The presentation of a new public organization of the Sommelier Association and experts of Armenia was held in the Congress Hotel of Yerevan. The union was represented by its head, a wine expert of international level, Honored Sommelier of Russia, the author of several wine Guides Arthur Sarkisyan. He also held the first open master class in Armenia for wine market professionals on blind wine tasting. Armenia was represented at the workshop by the suppliers of the NWC.
The event was attended by more than 60 professionals of the wine market of Armenia: representatives of trading companies, restaurant business, wine boutiques. The central theme of the meeting was a «blind» tasting of six samples of wines specially selected for the master class by the head of the ASEA Arthur Sarkisyan.
With such an assessment, tasters got introduced with the wine, not knowing anything about its name and even the country of origin. Three wines from the portfolio of the New Wine Company from producers Karas, Hin Areni and Koor were able to compete «blindly» with the wines of the Old World.
«I love provocative tastings. As in many young markets, in Armenia, among people working with wine, there is a certain snobbery in relation to national winemaking. «I love Burgundy, Bordo and Chianti! We will not do the same!». We also put on the tasting very good wines of Burgundy, Bordo, Chianti Classico. And three wines from Armenia from Karas, Hin Areni and Kataro. Nobody knew what exactly was trying. And very many called it Armenian wines their favorites. I believe that we have achieved a very important goal: giving people the opportunity to trust their own opinion, to look at the wine impartially. If you want, «blindly», but «with your eyes open.» People believed in their strength, saw new opportunities for professional development. The result pleased many. First of all me as the head of the Association.»