📍 Shirvan

Shirvan is a historic region in eastern Azerbaijan, on the slopes of the Greater Caucasus and in the foothills south of the range. It is one of the oldest wine-growing areas of the country.

Shirvan includes the wine districts of Shamakhi, Ismayilli (formerly called Ivanovka), Agsu and Madrasa. Shamakhi is regarded as one of the main centres of Azerbaijani winemaking. Vines grow on the foothill slopes, where summers are warm and nights cooler than on the plain.

The best-known local grape is Madrasa (also spelled Matrasa). It is a red variety named after the village of Madrasa in the Shamakhi area, and it gives dark, full-bodied wines. Besides local varieties, international ones are grown here too.

Shirvan is part of Azerbaijani winemaking as a whole. If you want to find on the map where wine is made in Azerbaijan, the foothills of Shirvan are the easiest landmark: many of the country's wine traditions come from here. Wine here is traditionally drunk with grilled meat and plov, and vineyards often belong to small family farms. The name Shirvan on a label shows that the grapes grew in this very area, which makes it easy to look for similar wines.