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Armenia fizz is coming of age

It may have taken 8,000 years but Armenian sparkling wine is having a moment, writes L.M Archer.

Legend claims that Noah’s Ark landed on Mount Ararat near Armenia, carrying wine vines onboard. Later, an archaeological dig adjacent to the Armenian town of Areni uncovered Bronze Age artefacts dating back to 5000-4000 B.C., which experts believe belonged to the world’s oldest winery.

Sadly, this ancient wine heritage halted during Russian control over Armenia during the 20th Century when Russians ripped out native grape varieties, replacing them with high-yielding, non-native grapes earmarked for brandy production.

However, after the Soviet government’s collapse in 1991, Armenia gained independence. Isolation from the west ended, ushering in a wine renaissance.

Many members of the Armenian diaspora returned in the post-Soviet era, some intent upon revitalising its wine sector.

“What we’re really seeing in Armenia is that they are using modern technology, and modern methods, to really understand their grape varieties, and express the purity of their varieties in their terroirs,” says Master of Wine Lisa Granik, leading authority on the Caucusus, and consultant for Storica Wines, an Armenian wine importer to the US.

Entrepreneur and Italian winery owner Vahe Keushguerian, the subject of SOMM TV’s most recent film, Somm: Cup of Salvation, joined this influx. The businessman relocated to Armenia from Italy following a 1997 visit. Encouraged by Armenia’s winemaking potential, he founded the WineWorks crush facility in the early 2000’s. Many credit his company for helping jumpstart Armenia’s wine rebirth.

oday, Armenia boasts more than 200 wine producers, up from about 30 in 2015.

Vineyard plantations span six wine regions: Armavir, Ararat, Aragatsotn ,Tavush, Vayots Dzor, and Yerevan. Grapes include more than 400 native varieties, most notably Areni, Haghtanak, Voskehat, and Kangoun.

A country of extreme terrains, more than 70% of Armenia’s landscape is comprised of mountains. Average vineyard elevations are 1,500 metres (4,921 ft) above sea level, consisting predominately of limestone and volcanic soils.

“We’re just started to scratch the surface,” says Keushguerian. “So anybody who gets into the wine industry now will have opportunities that will not be available 10 years from now.” READ MORE HERE.

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