YEREVAN. – Armenian winemakers have begun to produce pomegranate wine with more stringent standards, Armenian Wine Makers’ Union President Avag Harutyunyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

In Harutyunyan’s view, Russia’s requirements, which came into force two years ago, and the EU regulations have played a role in the aforesaid.   

The ex-Soviet GOST (28616-90) wine standards—according to which the composition of pomegranate wine may include up to 30 percent grape wine and up to 20 percent other fruits, or berries—are still in force in Armenia. Russia, however, banned the inclusion of grapes two years ago.

As for Europe, the latter’s winemakers’ associations regulate the purity of the pomegranate wine.
“The [European] standards do not prohibit such a mixture, but public opinion decides everything [there]. Hence, our companies send to Europe only pure wine which is competitive in the market,” Avag Harutyunyan stated.