Winemaking started in Armenia around 6000 years ago and wine is not merely a type of food, it is a culture, which has accompanied Armenians over centuries.

This is a great heritage that needs to be preserved and passed on to future generations. That is what the Enology and Wine Business program’s efforts are aimed at: provide a world-class professional education in winemaking and wine business, which will equip students with skills for the emergence of the Wine Market in Armenia. We are proud that our efforts have paid off since 2014 and the impact of our graduates on the sector has been immense. The knowledge they have received in the classroom will be definitely apply in the wineries or in the vineyards, maybe in an office space to write up the marketing strategy of a particular wine.

This year sixteen students graduated from the Enology and Wine Business program at EVN Wine Academy fully prepared to undertake the challenges and contribute to the development of the winemaking sector. We are sure that most of them will start their own businesses and the wines they produce will have outstanding qualities for domestic and international markets.

“We would never think, that a sentence in a development proposal would become such a viable educational program”, said Aram Babayan, a senior expert at GIZ. Indeed, ICARE Foundation and GIZ worked very closely to bring this great idea into a reality and there we are: after around 9 years since the development stage, we have the EVN Wine Academy as a unique educational program for wine enthusiasts.

Through video conferencing, we hosted Dr. Jon Hanf during the ceremony, who had the chance to give his valuable advice to the students. “It is great to think of the international market, but never forget about the domestic one”. mentioned Dr. Hanf. This is particularly important to keep in mind after the recent changes in consumers’ preferences. If you walk down Saryan Street in the evening, you will notice how many people enjoy their time drinking wine around a table. Thus,  that is why the advice is more than applicable nowadays.

Dr. Arthur Grigoryan, Director of ICARE Foundation, and Ms. Zaruhi Muradyan, Director of Vine and Wine Foundation, congratulated the graduates wishing them success in their future endeavors. They mentioned their openness for collaboration on different projects, even if they seem to be challenging and difficult to implement.

Later in the evening, the certification process was held full of various emotions and a networking part among the attendees.