Van Ardi translates as ‘Sun of Van’, referring to the ancient capital of Armenia where Varuzhan Mouradian’s ancestors are from. Varuzhan moved to armenia in 2008 to pursue his dream of making wine in Armenia after having lived in the US for many years. The result is a boutique estate winery based near Ashtarak, less than an hour Northwest of the capital, Yerevan. Since its inception, the estate has operated based on organic principles, and has achieved Organic Certification through Ecoglobe, the local agency that serves as the USDA National Organic Program’s Accredited Certifying Agent.

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When Armenia was absorbed into the Soviet Union in 1921, the identity of many Armenian varieties was obscured and eventually forgotten. Due to the Soviet demand for brandy, fermented fruit juice gained anonymity, and many vineyards were replanted to mazimze yields. Varuzhan is one of the winemakers who has shifted the focus to indigenous, high quality grape varieties.

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