Abrau-Durso Group unveils a new collection of aged Agdam Reserve port wines from the Sheki Sharab winery — noble white and intriguing red. The premium port wines bring a new interpretation of the classic recipe. They age in oak barrels, which gives Agdam Reserve a rich aroma and deep taste with excellent balance.

The famous name Agdam translates from Azerbaijani as “the city of white roofs”. The design of the new Agdam Reserve line features such a picturesque landscape with a concise graphic sketch of an estate with vineyards against the background of the foothills of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range, a mountainous terroir where grapes grow for the production of port wine. There is a special year on the neck: it was in 1936 that the original recipe was first mentioned.

The new Agdam Reserve collection consists of monosort fortified wines, the rich taste of which reflects the full features of the grape varieties Rkatsiteli and the main autochthon of Azerbaijan, Madras. Unlike other port wines, when Agdam Reserve is created, the strengthening is made with premium wine distillate, not grain alcohol, which makes the bouquet of the wine especially rich and refined. Almost the entire production process takes place manually, from harvesting grapes to capping each bottle of Agdam Reserve. The updated version uses longer port wine and aging at natural temperatures in oak barrels of different volumes and ages. Aging takes from four to six years and reveals the unique character of the port wine. As a result, the level of residual sugar remains low, which adds lightness and sophistication to the Agdam Reserve flavor composition — port wines are universal for gastronomic combinations.

The classic red Agdam Reserve is made from the famous autochthonous Azerbaijani variety Madras, a living treasure of the wine-making traditions of the region. Grapes perfectly reveal their aromatics and taste in fortified wines. The taste of Agdam Reserve red port wine is complemented by a rich garnet hue, the bouquet contains notes of plum and blackberry jam, milk chocolate, creme brulee, dates, cumin, hints of thyme and smoked spices, explosive and juicy taste with tones of cherry, plum and black pepper, a warming aftertaste. The ideal serving of red Agdam Reserve is at room temperature, in tulip-shaped glasses. It is an excellent digestif and harmoniously complement the taste of aged cheeses.

White Agdam Reserve is filled with aromas of peach, nectarine, dried apricots, honey, cinnamon, grapefruit and lime zest, candied citrus fruits and roasted hazelnuts. The taste continues and develops the tones of white stone fruits and candied fruits against a background of perfectly balanced sweetness and freshness. There are several serving options for white Agdam Reserve, both in its pure form, with ice, and as part of cocktails.

Agdam port wine has been known in Azerbaijan since 1936. Today, its production have been revived in the Sheki region, in the Azerbaijani part of the Alazani Valley, at the Sheki Sharab Winery. In 2023, the Agency for Export and Investment Promotion of the Republic of Azerbaijan granted the winery the exclusive right to use the state-owned trademark “Agdam” to produce the port wine of the same name.