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Empirical approach - key to development of winemaking
By Lilit Aslanyan, ArmInfo, September 16 2010
2010-09-16 12:21:00
ArmInfo's exclusive interview with Avag Haroutiunyan, Chairman of
Armenian Winemakers Union
Mr. Haroutiunyan, what are your forecasts on the grape harvest for
brandy and winemaking in Armenia in the current year?
I revised my forecasts about the harvest due to some unfavorable
weather conditions. If initially I forecasted 20%-30% growth in the
yield of grapes for 2010, now I think that the growth will range
between 10% - 15%. I think about 148-155 thousand tons of grapes will
be gathered in Armenia in 2010 for industrial processing versus 137
thousand tons in 2009. At the same time, total yield of grapes for
brandy and wine making in 2010 may make up 225-230 thousand tons. Only
20% of the total volume of the gathered grapes is the red sort, of
which only 10% are use for wine making.
Does Armenia fully use its winegrowing potential?
No. In Armenia the yield of grapes is too little as compared with the
potential Armenia really has. I have conducted a survey recently and
found out that nearly 16 thousand ha of vineyards are cultivated at
present whereas in the Soviet period of time cultivated vineyards
occupied 37 thousand ha. The difference is evident. I think that up to
60 thousand ha can be cultivated in Armenia for winemaking alone. This
requires introduction of relevant irrigation systems on the bases on
new technologies, for instance, drip irrigation systems. No matter if
the vineyard is in a valley or on hills, such technology of irrigation
is applicable to any type of vineyard. Using such irrigations systems
on the basis of new technologies may give an opportunity to Armenia to
grow grapes even on 100-120 thousand hectares. If such technology is
introduced, on 20 thousand hectares one can grow grapes for production
of wine similar to French Bordeaux wine and Italian Chianti wines by
quality. Relevant investments are necessary to use the whole area, but
wealthy people refuse to make these investments for lack of proper
insurance. It is normal, because they should be insured at least
against losses in case of grape louse.
When do you think the vintage should be started?
Unfortunately, few observe the right time of vintage in Armenia.
Brandy vintage is September 15-25 when the content of sugar in grape
is low, some 17%-18%, whereas winemaking vintage starts on October 20
when sugar content is at least 21%. Considering that 90% of grape
yield is used in production of brandy, farmers gather the entire
harvest till September 25. They cannot leave just one small part of
vineyard for winemaking because it requires additional spending, first
of all, and grape may lose weight by 30% and cattle may damage it. All
these factors impede high-quality grape production for winemaking in
Armenia. Only in some vineyards in Vayots Dzor region, especially near
the village of Areni, vintage for winemaking is quite good.
Official statistics say brandy production in Armenia shows upward
trends this year as compared to last year. What is your assessment of
the situation in the brandy market, specifically, the export?
Brandy production is really gathering pace again. At present total
brandy production volume yields to the level of the pre-crisis period
by some 20%-30%. In the very period of crisis, brandy production in
the country fell 70%. However, the crisis had some positive aspects as
well. First, production of false low-quality brandy fell some 30%
because in the crisis period demand for brandy in the country fell.
Therefore, brandy quality in the country has comparatively improved.
As for exports, almost the whole volume of brandy and some 10%-13% of
wine produced in Armenia are exported at present. It is normal because
Armenian wines yield to brandy by their image in the world markets.
Yet in the Soviet period all the best technologies and recipes of
brandy were delivered to Armenia, whereas wine production was promoted
in Georgia. This is probably what made us less engage in winemaking.
It is noteworthy that in the period of crisis reduction of export and
brandy production made many local producers thinking seriously of
market diversification, reserving products for export not to be left
with nothing in case of force-majeur situations. Part of the resources
that was spent on brandy production before the crisis has now been
reoriented at production of high quality wines.
Thanks to this diversification, 2-3 wine producers having up-to-date
equipment emerged in the country over the last year. Thus, the reasons
of low quality wine production (outdated equipment etc.) are gradually
being liquidated in Armenia. The stalemate in development of
winemaking in Armenia is that Armenians that have been focusing on
brandy production for the last 150 years have lost their skills of
producing vine variety. But we must display an empirical approach to
this issue, make experiments and we will see real results in 20-30
years.
From: A. Papazian
By Lilit Aslanyan, ArmInfo, September 16 2010
2010-09-16 12:21:00
ArmInfo's exclusive interview with Avag Haroutiunyan, Chairman of
Armenian Winemakers Union
Mr. Haroutiunyan, what are your forecasts on the grape harvest for
brandy and winemaking in Armenia in the current year?
I revised my forecasts about the harvest due to some unfavorable
weather conditions. If initially I forecasted 20%-30% growth in the
yield of grapes for 2010, now I think that the growth will range
between 10% - 15%. I think about 148-155 thousand tons of grapes will
be gathered in Armenia in 2010 for industrial processing versus 137
thousand tons in 2009. At the same time, total yield of grapes for
brandy and wine making in 2010 may make up 225-230 thousand tons. Only
20% of the total volume of the gathered grapes is the red sort, of
which only 10% are use for wine making.
Does Armenia fully use its winegrowing potential?
No. In Armenia the yield of grapes is too little as compared with the
potential Armenia really has. I have conducted a survey recently and
found out that nearly 16 thousand ha of vineyards are cultivated at
present whereas in the Soviet period of time cultivated vineyards
occupied 37 thousand ha. The difference is evident. I think that up to
60 thousand ha can be cultivated in Armenia for winemaking alone. This
requires introduction of relevant irrigation systems on the bases on
new technologies, for instance, drip irrigation systems. No matter if
the vineyard is in a valley or on hills, such technology of irrigation
is applicable to any type of vineyard. Using such irrigations systems
on the basis of new technologies may give an opportunity to Armenia to
grow grapes even on 100-120 thousand hectares. If such technology is
introduced, on 20 thousand hectares one can grow grapes for production
of wine similar to French Bordeaux wine and Italian Chianti wines by
quality. Relevant investments are necessary to use the whole area, but
wealthy people refuse to make these investments for lack of proper
insurance. It is normal, because they should be insured at least
against losses in case of grape louse.
When do you think the vintage should be started?
Unfortunately, few observe the right time of vintage in Armenia.
Brandy vintage is September 15-25 when the content of sugar in grape
is low, some 17%-18%, whereas winemaking vintage starts on October 20
when sugar content is at least 21%. Considering that 90% of grape
yield is used in production of brandy, farmers gather the entire
harvest till September 25. They cannot leave just one small part of
vineyard for winemaking because it requires additional spending, first
of all, and grape may lose weight by 30% and cattle may damage it. All
these factors impede high-quality grape production for winemaking in
Armenia. Only in some vineyards in Vayots Dzor region, especially near
the village of Areni, vintage for winemaking is quite good.
Official statistics say brandy production in Armenia shows upward
trends this year as compared to last year. What is your assessment of
the situation in the brandy market, specifically, the export?
Brandy production is really gathering pace again. At present total
brandy production volume yields to the level of the pre-crisis period
by some 20%-30%. In the very period of crisis, brandy production in
the country fell 70%. However, the crisis had some positive aspects as
well. First, production of false low-quality brandy fell some 30%
because in the crisis period demand for brandy in the country fell.
Therefore, brandy quality in the country has comparatively improved.
As for exports, almost the whole volume of brandy and some 10%-13% of
wine produced in Armenia are exported at present. It is normal because
Armenian wines yield to brandy by their image in the world markets.
Yet in the Soviet period all the best technologies and recipes of
brandy were delivered to Armenia, whereas wine production was promoted
in Georgia. This is probably what made us less engage in winemaking.
It is noteworthy that in the period of crisis reduction of export and
brandy production made many local producers thinking seriously of
market diversification, reserving products for export not to be left
with nothing in case of force-majeur situations. Part of the resources
that was spent on brandy production before the crisis has now been
reoriented at production of high quality wines.
Thanks to this diversification, 2-3 wine producers having up-to-date
equipment emerged in the country over the last year. Thus, the reasons
of low quality wine production (outdated equipment etc.) are gradually
being liquidated in Armenia. The stalemate in development of
winemaking in Armenia is that Armenians that have been focusing on
brandy production for the last 150 years have lost their skills of
producing vine variety. But we must display an empirical approach to
this issue, make experiments and we will see real results in 20-30
years.
From: A. Papazian