Tushpa Winery in Armenia
The Tushpa winery is about a 40-minute drive from Yerevan's city center. The winery is owned by Mihran Manasserian and his family. Here you can taste branded white and red wines, as well as the famous Armenian brandy, which is produced according to a special recipe.
The owners create wines according to the traditions passed down to them by their ancestors. Mihran Manasserian is a fourth-generation winemaker. He produces wines with the minimal interference in the natural process.
The Tushpa winery is located in the southeast of Armenia, in the Vayots Dzor region, in the village of Taperakan. Just a 10-minute drive from the winery is the legendary monastery of Khor Virap. These places are distinguished by excellent climatic conditions for harvesting grapes. Soil properties and air humidity come together perfectly in the vast vineyards of the Manasserian family. Mihran's dream was to revive the traditions of winemaking of his ancestors in a new territory (the family moved here from the neighboring province of Van). In 1992, the first vineyard was planted in the middle of the Ararat Valley.
Mihran worked at various wineries during the Soviet Times and studied winemaking at the Armenian National Agrarian University. As a result, he gained experience and knowledge to establish his own enterprise, which year by year successfully develops and attracts tourists from all over Armenia and from other countries of the world. Tushpa received the blessing of Pope Francis, who visited the country in 2016 and tasted the wine produced by the winery. After that, he even asked to send a few extra bottles to Rome.
Tushpa grows three grape varieties: Haghtanak, Kangun and Muscat. The vineyards are located at an altitude of about 800 meters above sea level. For the last two varieties, this height is optimal, but Haghtanak requires the special care based on the weather. That is why, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, many local winemakers wanted to move their vineyards to other lands. However, Mihran Manasserian convinced them not to do this and to give Haghtanak grapes the opportunity to show their best when given proper care. Thus, the winemaker not only created his own production, but also managed to maintain other wine enterprises in the Ararat Valley.
Upon entering the territory of the winery, you will find yourself in a huge cellar, where the wine is infused and temporarily stored either in oak barrels or in large clay amphoras, which are called “karas” in Armenia. During the fermentation process, yeast is not added, which makes wine as natural as possible. The barrels for aging wine are made exclusively from Armenian oak. Wine can be kept in the barrels from 7 to 14 months.
The emblem of the Tushpa winery, depicts an image of a woman lowering a bunch of grapes into the amphora "karas". This picture captures the essence of the traditional method of winemaking: grape juice is aged in barrels or clay amphorae along with pomace (skin and seeds). As a result, wine acquires a rich taste and aroma.
Wine tasting at the winery will be accompanied by snacks: cheese, nuts, dried fruits, pita bread, olives, and jam. All these products are produced in Armenia, mainly in the Ararat valley.
Tushpa wines are sold not only in Armenia, but are also exported to many European countries, Russia, and the United States. The company's products can be found not only in the wine boutiques and restaurants, but also in the local supermarket chains such as Parma and Yerevan City.