Areni-1 Cave: The World's Oldest Known Winery

Excavations at Areni-1 began in 2007 and concluded in 2010, led by Boris Gasparyan, Ron Pinhasi, and Gregory Areshian. The three-chambered karstic cave complex covers approximately 5,400 square feet in Vayots Dzor Province. Exceptional preservation of organic materials was made possible by sheep dung deposits that inhibited fungal growth, allowing seeds, vines, and equipment to survive millennia intact. The site also yielded the oldest known leather shoe, estimated at 5,500 years old.

• Excavations ran from 2007 to 2010 under Gasparyan, Pinhasi, and Areshian
• Sheep dung deposits inhibited fungal growth, preserving organic remains
• Also contains the oldest known leather shoe at approximately 5,500 years old
• Site was eventually abandoned following a roof collapse

The winery dates to the Late Chalcolithic Period, also known as the Copper Age, placing it at approximately 4100-4000 BCE. The facility includes a 60-centimeter-deep fermentation vat with a 65-liter capacity, a 1-meter clay basin wine press, and storage vessels. Grape remains were genetically confirmed as domesticated Vitis vinifera rather than wild species, demonstrating advanced horticultural knowledge. Malvidin pigment detected in pottery provides definitive chemical evidence that red wine was produced at the site. The find is at least 1,000 years older than the previous oldest known winery, discovered in the West Bank.

• Fermentation vat measures 60 centimeters deep with a 65-liter capacity
• Clay basin wine press measures 1 meter in diameter
• Grape DNA confirmed as domesticated Vitis vinifera
• Malvidin pigment in pottery is definitive evidence of red wine production

The cave's proximity to burial contexts, including human skulls found within the complex, strongly suggests wine played a central role in funerary and ceremonial practices. Drinking cups recovered alongside winemaking equipment reinforce this interpretation. The builders of the facility are possibly linked to the Kura-Araxes culture, a Bronze Age civilization known across the South Caucasus and Near East. The site is recognized by UNESCO and has become a major wine tourism destination in modern Armenia.

• Human skulls found within the cave suggest funerary and ritual use of wine
• Drinking cups recovered alongside winemaking equipment confirm ceremonial context
• Builders possibly linked to the Kura-Araxes culture
• Designated a UNESCO-recognized archaeological site

Areni-1 sits at 1,080 meters above sea level in Vayots Dzor Province, within the Armenian Highlands and Lesser Caucasus Mountains. The surrounding region features volcanic basalt, limestone, and alluvial soils, while the cave itself formed in sedimentary marine limestone. The external climate is semi-arid continental, with hot, dry summers reaching up to 40°C and cold, snowy winters. Inside the cave, a stable microclimate with minimal temperature fluctuations and low humidity created ideal conditions for both winemaking and the long-term preservation of organic materials.

• Elevation of 1,080 meters above sea level in Vayots Dzor Province
• Surrounding soils include volcanic basalt, limestone, and alluvial deposits
• External climate is semi-arid continental with summers up to 40°C
• Cave interior maintained a stable microclimate with low humidity

Medieval Armenian monasteries maintained vineyards around Areni for centuries after the cave fell out of use. The Soviet era redirected Armenian viticulture heavily toward brandy production, sidelining table wine. Armenia's independence in 1991 initiated a wine revival, and today producers including Zorah Wines, Hin Areni Winery, NOA Wines, and Voskevaz Winery carry forward the region's winemaking legacy. The native Areni Noir grape, grown in the same province as the ancient site, is considered the modern continuation of the winemaking tradition established at Areni-1.

• Medieval monasteries maintained Areni vineyards after the cave was abandoned
• Soviet policy redirected viticulture toward brandy production
• Independence in 1991 initiated a modern wine revival in Armenia
• Areni Noir is the key native grape continuing the region's ancient tradition