Shamakhi, August 31, AZERTAC

The first Grape and Wine Festival has kicked off in Meysari village of Azerbaijan’s Shamakhi district, aiming to promote local production of grapes and wine, increase the export potential of wine and highlight the history of wine making in Azerbaijan.

Held on the territory of viticulture and wine making complex of Shirvan Sharablari LLC, the Festival is organized with the support of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Ministry of Agriculture, Shamakhi District Executive Authority, Regional Development Public Union, State Tourism Agency and Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum.

Addressing the opening ceremony, head of Shamakhi District Executive Authority Tahir Mammadov said that Shamakhi, along with being the land of poetry and music, has also long been recognized as one of the respected wine-growing regions of Azerbaijan. He mentioned that in Shamakhi, where the traditions of viticulture had been maintained for many years, both large enterprises and small family farms were being established.

Minister of Agriculture Inam Karimov noted that Shamakhi was not only one of the major agricultural regions of Azerbaijan, but was also recognized as the wine and grape growing capital of the country. The minister described the development of the agrarian sector as one of the key priorities of the state policy in Azerbaijan. Karimov emphasized that holding such events was of significant importance not only to Shamakhi district, but also to Azerbaijan as a whole.

The event participants then familiarized themselves with presentations by winemakers about their wineries and attended a wine tasting.

The festival area also featured a fair of agricultural products.

During the festival the visitors will be also able to see various types of folk art of certain Azerbaijani districts including copper craft, carpet weaving, shebeke (multicolored glass mosaics), and pottery as well as the process of their production, and learn about the national music and the culture of Azerbaijani cuisine.

The festival also featured a spectacular light show organized on the lake on the territory of the complex and songs performed on the yacht.

The festival program also includes poetry workshop, concert, excursion to the Shamakhi observatory, demonstration of a feature film – outdoor cinema and other interesting events.

A special zone for creating memorable photos is also organized on the festival area.

The Festival will run until August 31.