Press & Accolades

Storica is leading the movement to bring Armenian wines to the U.S. from the oldest winemaking region in the world. 2016 Voskevaz Karasi Collection Haghtanak is magnificent, while 2019 Van Ardi is a superb good-value wine. Both are dry reds that are available in more than 30 states. Read on to learn more.

With ancient grapes first cultivated for winemaking over 6,000 years ago, Armenian wines might be historic, but they are now becoming hip as well, thanks to New York native and co-founder of Storica Wines, Zack Armen.  Read more.

We learned about Armenian Wine the best way—by sampling five different bottles—three in the bubbly category and all worthy of your attention. A local specialist was on hand to educate us.

Flourishing in challenging conditions is possible. These pros make it look easy. But behind every seemingly easy sale and social media blitz are hundreds of hours of unglamorous and thankless research and outreach, backed by a well-oiled logistical import, distribution and sales strategy.

Raise a toast to Armenian resilience. This is important in a country with such a rich wine-making history.

What a treat this conversation was! Ara Sarkissian joined us to talk about Armenian wines.
Listen to hear about the growing conditions, history and values to be found in Armenian wines & more.

Lisa and MJ discuss her unconventional path to becoming a Master of Wine, imposter syndrome, how wine is like people. Plus, MJ tries our Zulal wines for the first time.
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Further, multiple wine regions produce these excellent bottles: Washington, Oregon, California, B.C., France, Italy, Australia, South Africa, Armenia and Argentina. Certainly, we loved all 50 of these wines.

Erin Smith, chef/owner of Feges BBQ in Houston, Texas, takes her wine education seriously. Smith is one of several barbecue professionals who are increasingly passionate about wine pairings. For instance, she suggests pairing creamy, slightly spicy Alabama white sauce—great over half chicken—with Armenian sparkling wine like Keush Origins, a blend of Voskehat and Khatouni.

Co-founder Zack Armen speaks with The Memphis Voyager on what it’s like to start a wine import business, the challenges Storica has overcome and the future of importing Armenian wines to the US and beyond.

Armenian wine is rare in the US and has a rich, ancient history, so in addition to bringing a quality bottle of wine to the party, you’ll also be bringing with you an interesting topic to share.

Explore the December 2021 Wine Enthusiast Buying Guide, including wines from Armenia.

Wine and food lovers, rejoice.
Pairing wine and ice cream might not seem intuitive, but it’s possible. Christopher Poldoian, sommelier and brand ambassador for Storica Wines weighs in.

Tune in to listen to WBZ News Radio’s Food For Thought host Billy Costa and Christopher Poldoian, sommelier and brand ambassador for Storica Wines taste and discuss Armenian wines.

“We always welcome opportunities to taste outside our usual sources of wine. This was doubly true when we received two bottles of wine from Armenia. For it is a country whose wines I had not previously tasted.”  Read Wine Travel Eats’ full review on our Armenian wines.

Through triumphs and tumult, the country’s wine industry is again on the rebound. Here’s what you need to know about Armenia’s vinous renaissance.

“For people focused on wine, however, there are plenty of places to explore, especially as destinations reopen to vaccinated travelers. Those who want to avoid crowds might consider these five alternatives to Western European wine vacations — including Armenia.”

Storica Wines, today announced the addition of two new wine brands to their portfolio: Van Ardi and Shofer.  Van Ardi is an award-winning estate winery located in Aragatsotn, Armenia; Shofer is a new brand built by the Storica team, with its flagship product a 2020 Areni Rose now available through the company’s online store and in various retail outlets across the country. Read more.

“Armenia’s top wines today include a selection of expressive whites, memorable reds, lovely rosés and stellar bubbly. In the last few years the government has begun a serious push to aid winemakers to market this ‘Sacred Land of Wine’ and this has helped with the somewhat challenging task of finding Armenian wines in stores or online. Storica Wines which is an Armenian wine import company in the U.S. is also working on making wines from Armenia more accessible and to “celebrate the soul, the history, and the song of Armenia.” One of the labels that Storica carries is Zulal, and I had the pleasure of trying three of their wines.” Read more.

Ah, summer! That is to say, it’s grilling season, and time for that special pairing of Barbecue Reds. So fire up the BBQ and bring out your favorite red wines, including Zulal Areni Reserve.

Storica Wines is located in Armenia and I was so excited to learn about long wine history (about 6,000 years of history) of Armenian wine and how the geopolitical conflict and politics affected the history of winemaking in the country. And of course we did a little tasting!  Listen to the full podcast now.

“Many times throughout history Armenians have had to flee their home to find safety somewhere else leaving behind their land, their way of life and some of the most sacred things that were rooted in Armenian history, such as their winemaking and vines, and there have been times that they have been threatened to be wiped out if they didn’t give up everything and move to a distant land. Yet the time has come for them to stand up and protect their home, their vineyards and their native grape varieties so they can take their rightful place among ancient winemaking countries.”  Read more.

“This was the first Armenian red wine, and their first tasting of Areni and thought it had a light nose, moderate tannins and a medium finish, a couple of people suggested that it reminded them of a light Pinot Noir.” Read more.

“This was pure Voskehat and this was a winner both in pairing and with drinking. The consensus here was that it had a nice floral nose, with enjoyable salinity (brightness) with notes of apricots and a nice finish of flint, is what they all agreed on. ” Read more.

Zack Armen, an Armenian businessman and cofounder of Storica Wines, is bringing the Armenian wine story to life in the U.S. Part of what makes Armenian wine so unique is Armenia’s “terroir,” the combination of climate, soil and elevation, which give Armenia’s unique indigenous grape varieties a flavor and aroma profile that is pleasant, top notch and reminiscent of other fine wines from around the world. Read more.

“An Excellent to Extraordinary wine, worth seeking out at nearly any price. From ‘damn, this is great!’ to “I’d rip someone’s arm off for a bottle of this wine.'”  — Wine Writer Joe Roberts

“As a wine drinker, I’m very happy with my discovery [of Armenian Wines]. As a collector, I’m also very happy, as I get to add 3 new grapes, plus a checkmark to the list of the winemaking countries I had an opportunity to taste the wines from. Most importantly, I had an experience of drinking the wines made in the country which is an indelible part of the world’s winemaking history. All in all, a good day.”

“We believe strongly and wholeheartedly that the time for Armenian wine is now, and it comes at a pivotal time in the history of the US, Armenia, and the world.” Storica’s Co-Founder and President, Zack Armen, chatted with Haute Living about Storica Wines, its mission, and the future of the Armenian wine industry. Read on.

“If you’re seeking some new wines to try, I absolutely recommend trying some from Armenia. I was wildly impressed by all the wines I tasted, and think they are great conversation pieces for your next dinner party or get together.” Sara Lehman

“We recently tasted four impressive wines from Storica, a wine importer bringing Armenian wines to the U.S. from the oldest winemaking region in the world. And we are delighted. These wines display a distinctive character, generated by high-elevation viticulture, extreme climate, volcanic soil and high winemaking standards. Simply put, these outstanding wines belong on the U.S. stage. And you can find them in more than 15 states.”  – Margot Sinclair Savell

“Why be just another winemaker in Tuscany or Puglia when he could position himself on the cutting edge in this magical place of his ancestors that was both new and old at once, a place where winemaking is now believed to have begun six millennia ago?” Read on.

“With Ararat visible in the distance, this region is the birthplace of the old Armenian grape type Voskehat, known as the ‘queen’ of Armenian grapes, and was first cultivated 3500 years ago.” – Todd Godbout

“It’s the combination of the creaminess and mouthfeel on the palate, and the driving acid on the finish. Those are the first things that hit me. It’s delicate, persistent, fruity, fresh. It’s so good. If we were sitting at a dinner where we were going to be served 4-5 wines, I would be sad when we had to move on from this wine to the next one… this is really delightful.” – Gabe Sasso

An interview of our co-founder Zack Armen on the history of the wines, the founding story and mission for Storica, where to find our wines and more.

“Armenian wine has a lot to offer and these first tastes are just the beginning. The Keush and Zulal wines are a fascinating introduction to the Armenian wine renaissance.”  — Mike Veseth

“There are many things that I didn’t know about Armenia before I discovered the wines of Storica. The country is considered the cradle of wine, where all wine production was born and features the world’s oldest-known wine production facility. Also, it is in the midst of a grape growing and wine production renaissance. I do know that I anticipate the discovery of these sparkling, white and red wines to be one of my highlight moments for 2021.” – Melanie Ofenloch