A Dream to Share
The title itself could echo Martin Luther King’s famous words: “I Have a Dream.” In Italy and Slovenia, the “Senza Meja” initiative has already shown us that wine can be a cultural bridge that transcends borders. Under the umbrella of the Council of Europe, Iter Vitis—of which we at WAYANA are also a part—stands as an institutional example of this vision.
These initiatives symbolize the determination of producers in different countries to share the same vineyards, the same traditions, and the same future. We too can dream of something similar for our own geography: a route connecting the very places where wine was born… Eastern Anatolia, Georgia, Armenia, and perhaps Azerbaijan. Wouldn’t that be something?
This is not merely a wine tourism idea—it is a cultural pathway that recalls humanity’s oldest common heritage. For these lands are where humankind first met the vine, and where grapes first became wine.
The Cradle of Wine: Eastern Anatolia and the Caucasus
Archaeological evidence tells us that the origins of viticulture and winemaking stretch back to 6000 BCE. Wine traces found in Georgian clay jars, the world’s oldest known winery unearthed in Armenia’s Areni-1 cave, and Urartian vineyard inscriptions and irrigation systems in Eastern Anatolia all point to this region as a “land of firsts.”
- Gürcistan: With its 8,000-year-old qvevri tradition, Georgia is known worldwide as “the cradle of wine.” The qvevri method was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013.
- Ermenistan: The Areni-1 cave houses the oldest known winemaking facility (c. 4000 BCE), complete with stone vats, grape presses, and storage vessels.
- Doğu Anadolu: The role of vine and wine in Hittite rituals, Urartian inscriptions, and sophisticated irrigation systems all demonstrate the deep roots of viticulture here.
- Azerbaycan: Archaeological finds in Shaki and Ganja trace wine history back 4,000–5,000 years. Though interrupted in the Soviet era, these traditions are being revived after independence.
The Route: A Journey Through the Birthplaces of Wine
1. Eastern Anatolia – In the Footsteps of Urartu
The irrigation canals and vineyard inscriptions left by the Urartians around Lake Van show how advanced viticulture was in antiquity. (And by the way—never call it a “lake” to the locals; for them it is the sea.) On the northern shore lies Erciş, home to the grape that bears its name: Ercişkarası. Cultivated for over three millennia, Ercişkarası unites the modern wine lover with the Urartian of long ago.
The famous folk song of Van captures this legacy:
“O süsem, o sümbül, o gül o bağındır… Edremit Van’a bakar
İçinde Şamran akar.”
Those lines refer to the 54-kilometer-long irrigation canal built in Urartian times—known as the Shamram canal.
Today, Eastern Anatolia continues to carry this heritage: Elazığ’s Öküzgözü and Boğazkere, Diyarbakır’s Boğazkere. Turkish winemakers are reviving forgotten grape varieties year after year, bringing them back into our glasses. And many more still wait their turn. Modern wineries reinterpret this ancient legacy, pairing wines with gastronomy and inviting today’s enthusiasts to taste both tradition and innovation.
2. Georgia – The Heart of Qvevri
In Kakheti, qvevri winemaking is more than a technique—it is a way of life. Clay jars buried in the earth for fermentation link past and present, producing unique flavor profiles unlike any other. Visitors discover not only wine, but also Georgian hospitality and the rich culture of the supra feast.
3. Armenia – The Areni Cave
The Areni-1 cave in Vayots Dzor contains the world’s oldest known winery. Six-thousand-year-old stone vats and presses reveal wine’s earliest chapters. Today, wines made from the Areni Noir grape embody this heritage in modern form. Each year, the Areni Wine Festival transforms the region into a cultural hub, blending history with contemporary expression.
4. Azerbaijan – A Tradition Reborn
In Shaki and Ganja, traces of vineyards attest to Azerbaijan’s deep roots in wine culture. Though industrialized during the Soviet period, winemaking here is being reborn through boutique producers. Local varieties such as Madrasa are once again finding their place on the stage.
The Cultural Value of the Route
Such a route would bring together not only winemakers, but also historians, gastronomes, artists, and travelers. Europe’s “wine routes” offer tourism experiences, but here the meaning would be deeper: this would be a journey into humanity’s oldest wine traditions.
- Tourism: Introducing the region as a new and unique destination.
- Culture: Highlighting shared heritage and identity.
- Diplomacy: Serving as a cultural bridge of cooperation and peace across borders.
Conclusion: From Dream to Reality
The Birthplace of Wine Route could be more than a dream. It could be a journey that tells not only the story of vineyards and wines, but also of cultures, languages, and tables shared.
In Europe, wine routes are part of modern tourism. In our geography, such a route would reveal the very first vineyards of humanity. Perhaps this is what we need most: not a path into the shadows of the past, but a road that points toward a shared table in the future.
