On March 28, 2021, the RA Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan visited “Zorah” winery to get acquainted with the program of the company’s founding director Zorik Gharibyan to restore the tradition of making clay jars for aging wine with the prospect of developing Armenian winemaking.

Zorik Gharibyan and his wife Yeraz intend to establish a pottery school for making clay jars, where masters will be trained not only for their factory and others in Vayots Dzor Marz, but also for all winemaking companies in Armenia. They are confident this initiative will help Armenia undertake a prestigious and leading role in the global winemaking activity by restoring its 6,000-year-old winemaking traditions and combining them with the modern best practices and technologies, as well as using purely endemic grape varieties.

Diaspora Armenian businessman Zorik Gharibyan has been engaged in viticulture and winemaking in Armenia since 2001, with the aim of producing high-quality wine from Armenian grapes and presenting it to the world. For aging his wine, the businessman uses old clay jars purchased from the villagers, which set basis for the idea of ​​restoring the clay jars making tradition in Armenia. The wine of “Zorah” factory is exported to 25 countries; it is in the top ten in the Bloomberg list.

The director of “Zorah” winery initiated construction of a small hotel complex near the factory for winemaking specialists, as well as all visitors of “Zorah”, who, in addition to tasting wine, will have the opportunity to walk through the vineyards, get acquainted with winemaking activities, and enjoy the ravishing scenery and nature. The plans include construction of a road leading from the winery to the village of Rind.

Vahan Kerobyan welcomed the projects presented and emphasized the importance of their implementation for development of both Armenia’s winemaking and tourism industry. The Minister expressed readiness to possibly support the implementation of projects.

The Minister of Economy also visited the Gnishik Archaeological Complex and Areni Cave #1. Boris Gasparyan, a researcher at the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, the head of the Areni Archaeological Expedition, presented the implemented and planned works to the Minister, noting there is a goal to restore the local wild vineyards. Boris Gasparyan also informed Vahan Kerobyan about some problems.

The Minister of Economy instructed the Acting Chairman of the Tourism Committee Alfred Kocharyan to provide relevant support within the framework of tourism development programs.