What to expect
Just two hours south of Yerevan, Vayots Dzor is home to wineries and vineyards. Here, the thirsty traveler can tour a winery to learn about Armenia’s unbroken tradition of winemaking while sampling vintages from across the ages. At the heart of the Vayots Dzor Wine Route is the Areni-1 Cave, site of the oldest known winery in the world. Armenian wines have been gracing Armenian tables for at least 6000 years. Today, this wine culture is kept alive by a handful of enthusiastic winemakers who continue to cultivate ancient varietals. Spend a day exploring one of Vayots Dzor’s winemaking facilities, taking a tour of the production process, and tasting local wines. Along the Vayots Dzor Wine Route, there are few wineries that offer regular tours and tastings: Momik Winery, Old Bridge Winery. These are all easily accessed via the Yerevan Highway.