Press & Accolades

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.

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

The time is now to experience the full beauty and cultural richness of this region through its newest and most rapidly growing product: fine wines. Storica Wines is bringing Armenian wine to the U.S. with a digital-forward sales, marketing, and operational approach that is scaling rapidly from coast to coast.

In the oldest winemaking region in the world, the modern industry is still in its infancy. With talented growers and winemakers rediscovering their roots, they are working toward producing wine with a terroir—full of ancient past and revolutionary future.

“We’ve never been to Armenia. Never tasted the wines. OTBN was our excuse to pop the first cork, look ahead not behind, and imagine a future Armenian adventure.  The particular wine we opened is the Keush Origins Brut traditional method sparkling wine. It is made from native Armenian grape varieties: 60% Voskehat and 40% Khatouni. The grapes come from 60 to 100-year old ungrafted vines grown at over 5000 feet elevation in the Vayots Dzor region. Does that get your attention. Extreme wine!” 

“The wine world is so wide and varied, life is too short to just keep drinking the same grapes over and over again. That’s why I’m always thrilled to taste one I haven’t before. This week I got to taste [Zulal] Voskehat, an indigenous Armenian grape variety. Zulal means “pure” in Armenian, and Voskehat is a pure delight. Their renditions of the much more familiar (to me) Areni Noir grape are also worth checking out.” – Alder Yarrow

Steve Matthiasson, (SOMM TV Cast Member), got goosebumps tasting Areni, an ancient variety. One of the oldest grape varieties in the world, Matthiasson says “it was so complex and restrained, makes you wonder how awesome the wines were back in the day.”

“On the sparkling wine front, look no further than Keush.  A key callout for this traditional brut is the indigenous Armenian fruit used in its production: voskehat and khatoun kharji grapes sourced from 100-year-old vines grown some 1,800 meters above sea level. Ideal for cool-climate sipping, the budget-friendly wine offers fantastic salinity and citrus notes.”