A Day in Armenia's Wine Country

A view of the Arpa River from the bridge in Areni

About an hour and a half south of Yerevan on the main road is the village of Areni.  You will know that you are approaching the village when the roadside stalls, usually reserved for fresh fruit, become displays of Coke and Fanta bottles that look suspiciously like they have something besides the advertised product inside.  Most of the bottles are, in fact, empty and only painted to look filled, but that little tidbit of information shouldn’t stop you from pulling over to sample what they are selling: wine and spirits made from local fruits. 

In 2007, archaeologists discovered a winery dating back over 6000 years in what is known as the Areni-1 cave.  It is the oldest winery ever discovered, predating any other by 1000 years.  (Also found in the Areni-1 cave is the world’s oldest leather shoe dating back over 5000 years.)  With so many years of practice behind them, it is easy to understand why Areni is the wine-making capital of Armenia. 

As you approach the village, on the left is a large, grey-stone building with a red roof.  This is the Areni wine factory and it is open to tours.  But most people prefer to sample the homemade products at the numerous stands along the side of the road.  Products on offer include grape, cherry and apricot wines as well as “vodka” (much more similar to grappa) made of the same fruits.  Some of these really pack a punch, so make sure you have a designated driver before you start tasting!

According to some, the reason for the Coke bottles is so that Iranian truck-drivers can bring the wine back with them across the border.  I think the explanation is much simpler: recycling.

Areni is a picturesque village complete with river views and a historic church, Surb Astvatsatsin, the stone carvings and architecture of which are attributed to Momik.  The best time to visit is the fall; there are many harvest festivals in early October and, of course, the Areni wine festival in mid-October.  The foliage is spectacular and the weather is still warm, plus there’s plenty of wine and kebab to sample.

If fall is the best time to visit Areni, winter is the best time to check out the village of Khachik.  Take the winding road through Areni up the mountain and hold your breath.  You will be amazed at the views of Ararat, which seems to hover above the snow and clouds.  When you reach the village, you won’t be able to escape the mountain.  It is simply magical.

One of many breathtaking views on the way up to Khachik.  The village school looks out on an equally impressive panorama.  Imagine trying to concentrate on lessons!

After you’ve spent the day wandering around Areni and Khachik, continue south for a nice khorovats.  There are several choices along the main road including one at the turn-off to Noravank and Lchak restaurant, situated on a pond.  If you feel like travelling a bit farther, there’s a great restaurant at Noravank as well.  But the best in the neighborhood is in Getap.  Continue south on the main road until you reach the turn off to Martuni.  Take that road to the second of two restaurants, Sisakanots, where they have excellent pork and fish khorovats.  In season, you can sit outside at a private table overlooking the Yeghegis River.

Private dining in style at Lchak restaurant

 

Rebecca is an American Peace Corps volunteer who lives and works in Vayots Dzor marz. The views and opinions expressed are hers and do 
not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Peace Corps. 

Read more posts from Rebecca: 

Ghosts Of The Past In Vayots Dzor

Rediscovering a Lost Community in Vayots dzor

Along The Old Silk Road in Vayots Dzor

Mshkavank

Walking to Mshkavank from Koghb

A short hike from Koghb or Noyemberyan is Mshkavank, a 13th century monastery whose 5th-6th century triple-nave Basilica church was most likely built on top of a Pagan temple. The monastery is known for its 12th c. gavit, or assembly room, which was constructed in the same time period and similar to the gavit at Haghpat (a UNESCO site, about an hour drive to the Lori region). The monastery contains many old stone carvings and khachkars. For anyone interested in Art History, Mshkavank would be an excellent stop in the Tavush region. The layers of styled architecture and decorations from different time periods are obvious even to the untrained eye.

Mshkavank is a popular hiking destination for locals during the warmer seasons, but is hard to reach by vehicle. Often, classrooms go on field trips here to discuss the historical significance of the site, light a candle, or enjoy the forest.

Finding a guide to accompany you to Mshkavank from Noyemberyan in warm weather should not be a problem. There are a couple hotels in Noyemberyan, English speakers at each bank, as well as a group of Peace Corps Volunteers in the area (like me) who are willing to help!

Danelle is an American Peace Corps volunteer who lives and works in Tavush marz.

Along the Old Silk Road in Vayots Dzor

The sign welcoming you to Yeghegnadzor.

(Photo courtesy of Narek Beglaryan)

Heading south on the main road from Yerevan, about 20 minutes past Areni, lies the town of Yeghegnadzor, the provincial capital of Vayots Dzor marz.  On a small hill on the right-hand side of the road, the entrance to the town is marked by a Hollywoodesque sign in Armenian letters cut from local stone.  Right in front of the sign is what looks like a footpath leading seemingly to nowhere.  Blink and you’ll miss it.  And you don’t want to miss it.

The first time I wandered down this road, in the heat of a Vayots Dzor summer, it was on the assurance that the walk down was well worth it.  The path from the main road is quite steep.  You look down with amazement at the tire tracks and marvel that anyone would attempt to drive up it, or even worse, down it.  The road gradually smooths out to a more gentle slope and finally to a meandering and somewhat muddy path along a stream.  It’s the stream that spurs you on; it carries with it the promise of a soothing dip in the Arpa River at a favorite spot for locals looking to beat the heat. 

 

There are many ways to get to the Arpa; most of them don’t involve 45 minute hikes down tricky paths.  But this one is special.  At the end of it is Sur Kamurj, the pointy bridge, as we call it, a medieval structure on the Old Silk Road.

The reason for the sharp point has to do with the arch structure of the bridge, which gives it its strength.  Its design stands as a testament to the genius of the architect, Momik, to whom so many of the monuments in Vayots Dzor are attributed. It has stood the test of time.

Like the name implies, Sur Kamurjis characterized by the sharp point it reaches at the middle.  It is incredible to think of medieval traders carrying their wares along the Silk Road, traversing mountains and all sorts of rough terrain only to come to a bridge which seems as impassable as the ground they had just covered.  And it is easy to imagine that weary road travelers, upon reaching the bridge, might have considered it a perfect place to stop.

 

A group of young people gather by Sur Kamurj as a 

Niva makes the steep trip over the top.
(Photo courtesy of Gevorg Matevosyan)

As you cross the bridge, to the left is a favorite swimming hole.  To the right is a shaded area perfect for camping or having a khorovats (Armenian barbecue). Local legend has it that Marco Polo crossed over the bridge on his way to China (or maybe it was his way back).  Sitting at the side of the river, you can picture him there with his entourage stopping for a respite 800 years ago.  Or perhaps they pushed on to spend the night at the caravanserai farther up the road on the Selim Pass.

If you come to Vayots Dzor in the warm weather, make a stop at these two places. Bring lots of food and plan to share it with local people eager to do the same.  Be prepared to stay for a while; you will need the time to make toasts to your new friends.

Enjoying a picnic by the Arpa River. (Photo courtesy of Pat Fecher)

The caravanserai on a snowy day. Caravanserais provided food and lodging to travelers along the Old Silk Road. It's still a perfect place to camp or share a meal. (Photo courtesy of Sebastian Muellner)

Rebecca is an American Peace Corps volunteer who lives and works in Vayots Dzor marz. The views and opinions expressed are hers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Peace Corps. 

Read more posts from Rebecca:

Ghosts of the pasts in Vayots Dzor

Rediscovering a Lost Community in Vayots Dzor

Clear Day

Near Talin, Aragotsotn Marz

The Fruit

On one of the last warm weeks of summer, I was biking uphill on a country road, standing on the pedals of my steel-framed mountain bike when a car pulled alongside me.  It drove uncomfortably close for 10 or 15 seconds, then the front passenger window began to roll down.  I stopped, dropped my feet to the ground.  A hand came out of the passenger window.  It had a perfectly ripe peach in it.  I took the peach. "Shnorakalutsiun" [Thank you] I said.  The car peeled away. I ate the peach.  It was delicious.

Fruit is a very important part of life in Armenia.  Any halfway decent host will put out a plate of cut fruit for a guest.  The pomegranate and the apricot are celebrated as avatars of the nation, considered to be a superior breed to any pomegranate or apricot anywhere else in the world.  During Soviet times, under the command economy, Armenia was considered to be the Soviet republic best endowed with fresh produce rare in stores in Kiev, Leningrad or Bishkek.  Today, with the exception of bananas and oranges, most fruit in Armenia is locally grown and eaten only when it is in season.  Outside of Yerevan, the country does not experience the "miracle" of modern produce supply chains.  There are no strawberries in November, flown in from New Zealand or avocados from trees in California for making Guacamole for New Years parties.  Indeed, during the winter, there's barely any fresh fruit for villagers in rural areas, except for in jams or at high prices in supermarkets in the cities.  But come the spring....

Apricot blossoms in April

The first, and most important fruit of Spring is the apricot, whose flowering in April marks the beginning of warm weather.  For months, the quality of the apricot harvest is a topic of discussion at every dinner table.   Was there too much rain? Too little?  This spring, my region saw a wave of hail which devastated the crop, causing a depression almost as acute as if a relative had died.  The loss is not just culinary, it's economic.  For a farming family, a strong apricot crop means enough money for heat, food and clothes in the winter.  During those middle weeks of April, when the trees are covered in white blossoms, the season seems full of possibilities.  They come in towards middle of June, and quickly progress from green and hard to yellow-orange, astonishingly sweet and soft and oozing sticky juice.  After eating them (it's really no problem to eat 8 or 10 at a setting), the seeds are cracked with a heavy rock to reveal a brown nut that tastes almost, but not quite, like a moist almond. By the middle of July, the apricots have become overripe and are boiled down for jams and juices.  By August they are all but gone.

The first apples and plums will start to appear after the apricots, and will be eaten for the excitement of fresh fruit.  But these are rather poor, sour, green fellows.  Still, children will pick them and eat them for the thrill of it, enduring pursed lips and sore tummies.  They won't reach their peaks until August and September, when the apples will be abundant, firm and fat and the plums will be deep purple and incredibly sweet, exploding with juice once their smooth skins are pierced. Sunflower seeds are chewed year round, but at the beginning of summer entire sunflowers are sold and the seeds can be eaten fresh.  Of course, they must be checked to make sure that a little caterpillar has not burrowed into the shell, eaten the seed and decided to make it his home.

A sunflower vendor in Armavir

The middle of summer belongs to the peach, the best of which are sweet and juicy but somehow don't quite compare to the apricot.  It's also when the best vegetables appear; cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, green beans, red, green and hot peppers.  Lettuce is rare, but cabbage is common, usually made into slaws or soup.  The standard Armenian "salat" more closely resembles what Americans think of as a “slaw,” consisting of shredded vegetables with some small pieces of meats or fruits in mayonnaise.  But fresh cucumbers and tomatoes are a part of every table, along with a knife for diners to slice them. 

As summer starts to turn to fall, grapes are harvested, another opportunity for farmers to make money by selling to wine factories.  The manufactured wine in Armenia suffered terribly during Soviet times and remains of marginal quality.  But the homemade wines poured into plastic Coca-Cola and Fanta bottles and kept for private consumption, shared with the neighbors or sold on the sides of the road make an excellent social lubricant. At this time, walnuts begin to fall off trees in green fleshy pods and are roasted to keep for the winter.  I was also given a bag of pears so delicious it made me want to cry. 

Now, as fall turns to winter, the Pomegranates are the last of the fresh, fleshy fruits to be harvested.  They will remain in markets at least until December, when they will be the size of a baby’s head and grace the tables for “Nor Tari,” (New Years).  Between New Years eve and Armenian Apostolic Christmas on January 6, Armenians set out tremendous platters of food, including great plates of dried fruit and sujuk, a string of walnuts dipped in jam and hung to dry.  Neighbors take the time to socialize, going from house to house and eating a bit at each one.  The country then settles in for the winter, mostly staying home and keeping warm during January, February and March.  Families rely on pickled vegetables, jams, dried fruit and most of all the hardy potato to get through these months as they look forward to the Apricot blossoms in spring.

Sam is an American Peace Corps Volunteer in Armenia.  He lives and works in Aragotsotn Marz, where he teaches English in village schools. The views and opinions expressed are his personally and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Peace Corps.   
A version of this post originally appeared on the Author's blog: www.heyamerikatsi.com

Read more posts from Sam:

Starting Farmstay B&B in Armenia - Part 1

The Soviet Arcade Games of Giumri

Undiscovered Armavir Marz

Undiscovered Armavir Marz

I live near Armavir Marz, which I used to think was the most boring, un-touristworthy Marz in Armenia. Sure, it has Echmiadzin, but that's all the way in the East, and really more of a suburb of Yerevan anyway. I thought there was nothing else to see in the Marz. But I found out that I was wrong! Armavir Marz boasts not one, but two excellent and under-discovered museums, both of which are only a short drive from Echmiadzin and Yerevan: The Metsamor Archaeological Site and The Sardarapat Museum and Memorial.

The Sardarapat Museum and Memorial is the site of a last-ditch battle in 1918 between the nascent Republic of Armenia and the forces of the Ottoman Empire, who wished to reclaim Yerevan, Gyumri (then Alexandropol) and Tbilisi. The Armenians won, ensuring the survival of the nation and the people. Memories of the battle were soon eclipsed by the arrival of the Red Army in 1921 and the establishment of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. But in 1968, a memorial was erected, accompanied by an ethnographic museum.

On the November day I visited, the grounds of the memorial were completely empty, which certainly added to the monumental feel of the Soviet Architecture. It took a full ten minutes to cover the distance from the memorial to the ethnographic museum, during which time I saw no other people. I did, however, note a plaque, a bronze copy of a proclamation by the Senate of the great state of New Jersey memorializing the Battle of Sardarapat.

When I got to the museum, the staff quickly turned the lights on for me. I was impressed. It had obviously been recently renovated. Someone turned on a new flat-screen TV and popped in a DVD with a program about the architecture of the memorial and the museum, which is built like a caravanserai. The museum exhibited clothes, weapons, pottery and artifacts of daily life, including a working loom. In the central courtyard is an exhibit dedicated to the battle, showcasing the weapons and tactics used.

As I was walking around, I suddenly heard English voices echoing through the stone corridor. I raced up to the second floor. There was a small group of tourists from Finland! I listened to the rest of the tour, then introduced myself to the guide. Over tea and apple slices in front of the electric stove/space heater in a back room, she told me she was an English teacher at a local village school who moonlighted as a tour guide on weekends. We exchanged numbers, then I began the long walk back to the complex’s entrance.

The Metsamor Archaelogical Site is located near the village of Taronik, about 10km west of Echmiadzin. From the Bronze Age until the 17th century AD, the area was a thriving urban center. Its residents produced and traded gold, obsidian, ceramics and other valuable commodities that were dug up during excavations in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s.

At the Metsamor Museum, you can see the ruins of ancient observatories and factories, as well as artifacts bearing the marks of the empires that rose and fell around Armenia: Babylonian Cuneiform Seals, Assyrian Bulls, Hellenistic Vases. When I visited in January, I was the only guest.

I got a tour from Ashot, a stout, sturdy scientist and archaeological expert who spoke some English, and Mariam, a pretty young student and translator from Echmiadzin. They took me to the padlocked iron gate to the basement.

“Our greatest treasure here is” said Ashot

“Here are our greatest treasures” said Mariam

The only light came from the display case, which housed a skeleton lying in a fetal position, surrounded by jewels and accompanied by three skulls, each with a hole in the side of their head.

“Rich man.” Said Ashot

“He was a rich man, buried with his servants” said Mariam.

The next room was also dark, with light coming from glass cases holding jewelry made from gold and precious stones, as well as the museum’s treasure: a frog made from precious stone, marked

with cuneiform that noted it weighed precisely one shekel, about 8.5 grams.

After coming out of the basement, I walked the grounds with Ashot while Mariam stayed warm inside. We picked up ceramic shards from the dirt. He gave one to me.

[A gift.] he said.

The Saradarapat Memorial and the Metsamor Site are located in villages in Armavir Marz and are difficult to reach by public transportation. The best bet is to go to the Marz’s capital city, Armavir (also called by its Soviet name, Hoktembryan), and hire a taxi from there. Trains go from Yerevan to Armavir 4x a day, and busses run every 10-15 minutes from the Kilikia Bus Station, across the highway from the main hall.

Sam is an American Peace Corps Volunteer who lives and works in Aragotsotn Marz. A version of this piece originally appeared on his blog: www.heyamerikatsi.com. The views and opinions expressed are his personally and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Peace Corps.

Read more Posts from Sam:
Starting Farmstay B&B in Armenia - Part 1
The Soviet Arcade Games of Giumri