Azerbaijan's wine regions: where to go after a hike

Viticulture in Azerbaijan is very old, and over the last 15–20 years the sector has revived. What makes it interesting is that the main grape-growing zones lie in exactly the districts the hiking routes pass through — so adding them to a trip requires no extra travel.

The main regions

Şamaxı. The country's best-known wine region. Mountain foothills, well-drained soil and a wide day-night temperature range — favourable conditions for grapes. Two hours from Baku makes it the most accessible option for a weekend.

İsmayıllı. Neighbouring Şamaxı, greener and cooler. The region has both large estates and small family production. A great many hiking routes cross the same district: İsmayıllı, the Qalacıq hike, Lake Qaranohur, Babadağ canyon.

Qəbələ. Foothills, a cool climate. Alongside wine, fruit processing is strong — hazelnuts, apples, pomegranates.

Göygöl (formerly Helenendorf). The winemaking tradition here begins with German colonists in the 19th century. It is one of the first centres of industrial winemaking in the country, and the German imprint is still visible in the town's architecture. It is in the same region as the Kəpəz and Göygöl routes: Kəpəz peak + Göygöl and Maralgöl.

The Tovuz–Şəmkir zone. To the west; large-volume production.

Local grape varieties

Alongside international varieties (Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay), local ones are used — Mədrəsə, Bayanşirə, Xindoqnı and others. The most talked about is Mədrəsə: a red variety from the Şamaxı region, and the wines that best express the region's character are made from it.

Fitting it into a trip

The practical arrangement is simple: hike in the morning, winery in the afternoon. Sitting among the vines after a day route is a good way to close a weekend.

A few notes:

• Most estates require calling ahead; turning up at the gate and expecting a tasting usually does not work.
• If there is a tasting, the driver does not drink — simple, but frequently forgotten. On group tours the problem solves itself.
• Harvest season is September–October; the estates are at their liveliest then.
• Many estates also serve food, so together with the regional cuisine you get a complete programme.

Other gastronomic stops nearby

• Lahıc — coppersmithing and village cooking, on the İsmayıllı routes: the Mücü–Lahıc mountain hike.
• Qax and Zaqatala — hazelnuts, honey, sac dishes.
• Lənkəran — ləvəngi and turşu aş, together with the Hirkan routes.
• Şəki — halva and piti; the Şəki–Qax weekend.