Acting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan believes that the country’s wines and brandies are on the cusp of attaining international standards and that the government must support producers in their attempt to enter new markets.

Pashinyan talked about Armenia’s wines and brandies during today’s government cabinet session, noting that foreign guests in Armenia for the recent La Francophonie Summit told him they were impressed with the beverages.

“I was particularly pleased when the president of France and his wife made a point of talking about Armenian wines and cognac, of course, using their lexicon, brandy. And it wasn’t only them. Our wines and cognac left a good impression overall, which means that we have been able to reach certain standards,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan said that grape production in Armenia must be expanded and winemaking skills improved.

He also stressed the importance of monitoring of cognac, labelled as produced in Armenia, being sold throughout the Eurasian Economic Union, since the sale of such low quality merchandise can negatively impact the status of Armenian cognac.