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Vineyard below peaks in Azerbaijan getty Context Forty years ago in Azerbaijan in the south Caucuses region of western Asia, the laconic lethargy of Soviet bulk wine production was walloped by planned vineyard destruction. The result left winemakers uncertain of how to move forward. Today, the country is redefining its wine production identity, with international grape varieties increasingly complemented by local and regional influence. During the Soviet era, when Azerbaijan was one of 15 republics comprising the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, quantity in wine making was prioritized over quality. During peak production in 1984 the then republic generated 26 million gallons (10 million hectoliters) of wine annually via 120 wineries and 420 viticulture farms. Fifty-six types of wines were produced, as well as 10 cognacs, reflecting a preference for sweet and fortified wines. In 1985 the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Mikhael Gorbachev, instituted a campaign to reduce alcohol production and consumption. This ‘Gorbachev’s Prohibition’ era resulted in the systematic destruction of over 120 square miles (32,000 hectares) of vineyards within Azerbaijan. After the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991, many vine growers and winemakers moved to cities such as the capital of Baku to seek livelihoods. The wine industry largely collapsed. “The system under communism was run by the central government and vineyards were not ours to own. After the Soviet Union ended people lost interest in vineyards and moved to Baku to work,” explained Penah Abdullayev, an Azerbaijan wine consultant. Massive wooden barrels were built by German winemakers a century ago at Goygol Winery Tom Mullen Revival Since about the year 2000 wine production has increasingly revived in Azerbaijan, focused more on quality than volume. By 2017 up to 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares) of new vineyards were being planted annually, and in 2018…

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Filed under: News - @ May 11, 2025 9:16 am