Areni, Haghtanak, Milagh, Khatoun Kharj, Tozot, and Voskehat all making a comeback. These grapes whose names are difficult for outsiders to pronounce remain relatively unknown outside of Armenia, yet they rightly deserve recognition beyond their native land. Taste and enjoy!
Salud!
Don
