Watching the winemaking process, walking between the lines of wine barrels, smelling fragrant aromas and taking a sip of wine can bewitch every visitor.
Wine production occupies a significant position in long pages of Armenian history. The oldest winery in the world was discovered in the region of Areni village, Vayots Dzor, in 2011, which has a 6000-year-old history. This and other excavations prove the significance of wine production in our country. Rich and abundant wines, different types of extraordinary grapes and many wineries in Armenia capture tourists’ attention.
Wine tourism developed in Armenia in small steps and spread to many regions where different wine-making companies are located. The founder and director of Red Hat Tours, Eva Harutyunyan, organizes tours in various areas of Armenia for those who want to discover our country from another angle. She started her tours in winemaking companies in 2020. Alluria, Voskevaz, Armenia Wine, Old Bridge, Karas, ArmAs and other wineries are some of the best ones contributing to wine tourism in Armenia. Every week, Harutyunyan organizes tours of different wineries. “Wine tourism is an exciting world, and if you don’t like wines and communicating with people, you can’t do your job with high quality,” says Harutyunyan.
She adds that Armenia is the birthplace of different types of grapes, such as Khndoghni, Areni, Voskehat, Haghtanak and other sorts that are unfamiliar and surprising to the world. Demonstrating our unique varieties, Armenia can interest tourists wishing to explore wine history and taste high-quality Armenian wines.
Mariam Saghatelyan, cofounder and educator of the first wine bar in Yerevan, In Vino, mentions that wine tours in Armenia are constantly developing with the production of new wines. Every year people from abroad come to In Vino and try different Armenian wines.
Although during Covid-19, tourism drastically stopped, Saghatelyan and other specialists tried to keep the connection between people and wine. For instance, she mentions that during the lockdown, they sent people wine samples and did online tastings together. Fortunately, in 2022, the growth in tourism is visible as many foreigners visit In Vino for wine tastings. They are interested in going to wineries and discovering new flavors. “You can never develop wine tourism only with wine. You should also give importance to its culture,” Saghatelyan explains.
Knowing the culture of wine is crucial and without understanding some elements of its history, tourists cannot form a complete picture of wine tourism. It requires hard work to completely develop tourism in Armenia as we lack many qualified specialists who can organize large-scale tours, keep in touch with various wineries and guide tourists to some destinations.
Saghatelyan adds that the GuideMASTER program allows people to learn about the winemaking process and the best wines not only in Armenia but also all around the world. So, people can become professional tour guides and enhance tourism in Armenia.
Consolidated work in tourism can open many doors for Armenians not to focus only on one winery but to develop the cycle of all winemaking companies in our country.
Saghatelyan says that gastro yards emphasize small family wine production in Armenia, which mainly remains hidden as they are unfamiliar to many people.
The lack of information about the family wine business is a problem in Armenia since people visit big and famous ones and family wineries stay in the shadows. In Vino, employees guide tourists on how to visit their wine company Trinity Canyon Vineyards, in Vayots Dzor and others near it. People can be acquainted with the history of wine production and taste various wine flavors. Therefore, the professionals aim to develop wine tourism in many regions and not concentrate on only one winery.
Armenia is full of various wineries and types of red, white and rose wines. To enhance the wine culture in Armenia, we can master the art of properly introducing the world of wine.
