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Grape Collective talks with Smbat Mkrtchyan, Voskeni Winery owner who was named after his grandfather.

Colorado is much in the news these days. Pro football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is turning heads as head football coach at the University of Colorado. Colorado got its first Michelin Guide and five restaurants with a star. The winery we’re writing about here, The Ordinary Fellow, is in Colorado and has wine on the lists of two of those five, Bruto and The Wolf’s Tailor.

“That ain’t...

Hidden away in the heart of Croatia, nestled...

Parr, who grew up in Calcutta and has worked in some of the most prestigious restaurants in the world, doesn’t seem like the kind of person you would find around sheep, goats and chickens and dogs that guard them in vineyards, but that’s part of what he’s doing now as a grape farmer doing things in a low-key, naturalistic way. How did he get there, we wanted to know. 

Turkey, a country with a rich history and diverse culture, has been gaining recognition in recent years for its burgeoning wine industry. Among the pioneers leading this transformation is Seyit Karagözoğlu, a visionary winemaker, and his renowned winery, Paşaeli Wines. Their story is one of passion, innovation, and a commitment to showcasing the unique terroir of Turkey through exceptional wines.

At that wine dinner in New York, we met Diego Tomasi, the director of the consortium that represents more than 3,000 growers and producers in the DOCG. He spent most of his career as an academic, becoming an expert on the region, and was named director in 2021. We discussed with him how to get consumers to pay more for the DOCG when they are accustomed to lower-priced Prosecco. We followed up with some email questions.

Nestled within the picturesque landscape of the Vayots Dzor region in Armenia, Zorah Winery stands as a testament to the rich history and vibrant resurgence of winemaking in the country. Established in the year 2000 by Zorik Gharibian, an Armenian living in Italy, Zorah Winery has swiftly garnered international recognition for its commitment to producing exceptional wines using indigenous Armenian grape varieties and employing traditional winemaking techniques.

We have been enjoying wine from Oregon for decades, but this was the first time we attended IPNC. It’s an awesome event, and if you are ever able to attend, you should (an all-events ticket for all three days costs about $1,600). We came away from the event – which included seminars, tastings, a traditional salmon bake on Alder spikes and more – with some thoughts based on many conversations and we are going to get right to them.

Armenia, one of the world's oldest wine-producing regions, has a rich winemaking history dating back thousands of years. In recent decades, the country's wine industry has experienced a renaissance, thanks in part to the efforts of passionate individuals like Vahe Keushguerian. As an entrepreneur and advocate for Armenian wine, Keushguerian has played a significant role in revitalizing the country's viticulture and putting Armenian wines back on the global wine map.

Wine isn’t just a liquid. It’s also a mindset. And, while we enjoy all kinds of wine both at home and at restaurants, there is something about vacation wines that makes them better to us.