Azerbaijan has a rich winemaking history and tradition and it is increasingly supporting and promoting its viticulture industry and products. The country started promoting wine tourism in 2018, Savalan being among the first wineries to open to visitors. The following year, the Grape and Wine Festival was launched in the city of Shamakhi.
As one of the oldest cities in Azerbaijan, dating back to the 1st-2nd century AD, Shamakhi was an economic and administrative capital of Shirvan and one of the key towns on the Silk Road. Besides its outstanding cultural heritage, it is now one of the leading agricultural regions of Azerbaijan and the city has grown to be known as the capital of the country’s winemaking and grape production industry.
1. Third edition
Taking a break during the pandemic, the Grape and Wine Festival only relaunched last year and is coming back again this year for its third edition. Taking place on 7 and 8 September, it will maintain its event grounds at the viticulture and winemaking complex of Shirvan Wines LLC, located in the village of Meysari.
The festival is set to bring together wine enthusiasts, industry professionals and tourists to celebrate the region’s rich viticultural heritage. Organized by the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan and the Shamakhi District Executive Authority, the festival aims not only to promote local viticulture and winemaking, but also to increase the export potential of Azerbaijani wines.
In the exhibition area, 23 local wine brands will present their products. Participants will have the opportunity to taste a diverse range of wines, purchase their favourite selections at favourable factory prices and learn about the winemaking process through direct interaction with producers. The exhibition will also provide a platform for wine producers to establish new business connections and showcase their products to a broader audience.
In addition to wine tasting, the festival will feature a series of master classes led by experts in the field. The sessions will offer insights into grape production, winemaking techniques and wine tasting, allowing participants to deepen their knowledge of the craft. For those interested in the culinary arts, one of the pavilions will be dedicated to pairing wine with traditional Azerbaijani cuisine, offering a taste of the region’s gastronomic delights.
2. Azerbaijan’s winemaking history
The festival will also serve as a cultural hub, with exhibitions highlighting the history and development of viticulture in Azerbaijan. These exhibitions will not only celebrate the country’s winemaking heritage but also underscore the importance of viticulture to the local economy and culture.
Artifacts uncovered at an archaeological site in the Qabala region prove the tradition of winemaking in the area dates as far back as the second to first centuries BC. Despite the Islamic conquest of the area, historians and geographers described continuous extensive viticulture around Ganja and Barda. Winemaking was then enriched with arrival of German immigrants to the region in the early 19th century.
Before the Soviet era, there were about 240 wine producers in Azerbaijan, but during prohibition time, 2,083 hectares of vineyards were destroyed. Since the country regained its independence, it started redeveloping its wine industry. The size of territories designated for vineyards has been steadily growing and now there are about 450 types of wine produced in the country, in 15 wineries spread across its territory.
3. Festival accessibility
The festival is free of charge, but registrations should be made beforehand. To make it easier for locals and tourists to reach the festival grounds, transportation from the capital city of Baku to Meysari is ensured by the organisers, with buses departing at 11:30 am from in front of the Heydar Aliyev Center each day of the festival, reaching Shirvan Wines in just over two hours.
