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Last week I wrote about Armenia’s wine history, which can be traced back to 4000 BC. But the modern Armenian wine industry “is not 6,000 years old — it’s closer to six,” quips Yeraz Gharibian, co-owner of Zorah, one of my favourite Armenian wineries.

“Our culture, our transcripts, our songs are filled with references to wine,” explains Gharibian. “But up until recently, there was no wine.”

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This puts the country in an interesting place within the international winemaking community. It might be the youngest wine industry I have seen in my career as a journalist. Today there are just over 40 wineries in Armenia, up from around 20 in 2010. By way of comparison, Quebec has been producing wine since the 1980s and there are close to 100 wineries.

Armenia has a nice mix of larger, well-financed wineries and small boutique ones. It has a few advantages over other countries with newer wine industries, starting with the terroir. Its soils are predominantly volcanic and limestone, and while the climate is warm, Armenia is also a very hilly country, with many high-altitude vineyards. In short, it’s ideal for growing high-quality grapes.