That wine has a long history in Armenia 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. A handful of grape varietals, including Areni and Voskehat, have been growing continuously on the steep mountainsides of this region for millennia. At the heart of the Vayots Dzor is the Areni-1 Cave, site of the oldest known winery in the world. Thanks to this site, we know that Armenian wines have been gracing Armenian tables for at least 6000 years.
Just two hours south of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, Vayots Dzor Wine Route is located with busy wineries and stunning vineyards. The VDWR is the project developed by USIAD/Smithsonian My Armenia Program aimed at encouraging wine tourism activities in Armenia.
Here a new generation winemakers are proud to be producing some of the finest examples of “Historic World” wines and driving the “rebirth” of Armenian viniculture. Here is the list of “must-see” wineries when planning a visit to Vayots Dzor Wine Route.
Areni Wine Factory
Among the oldest wine facilities in the area. A tour of the factory includes a walk through the cellar where wine is aged in massive oak casks, followed by a tasting of the winery’s selection of traditional and fruit wines. In an upstairs dining area, guests can order coffee or tea and watch a short video about the Armenian winemaking tradition and the history of the company.
Getnatoun Winery
If you are curious about larger, industrial-scale wine, brandy, and vodka production, then plan a visit to Getnatoun’s factory, a family-run business since 1999. Getnatoun’s products are not available in regular markets, so the wine-tasting room featured on the tour is something of an exclusive experience. Getnatoun is particularly well-known for its pomegranate wine and has also won awards for its other products.
Hin Areni Winery
Besides having a look at and learning about modern, large-scale production techniques, there is a wine-tasting area with the option of a meal to go with the drinks. In addition, there is the opportunity to tour the nearby vineyards on a quadricycle all-terrain vehicle. Depending on the production cycle, grape-picking tours can also be arranged during the autumn months.
Old Bridge Winery
Family-run since 1998, Old Bridge is a boutique winery offering tours and tastings, paired with locally produced goat cheese and honey. Depending on the time of year, visitors can participate in grape-picking, distillation, or bottling. There is a historic bridge nearby, dating from the 13th century, that gives the facility its name. Old Bridge also owns a cozy B&B of the same name and offers overnight packages for visitors who would like to spend more time in the region.
Momik Winery
Momik wines use only red Areni and white Kharji grapes in their production. They grow the grapes on their family’s land, in soil that is rich in limestone and calcium. This style of production makes the grapes sweeter as well as eliminating the need for artificial fertilizers. The wines are aged partly in karases (enormous clay vessels), partly in wooden barrels, and partly in glass barrels.
Trinity Canyon Vineyards
For Trinity, the focus has been on producing as organic wine as possible, with minimal yield and without the use of modern mass production practices – quality over quantity. Trinity canyon vineyards also continues to experiment with both endemic and foreign grape varieties. Trinity offers a variety of packages which include wine tasting and food, traditional folk music, dance lessons and customized events.
The visitors and tourists will easily spot the wineries thanks to the installed wine route signages located along the territory of Vayots Dzor Wine Route.
