One day wine tour in Aragatsotn region

We will commence the tour from the location of your hotel or rented apartment in Yerevan.

Visit to one of the largest historical and cultural monuments of early medieval Armenia — the Cathedral of Saint Gregory, also known as Aruchavank (Aruch Vank), built in the 7th century. During that period, it served as the residence of the ruler of Armenia, Grigor Mamikonian, and included not only a fortress but also several large, monumental civil and religious buildings. The dome of the church was destroyed, and now it symbolizes a connection with the open sky, which is a continuation of the 7th-century frescoes once skillfully painted on the church walls. The Cathedral of Saint Gregory impresses with its unique architecture, impressive lithographs, and high-quality frescoes. The ruins of the magnificent palace built by Grigor Mamikonian and the Aruch Monastery also provide interesting archaeological discoveries. During excavations, a part of the great inscription of the Urartian king Sarduri II from the pre-Christian period was discovered here, mentioning that Sarduri founded a new vineyard and fruit garden. The frescoes of the Aruch Monastery, featuring images of grapes and wine cups, are also fascinating.

We will visit the winery Voskevaz (which translates from Armenian as "Golden Bunch") in the village of the same name, where the first wine tasting awaits us. The land here holds entire historical layers of previous periods of the development of Armenian civilization. Just a few kilometers from the winery, on the edge of the picturesque Kasakh Gorge, lie the ruins of the "Badali Zham" church, built in the 5th-7th centuries. Next to these ruins, remnants of buried karases (Armenian clay amphorae) were discovered, used for storing wine. At the winery, we will explore the beautiful maran (cellars) of Voskevaz and, accompanied by an experienced sommelier, taste various types of wine, complementing them with meat and cheese assortments.

The Agarak Historical and Cultural Reserve is located on the southern slope of Mount Aragats. As you cross the road from the village of the same name, you are instantly transported to other times, as if leaping across the vast chasm of millennia. The monument group includes complexes of stone and rock structures, as well as sprawling multilayered settlements and tombs. Research results indicate that this area was inhabited from the first quarter of the 3rd millennium. A large number of rock presses found in the temple city area indicate that this region was a major center of winemaking. Agarak flourished from the 4th-3rd centuries BCE to the 2nd-4th centuries CE when the city became involved in the so-called international trade. Coins from the Hellenistic and Roman periods found during excavations testify to this.

At the hospitable and charming Yeganyan's Gastro Yard, we will be treated to traditional Armenian dishes and unique wine made from grapes grown in their own garden (available upon prior request).

Next, we will continue our journey to the Museum of Winemaking History in Armenia, where we will explore a diverse collection of materials discovered during archaeological excavations, bibliographic data, and ideas obtained through ethnographic research. The main exhibition hall, located at a depth of 8 meters in the underground basalt rocks, provides a detailed description of the chronological stages of winemaking development in Armenia. Additionally, it emphasizes the interconnection of wine with various aspects of Armenian history and culture.

At one of Armenia's largest and most successful wineries, Armenia Wine, after a tour of the facility, we will have the opportunity to sample several varieties from the producer's finest wines in a specially equipped tasting room. This will be a wonderful conclusion to our wine journey through the Aragatsotn region.

We will conclude this delightful and wine-filled day and return to Yerevan.