Wine

Since 1993, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Marketing Assistance Project (USDA-MAP) and CARD have developed and improved the Armenian wine industry, focusing on vines, harvesting, winemaking, and marketing. An emphasis on indigenous grape varieties has developed a niche market for Armenian wines.

With relatively small quantities of grapes available in Armenia, CARD aids producers with the quality and consistency of their production. Refined harvest and pruning techniques, coupled with cutting-edge irrigation systems, help farmers increase yield and improve the quality of Armenia’s wines. With technical and financial support, USDA MAP and CARD have overseen the opening of Armenia’s first boutique model wineries in the Vayots Dzor region, developed a vineyard with imported French varietals in the Tavush region, and opened export markets from Russia to the United States.

CARD-sponsored model wineries in Vayots Dzor initiated a wave of new boutique wineries that continue to improve the quality and consistency of domestic wine production. To help boutique wineries diversify their income through agri-tourism, CARD will supervise the creation of tasting rooms within select wineries as part of an agri-tourism project.

Wine Sector Services:

• Grape improvement through new vine varieties and enhanced irrigation and harvest techniques
• Taste and quality improvement through trainings and technology dispersal
• Bottling and labeling assistance
• Promotion assistance
• Market development, through exhibitions and export assistance
• Agri-tourism development by opening tasting rooms and posting roadside billboards