Several years ago, Vahe Keushguerian, one of the pioneers of modern Armenian winemaking, had a daring idea: one that would involve smuggling native grapes from Iran, making wine in Armenia, and presenting it to the world as a wine made in exile.
Time and time again, wine creates a simple but unbreakable bond between man and the land, against all odds of incompatibility. Keushguerian faced not only the incompatibility of nature versus man, but also the incompatibility of history and politics between land and man.
His quest to save long-suppressed wine traditions in Iran, a country where alcohol has been banned since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, became a reality when filmmaker Jason Wise decided to focus his documentary lens on Keushguerian's dream project.
“It's the most dangerous wine in the world,” says Dustin Wilson, master sommelier and co-founder of Verve Wine in the film “SOMM: Cup of Salvation,” the latest in a series of films that began with Wise's 2012 documentary. “SOMM,” which followed aspiring master sommeliers as they attempted to pass the notoriously difficult wine exam.
There were more than 300 wineries in Iran before the 1979 revolution, along with thriving operations involving many Armenians who were forcibly relocated there during the reign of Shah Abbas in the 16th century. In fact, Iran is considered one of the cradles of wine making, along with Armenia, Georgia and other areas of the Caucasus Mountains.
Keushguerian chose Sardasht county, near the 44-kilometer border that Iran shares with Armenia, to source the grapes for his project. In 2021, after some research, he found a small isolated vineyard with the native Rasheh grape. He was able to transport enough grapes to Armenia to make 14,000 bottles of wine at his WineWorks winery with winemaker Arman Manoukian. The wine was named Mòläna after the 13th century Persian poet and scholar Rumi, who was often referred to as Moulana. Aged in stainless steel tanks, the ruby-colored wine with notes of raspberry and cherry and hints of winter spice showcases the native terroir with rich volcanic soil and high elevation.
“The goal is to show how shameful it is that Iran does not allow such a product to be manufactured in Iran,” says Keushguerian. “I'm not saying that when you try the product you say, 'Maybe we should make a wine.' Not yet. But at some point they should.”
A shot of Rasheh wine from the documentary “SOMM: Cup of Salvation.”
(SOMM TV)
This year, through his connections, Keushguerian was able to transport another batch of Rasheh grapes for 8,000 more bottles of Mòläna. He hopes this is the last phase of his project due to its dangerous nature.
In one of the first scenes of the film, we see anxiety on the face of Keushguerian's wine-growing daughter, Aimee, as she asks her father if he thinks there will be trouble when trucks full of grapes cross the border from Iran into Armenia. .
“I'll call you from jail,” he says, half joking.
Winemakers Vahe, left, and Aimee Keushguerian wear bulletproof vests at a vineyard in Khachik, a town on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border to protect themselves from snipers.
(SOMM TV)
“Cup of Salvation” has been touring cities across the United States, including Los Angeles, and can be seen on the wine and food streaming service SOMM TV in early 2024. But if you're curious about what Iranian wine tastes like in exile For example, you can find the fruits of Keushguerian's project here in Southern California.
The first release of wine made from Iran's Rasheh grapes was recently tasted by Iranian-born Californian winemakers at Momed in Atwater Village. Working closely with sommelier Ehsan Mackani, chef Vartan Abgaryan curated a special combination menu highlighting traditional Iranian dishes. Grilled beef tongue with smoked labneh served with fresh chickpea salad, stewed beans and green harissa seemed like a perfect match for this wine.
Mòläna wine made with Rasheh grapes, from the documentary “SOMM: Cup of Salvation”.
(SOMM TV)
“When I took a sip of Mòläna and breathed in, I immediately remembered biting into a new date,” says Abgaryan. “That fresh date has sweetness but it is not sugary. The same goes for this wine: it is a well-balanced and structured wine.”
Mòläna is currently on Momed's bottled menu. It is imported by Storica Wine (which offers a SOMM four-pack of other wines featured in the film plus limited bottles of Mòläna) and sold at local stores such as Remedy Liquor and Mission Wine & Spirits.
In “Cup of Salvation,” the Iranian wine project is only part of the story. Through the journey of the Keushguerians, the documentary captures the struggles and dedication of Armenians as they harvested fruit and made wine during the conflict that broke out between Artsakh and Azerbaijan in 2020.
Despite the danger of being killed by snipers, father and daughter decided to go ahead with that year's harvest at their vineyard in the village of Khachik, on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. They wore bulletproof vests and made sure to finish their work quickly along with the other pickers.
“This film shows what terroir is not just from the point of view of the land where the grapes are grown,” says Wise, “but how important it is to the vine itself. “Throughout generations, these vines have been growing in the same place, which is Armenia, and what ends up being the people and the vine become equal and cannot exist without each other.”
