Azerbaijani Grapes: Past and Present Famil Sharifov Ph.D
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Focusing on Azerbaijan Azerbaijani grapes: Past and Present Famil SHARIFOV Ph.D. in Agriculture WHITE SHANI Local Absheron variety AZERBAIJAN IS AN ANCIENT LAND OF VITICULTURE. Its NatURE AND CLimatE ARE FAVORABLE FOR GROWING DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF GRAPES. THE OLDEst, LONG-stORED, SUGARY AND HIGH-YIELDING VARIETIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CULTI- VatED IN OUR COUNTRY. zerbaijani grapes and prod- in particular, is considered one of Archeological excavations are an ucts made of them, such as the centers of plants, including effective tool for studying the socio- Agrape juices which make you grapes. economic background of Azerbai- physically vigorous and sherbets According to Nizami’s works, jani people, including the history with their scent of flowers that are when the troops of Alexander the of viticulture. There is extensive ar- also a source of high spirits, have Great invaded Azerbaijan and be- cheological information suggest- been served for holiday feasts since sieged Barda, according to an ar- ing that the peoples inhabiting the ancient times. rangement with local ruler Nushaba, territory of present-day Azerbaijan Azerbaijan’s natural conditions part of the local population’s tribute had developed viticulture. Some are conducive to growing grapes. was paid in grapes. buried grape clusters have reached Even primitive man, in addition to Wine is also mentioned on the us from the depth of centuries in a hunting and fishing, gathered wild- lists of products exacted in tax from dry and semi-decomposed condi- growing berries and fruit, including the people of north-western Media. tion. Quite a few of the surviving grapes. According to a research In 714 B.C., during the arrival of Sar- grapes had been placed in jugs and by prominent Russian botanist N. gon II, the Mannaeans greeted his thus preserved their form and size. Vavilov, the Caucasus, Azerbaijan warriors with flour and wine. In 1962, an archeological excavation 58 www.irs-az.com of a 6-5th century B.C. historical site, and, according to specialists, belong ulcher in Khanlar District discovered Shomutepe near Agstafa discov- to grapes for table use. The seeds are food, vessels for the storage of wine ered remains of different plants, in- of different sizes, the biggest being and remains of grape seeds. Vessels cluding grape seeds. Following the 6.5 mm long. Excavations near the with wine were placed near a de- discovery, scientists proved that Ganjachay river have revealed that ceased person during funeral rituals. the history of viticulture in Azer- the local population was engaged In addition to the remains of baijan is at least 7 millennia long. in horticulture and viticulture in the grapes and jugs, the excavations The grape seeds, stone tools used bronze age. also discovered the instruments in wine-making and other items Excavation of a late bronze age used in horticulture (hoes, knives, discovered in excavations around burial mound has discovered pot- pressing stones, clippers, chop- Uzerliktepe near Agdam, in Khanlar tery jars. A chemical analysis of their ping knives, etc.), crockery (ves- District and in Nakhchivan are evi- petrified content revealed that it is a sels, jugs, wineglasses, bowls, etc.). dence of the role viticulture played wine sediment which also contains Pressing stones were found buried in the lives of local tribes in the grape seeds. Along with late bronze deep underground in the Givrag bronze age. The seeds discovered in age attire, arms and crockery, the and Shakhtahti-Garabaglar villages, Uzerliktepe are over 3500 years old excavation of the Yaloylutepe sep- Galachig and Kultepe settlements www.irs-az.com 59 Focusing on Azerbaijan of Sharur District of Nakhchivan. There is a deep hollow in the mid- dle and a furrow on the stones through which cleared wine would pour. This points to the develop- DERBENDI ment of viticulture in the 2nd mil- Local Absheron lennium B.C. The excavation in the variety Borsunlu village of Terter District in DERBENDI of Azerbaijan Local Absheron 1982 revealed a large earthenware variety boiler with a hole at the bottom. It of Azerbaijan has been proven that the boiler was used for pressing grapes in the late 2nd millennium B.C. In a 5th century B.C. research, Herodotus wrote: “The abun- dance and quality of local grapes NAIL are known even in Iran, Baby- This variety was lon and Greece.” Roman histo- obtained by the BAYANSHIRE rian Pliny the Elder, admiring the author through Local Azerbaijan wealth and horticulture on the breeding (1988) variety spread in territory of present-day Azerbai- foothill areas 60 www.irs-az.com jan, said: “… I have never eaten rapher and traveler Adam Olear- such tasty grapes before. This ius wrote that first grape clusters GAMASHARA people can till the ground better were brought to Astrakhan from Local Jalilabad than Egyptians.” Shirvan. Besides, in his notes variety of Describing the farming activity about Azerbaijan he also pointed Azerbaijan of ancient Azerbaijan population, to the presence of around 600 va- Strabo highlighted the role of viti- rieties here. culture. “Vineyards there (Caucasian The researches on viticulture in Albania) are not covered. Vine ends Azerbaijan suggest that this area was are cut every five years, new planta- mainly developed in two directions. tions produce crops on the second Until the first half of the 19th centu- year, while old vineyards yield so ry it was mainly part of subsistence much produce that much of it stays farming, but when Azerbaijan joined unharvested.” the Russian market, the demand Prominent 14-15th century Azer- dramatically increased, bolstering baijani geographer and historian further development of viticulture. Abdurrashid Bakuvi described the The issue of raising processing lev- development of viticulture in and els emerged. Industrial wine-making around Baku. Merchants and travel- began developing in the 1860-70s. ers would take the best varieties of Azerbaijan’s viticulturists devel- grapes to distant countries. Geog- oped many valuable varieties each www.irs-az.com 61 Focusing on Azerbaijan of which was adapted to the soil strengthen the tone of the heart and climate conditions in different and the body. Another Nakhchivan parts of the country. These varieties variety, Shafei, is a medicine in the were named for different qualities: truest sense of the word: it strength- color (Black, White, Yellow, Sarigilya, ens the body, helps in anemia and Violet, Gek Gezendan, Karaserme, poor eyesight. Over 100 varieties of etc.), quality, taste, aroma (Gilabi, grapes were grown in Nakhchivan. Kishmishi, Shekeri, Tembei, Shirei, The Absheron Peninsula is a tra- Kerimgandi), appearance and size ditional center of viticulture. There GANJA PINK of berries (Gushuren, Misgali, Tulku- are often trailing vines here. In this Local Ganja guyrugu, Deveguzu, Tuleguzu, position grapes are prone to dis- variety of Kesimemesi-inekemdzhei, Galinbar- ease and survive largely thanks to Azerbaijan magi-khatinbarmagi), thickness of the Khazri, a wind blowing from the peel (Dash uzum, Galingabig, Na- Caspian Sea. zikgabig), seed size and shape of the Over 50 varieties of grapes grow cluster (Saplalurmaz, Khachabash, in Absheron, but the main ones Bendi, Teberze). The names of some are Ag Shani, Gara Shani, Sarygi- varieties come from places, such lya, Khatyni, Pishraz, Geybadam, as Beylagani, Tabrizi, Shabrani, Der- Rish Baba, Halbesar, Galinbarmagi, bendi, Ordubadi, Shirvanshahi, Tatli, Kechiemdzhei, Gizil uzum, Kishmi- Merendi, Medrese, Shakhtakhti, etc. shi, Movyuchu, Derbendi, Salyani, Some varieties made their breed- Zabrat. Unlike other regions, many ers famous: Khalili, Husseini, Askeri, of the Absheron grape varieties Sakina Khanum, Mukhtari, Agadai, have been preserved because there Melei, etc. Certain imported vari- were no commercial vineyards here. BENDI eties known by the name of their Currently, all these varieties can be Local “historic homeland” have caught on found in people’s backyards. By the Nakhchivan in Azerbaijan. For example, during degree of sugar content, Shani is variety of the Arab invasion into Central Asia superior to all other varieties. This Azerbaijan in the 7-9th centuries, grapes which is primarily due to soil and climatic were subsequently grown around conditions of Absheron, and also a Ta’if were imported. This variety was set of trace elements in the «golden brought to Azerbaijan from Central sand» endemic to the region. Asia and became known as Taifi. Our country has all conditions Azerbaijan’s grape-growers have for the production of wines that learned how to adapt imported can compete with well-known varieties to the local climate. For brands. There are sayings by fa- instance, Rkatsiteli and Tavkveri mous travelers, scientists and states- were imported from Georgia, Mus- men on Azerbaijani wine. For exam- ka, Berdo and Pino from Crimea. ple, renowned Russian writer Maxim In the mid-19th century, Cabernet, Gorky, during a visit to Baku in 1936, Isabella, Riesling, Aliquot were im- tasted Azerbaijani wine and made ported from Europe. These varieties no secret of his admiration. He yield a good harvest. In turn, some and even proposed a toast “To the valuable sorts were exported to health of the people drinking the MEDRESE Central Asia, Crimea, Ukraine, sparkling sun”. Very aptly put, isn’t it! Local Upper Moldova, Georgia, etc. Dark yel- After all, it is thanks to the sunlight Shirvan variety of low, amber-colored Khazar, Kishmi- and heat that grapes of such an ex- Azerbaijan shi are the cure for many diseases, quisite taste ripen. There are many 62 www.irs-az.com regions in Azerbaijan where there is enough sunlight and heat. Even the varieties with the lowest sugar con- tent are suitable for making wines and grape juices. Only a handful of the known 20,000 varieties are considered cu- rative. The most curative is Tabrizi, ARNA-GRNA BLACK SHANI Local which serves as an indispensable at- Local Absheron Nakhchivan tribute of a festive table.