Sheki Sharab Winery was the first to obtain a license to use the Aghdam trademark

The Sheki Sharab winery was the first to receive the right from the Azerbaijani authorities to use the trademark of the legendary Agdam port wine. Thus, today only the Sheki Sharab products can be called real Aghdam.

Agdam as a legendary brand is one of the national brands of Azerbaijan owned by the state. In 2023, authorized representatives of the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan documented that the Sheki Sharab winery received the right to use the Agdam brand for its aged port wine. The issued license confirms the originality of the manufactured products and gives the right to represent them in all markets, including the Russian one.

Aghdam is a port wine that pays tribute to the winemaking traditions of Azerbaijan. The first mention of its recipe dates back to the middle of the 20th century. It was carefully revived at the Sheki Sharab winery under the guidance of experts from the Abrau-Durso Group of Companies, preserving its unique flavor and high quality. Beloved by consumers since the USSR, today Aghdam from Sheki Sharab restores the almost forgotten tradition of the production of aged port wines. 

In its production, classic technologies have been combined with best international practices. When creating port wine, only the Rkatsiteli grape variety is used, which is hand-picked and pressed several times to extract maximum flavor and aroma from the skins. In the Agdam production, we use grape distillate only, which significantly affects the quality and taste of the wine. After fermentation and aging in steel tubs, the port wine is aged in oak barrels of varying age and volume for over 4 years.

A deep, harmonious taste with an excellent balance of sugar and acidity and voluminous aroma with notes of nuts and candied fruits, melon, and sun-dried fruits is a reflection of the historical recipe of port wine. In 2023, at the international competition Korean Wine Challenge 2023, Aghdam from Sheki Sharab for the first time was honored with a silver medal and high praise from the professional jury.

In 2021, the Abrau-Durso Group of Companies acquired the ASK Sheki Sharab winery in the Sheki region of Azerbaijan, located in the famous region—the Alazani Valley. The winery is actively developing: it is expanding plantings of autochthonous grape varieties, modernizing all stages of production of still and sparkling wines, and developing the tourist infrastructure—the first Az Abrau wine museum in the region has been opened. The exhibition presents the history of the rich vine-growing and winemaking culture in Azerbaijan. Sheki Sharab produces still Az Abrau wines from autochthonous varieties Madrasa and Bayanshira, sparkling wines of the Abrau International Collection, and also revived the Aghdam brand of aged port wine. All wines produced are not only sold within the country but also exported to Russia.

"For us, receiving the license is a great honor and recognition of the high quality of the products we produce. Aghdam is a legendary brand, it is known and loved by many not only in Azerbaijan but also outside our homeland. We are proud that Sheki Sharab has become the first official producer of Aghdam and thank the Government of Azerbaijan for its trust. And now, with the assistance of Abrau-Durso, we have an opportunity to present the original Aghdam on the Russian market," Vidadi Gasanov, Chief Winemaker of Sheki Sharab, commented.