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Armenia, one of the world’s ancient cradles of winemaking, has much to tell the world. Yet today, Armenia is to be discovered not only through its millennia-old history and winemaking heritage, but also as a modern, evolving and distinctive wine destination.

With this idea at its core, Armenia Wine brought together representatives of leading French media outlets and the wine industry this year, initiating a series of professional visits to Armenia. The objective was clear: to give them the opportunity to discover Armenian wine where it is born — in the vineyards and wineries, within Armenia’s unique terroir and in the everyday life of its people.

Over the past several months, Armenia welcomed journalists from La Revue du Vin de France, Terre de Vins, Les Echos, Paris Match, Le Figaro Vin, Le Monde and Vigneron, as well as Fabrice Sommier, President of the Union de la Sommellerie Française (UDSF), and other industry representatives.

During their visits, leading voices in the wine media explored the many layers and chronology of Armenian winemaking — from the Areni-1 cave and its millennia-old history to today’s vineyards, indigenous grape varieties, the distinctive characteristics of Armenian terroir and a new generation of winemakers.

At the heart of these journeys is the idea of building the reputation Armenian wine deserves through a dialogue between past and present. On one side stands a winemaking culture spanning millennia; on the other, new approaches, modern technologies and an ambition to establish a distinctive identity and place within the international wine world.

The initiative has already delivered important results. Stories dedicated to Armenia and Armenian winemaking have appeared in leading French publications, including La Revue du Vin de France, Les Echos and Le Figaro Vin, highlighting the revival of Armenian winemaking and the country’s return to the international wine scene. Further publications are expected in the coming months.

This Armenia Wine initiative is part of a long-term effort to strengthen the international recognition of Armenian wine.

Visits by international journalists create opportunities for the story of Armenian winemaking to travel far beyond Armenia’s borders — through the voices of those who shape the international media agenda and professional discourse around wine.

And while the story of Armenian wine began thousands of years ago, today a new chapter is being written.