Paid Content
Van Ardi Winery presented its three new wines at an event titled "From Traditions to Innovations" held at its winery in the village of Sasunik. During the event, the Van Ardi Wine Club was also officially launched, a new format for joining the Van Ardi family for those who appreciate wine and wish to establish a closer connection with the winery and its offerings.
The highlight of the presentation was the limited release of "Van Ardi Basalt," which was fermented and aged for about six months in specially carved basalt stone. This wine is a modern interpretation of the Armenian winemaking tradition, which has a history of over 5000 years.
Attendees included Van Ardi partners, loyal customers, friends, and representatives of the Armenian wine community, who participated in the official presentation and tasting of the new wines. Guests had the opportunity to discover the unique character of each wine right at the place of its production, surrounded by organic vineyards and the stunning landscapes of Aragatsotn.
RESTORATION OF ANCIENT ARMENIAN WINEMAKING TRADITION
The inspiration for creating "Van Ardi Basalt" came from a complex of basalt winemaking vessels discovered in Agarak, which has a history of over 5000 years. Returning to this forgotten winemaking heritage, Van Ardi's founder and winemaker Varuzhan Muradyan commissioned local artisans to create handmade basalt vessels for the winery. The wine was fermented and aged in these vessels, combining ancient Armenian winemaking methods with modern approaches. According to publicly available information, Van Ardi is the only winery in the modern world producing wine fermented and aged in basalt vessels of this scale.
The first batch of "Van Ardi Basalt," produced from the Armenian grape varieties "Victory" and "Milagh," grown in Van Ardi's own vineyards, is limited to less than 1000 bottles.
"When creating Basalt, I wanted to achieve a wine that is deeply Armenian in its essence while offering a completely new experience in the modern wine world," noted Varuzhan Muradyan, founder and winemaker of Van Ardi. "Armenia has one of the oldest winemaking histories in the world. Our goal is to preserve the continuity of that history through quality, creativity, and experimentation."
This wine expresses Van Ardi's broader philosophy of honoring Armenia's winemaking heritage while continuing to explore new methods, local grape varieties, and unique expressions of terroir.
PRESENTING THE "VAN ARDI" WINE CLUB
Together with the new wines, the family winery also introduced the Van Ardi Wine Club — a membership program for wine enthusiasts who wish to continuously participate in the unique experiences and innovations offered by Van Ardi throughout the year.
Club members will receive four specially designed wine packages per year, which will include specially selected wines from Van Ardi, new releases, and other exclusive offers. Membership will also provide opportunities to participate in tastings and special events exclusively for club members, gain priority access to new wines, and enjoy all of Van Ardi's offerings with special packages.
"The wine club is our invitation to become closer," noted Ani Muradyan. "Van Ardi has always been more than just a winery. In our warm, family environment, wine, cuisine, music, art, and culture always come together. Through the wine club, we create a deeper and more meaningful opportunity for people who love Van Ardi to become part of this family."
Details about the Van Ardi Wine Club packages can be found on the website.
NEW RELEASES
"Van Ardi Basalt" is a bold and unique wine made from the grape varieties "Victory" and "Milagh." In the deep ruby wine, layered notes of dark fruits, pine forest, cocoa, coffee, and subtle spices are revealed, complemented by its most distinctive volcanic, stony character. The taste is dense yet harmoniously structured, powerful yet balanced in body, with a long-lasting, stable finish.
"Tor-Tori Rose" is a bright and expressive blend of Syrah, Zinfandel, and Pinot Noir. The deep rose-golden hue of the wine is complemented by aromas of raspberry, strawberry cream, and blood orange. Refreshing acidity, a light creamy texture, and expressive volcanic nuances create a bright, layered, and playful rosé wine.
"Tor-Tori Reserve" is a rich blend of Zinfandel, Areni, and Syrah grapes, aged for 12 to 14 months in French oak barrels. The deep ruby wine opens with aromas of dark fruits, leather, and coffee, followed by delicate notes of plum, pomegranate, dark chocolate-covered raspberry, and hickory. Soft tannins transition into a long-lasting and stable finish.
"These wines together represent three different sides of 'Van Ardi,'" noted Ani Muradyan. "Basalt is our boldest experiment, 'Tor-Tori Rose' is fresh and expressive, while 'Tor-Tori Reserve' is deep and structured. All three embody the characteristics that have always been inherent in Van Ardi's wine collection."
ABOUT VAN ARDI
Founded in 2008 by Varuzhan Muradyan and his family, Van Ardi Winery is one of Armenia's leading boutique wineries and is also one of the best examples of the renaissance of Armenian modern winemaking.
Located in the village of Sasunik in the Aragatsotn region, the winery is surrounded by its own organic vineyards planted in rocky, volcanic soils. The winery follows the principle of minimal intervention in vineyard management, focusing on revealing the character of local grape varieties and the unique features of their origin.
Van Ardi's mission is to strengthen Armenia's position on the global wine map by continuing to reinforce and develop the local ancient winemaking heritage through the creation of expressive, refined, and world-class quality wines. In addition to winemaking, Van Ardi is also widely recognized for its hospitality and warm, family atmosphere, where visitors to the winery discover Armenia through wine, hospitality, art, music, and culture.
