All 5 wine making regions of Armenia are unique and interesting for wine enthusiasts. But there
is one among them which is even more special. And of course it’s Vayots Dzor region – the
homelend of Armenian famous Areni grape. We call Areni the “king” of Armenian grapes. We
should also mention that Vayots Dzor is phylloxera free. And vines here grow in their ancient
Vitis Vinifera routes. The region is home to many famous wineries. Some of them can proudly
show you their international awards. But many of them are really hidden gems.
But wait, Vayots Dzor also has amazing landscapes, cultural assets with stunning architecture
and history, and archaeological caves. Are you ready to be there and enjoy all of these?!
In the morning we will start our trip to Vayots Dzor region. We will have 2 shortstops in Ararat
valley. The first one will be for taking iconic photos of Mount Ararat with Khor Virap monastery
view. And the second stop will be in “the village of storks” where you can see and photograph a
lot of them.
Our next stop will be Noravank Monastery where our guide will tell you so many interesting
things about the place and the history of one of Armenia’s most powerful families. We are also
going to see the ancient winyards which belonged to the monastery. You will see the beauty of
Gnishik Canyon. And if you are lucky enough you might also see some of the wild inhabitants of
these places.
We can’t let you leave this canyon without showing you “the oldest winery” in the world! Areni 1
became the most famous cave in Armenia after finding the oldest leather shoe in the world
(5500 years old) and the oldest winery in the world (6100 years old). Visiting this cave is going
to be truly a unique experience for our guests.
It’s time for wine tasting and lunch! We are going to taste some local wines from autochthonous
grapes. All the local eco products will make your lunch unbelievably tasty. And in some moment
you will get a feeling that you are not even in Armenia!