Each month in our ‘Spotlight On…’ series, we explore a new city and its wine culture, diving into the drinking trends, where to go for great wines, and any unique products or services linked to the region. Keeping our finger on the pulse when it comes to the wider world of wine is critical when helping us to identify areas of opportunity for our clients, aiding our eventing arm ‘Wrapped’, and for our online product offering on Uncorked. Whether curious about the habits and happenings of a city, or looking for wine-centric areas to visit, our ‘Spotlight On…’ series is for you.
As part of CB Wine’s expansive operations, members of our team are constantly moving around the globe, sourcing wine, taking clients on vineyard tours, and arranging international events for partners. A couple of months back, our Tasting and Travel Specialist, Daria Ilina was over in Armenia, guiding the group through the wonderfully rich oenological history of the country. The capital, Yerevan, retains this rich heritage with a strong and vibrant wine culture, which seamlessly blends local tradition, and international trends. From the spirited Saryan Street, to the annual wine festival, let’s put a spotlight on this often un-illumined city.
OVERALL TRENDS
- Proud representation of Armenian wines.
- Preference for food pairing and vibrant, social wine bars.
- A love for the story a wine tells, when it speaks of its place and its people.
YEREVAN WINE DAYS
A Bridge Between Eras
Whilst the wine producing regions exist on the environs of the city, and extend into the countryside, Yerevan has always been the hub of commerce, and, ultimately life. Yerevan is one of the world’s longest, continuously inhabited cities, with traces of society dating back to 3200BC! It was not until 2017 (a mere 5000+ years later) that celebrating this long, unbroken chain of wine production and consumption, has been solidified by the advent of Yerevan Wine Days — an annual 3-day-festival held on the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of every June. The festivities involve, as you can likely guess, plenty of wine consumption: specifically, a host of wines all produced from native grapes, and native producers, with often over 50 local winemakers in attendance. The enjoyment of these exciting reds, whites, rosés and crémants occurs alongside a rich backdrop of live music, talks, raffles, and plenty more.
Of course, no great wine is complete without great food, and the festival features an exorbitantly mouthwatering array of… well, we will get back to that later…
The Yerevan Wine Days festival was designed to promote tourism, and celebrate Armenia’s proud and too-often overlooked wine culture — something undeniably achieved, seeing as last year’s festival attracted over 100,000 people, and grossed ≈$25m USD.
Read all about our Tasting and Travel Specialist, Daria Ilina’s, recent trip to Armenia, and Yerevan Wine Days festival adventures here.
BAR HOPPING
Tapastan
Location: 6 Martiros Saryan St, Yerevan 0002
Vibe: Down-to-earth, rustic, friendly.
Known for: a defining modern fusion restaurant of Armenia, with a huge wine list taboot.
in Vino
Location: 6 Martiros Saryan St, Yerevan 0002,
Vibe: Bustling, fun, youthful.
Known for: First wine bar in Armenia, featuring local and international icons like Ornellaia.
Voskevaz Wine Time
Location: 8 Martiros Saryan St, Yerevan 0002
Vibe: Traditional, charming, cozy.
Known for: Local wines, natural wines, Euro-inspired fusion food, popular.
Enoteca EVN Wine Bar
Location: 38 Pushkin St, Yerevan 0001
Vibe: Modern, educational, intimate.
Known for: Huge international offering, as well as local treats. For the discerning drinker.
PAIRING WITH ARMENIAN CUISINE
Armenian cuisine deserves all the love Armenian wine receives, so we have set up a little 3-course meal of Armenian classics, paired with some of our favourite wines at CB.
Starter: Ghapama & Bret Brothers ‘Pet Nat’ Sparkling, NV
Ghapama is a roasted honey-glazed pumpkin, sliced open, and stuffed with rice and aromatics. The autumnal, rustic vibes of the gourd are perfectly matched by the rustic charm of the Pet Nat sparkling method employed. The effervescent nature of the wine cuts through the sugars of the honey glaze, and the robustness of the natural wine style holds strong against the aromatic complexity of this dish. Sweet, clean, refreshing, and elegantly complex — what a wonderful combo!
Main Course: Lamb Manti & Devil Proof, Cima Ladera Malbec, 2021
Malbec and Lamb is an all-round classic. Yet, as we always delight to do, we’ve added a little twist. The lamb comes in the form of traditional garlic-yoghurt-topped Armenian dumplings called Manti, and the Malbec is Californian instead of Argentinian. The Manti are lightly crispy, open-topped, stuffed with lamb and served in a tomatoey broth — all married to the intricate depths of this stunning mid-tannin, mid-acidity Devil Proof icon, loaded with dark berries, florals, herbs, and a graphitic finish.
Desert: Gata Cake & Sauska, Late Harvest Cuvée Tokaji, 2022
Gata Cake is Armenia’s iconic desert bread. Sweet, fluffy, nutty, and delicious, it marks the perfect end to any autumnal meal. So… What better companion than a symphonic sweet Tokay to seal the deal. Its bold ripe fruits, decadent sugariness, and charmingly lambent acidity in the finish dance perfectly against the sweetened bread.
Whether you are looking for Travel opportunities through CB Wrapped, or new exciting wine-pairings through CB Uncorked, get in touch today and we are here and happy to assist you in all things when it comes to exploring the wide and wonderful world of wine.
