Vayots Dzor

It is certainly not Armenia’s largest wine-growing region, but it is undoubtedly the most prestigious, as it is planted with indigenous varieties such as Areni (red) and Voskehat (white), and the road that winds through this wine-growing region takes you through picture-perfect scenery. Here you’ll also find the village of Areni, named after the grape variety. This region is also home to the Areni-1 complex, which is arguably the oldest wine-making cellar in the world, with its irrigation channels and “Karas” (terracotta amphorae) dating back to the Iron Age. The entire region around Areni is covered in vineyards, and this wine-growing region rivals the most beautiful wine regions in the world in terms of beauty. This region was spared from phylloxera, likely due to its geographical isolation, and the region boasts some of the highest vineyards in the world, situated between 1,400 and 1,650 meters above sea level. The region’s finest reds, made from Areni, are delicate, refined, and elegant, while the whites, produced from Voskehat—which translates to “golden seed”—are rich yet light, with mineral notes of honey and apricot. When Armenia is ready to introduce a classification of its wine-growing regions and vineyards, Vayots Dzor will undoubtedly be the first to be designated.