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Anastasia Palferova is a wine expert, member of the Russian Sommelier Association, author of the popular Telegram channel “Wine? Why No!” and a number of winemaking courses. After leaving a career in consulting, she devoted herself to wine culture and now shares her respective knowledge and experience with a wide audience. In an interview with STYLE.NEWS.am Anastasia spoke about how one can not only enjoy wine, but also turn this hobby into a profitable business, and also what Armenian wines lack for greater recognition and recognition.

Is it possible to drink wine and make money from it at the same time?

Of course you can. There are many examples. Wine knowledge can and should be monetized, there are more than enough ways to do this:

- Conducting tastings

- Maintaining a wine blog, and making money on advertising integrations and affiliate programs

- Organization of tours

- Compilation of private collections

- Organizing private and corporate events

- Creation of information products: courses, guides, webinars, etc.

- Providing marketing support to restaurants and wineries

- Organization of major wine events: exhibitions, salons, etc.

All this can be done both for hire and as a freelancer, creating your own projects. Both options have their pros and cons, but I am definitely closer to the option of freelancing and my own projects.

Are you seeing an increase in professional interest in wine from amateurs? How in demand are wine experts now?

Of course I am watching. More and more people are realizing that wine is not about getting drunk, it is about culture, art, history, aromas and tastes, about harmony. For some, knowledge at the everyday level is enough; for example, how Sauvignon Blanc differs from Chardonnay. But someone wants to dive deeper, and he goes further. I see a clear increase in interest in wine experts and wine blogs, and this is wonderful.

Unusual wine and food pairings often appear on your Instagram feed. Are there truly universal wines that even go well with dumplings?

Pink champagne, of course. And in general, pink sparkling according to the classics. Still quiet rosés with good acidity; for example, from Pinot Noir. Armenian rosé wines from Areni, by the way, are also very gastronomic. Or light red wines without barrel aging: Gamay, some Pinot Noirs and, again, some Arenis without barrel.

What risks do those who decide to invest in wine face? How can they be minimized?

There are legal risks—do not forget that in the Russian Federation the resale of wine from an individual to an individual is formally prohibited; I don’t know how it is in Armenia. There are storage risks—you need to understand that wines must be stored in the right conditions. Well, if you invest in winemaking, then this is generally a story with a very long payback period and many natural risks. There is a joke: “How to become a millionaire? Be a billionaire and invest in winemaking.”

What did you have to leave behind when working with wine and directly for yourself, and what do you get in return?

I left behind pleasant amounts of income on the card twice a month and stability. I received pleasure, drive and the realization that I am doing what I love and I can develop here from absolutely different sides and move anywhere—there are no boundaries.

How have your views on wine and winemaking changed since you began your career?

I started drinking less, but more expensively. And I realized that you can immerse yourself in the topic of wine endlessly.

Which Armenian wines pleasantly surprised you at the Armenian Wine Expo in Moscow, and why?

In principle, I have been familiar with Armenian winemaking for several years and have been to Armenia several times. I liked the “natural” from Alluria, I always love Areni from 130-year-old vines from Voskeni. Of the whites, I was pleased with the cask Voskehat from Osculatus a Deo. I also enjoyed looking at paintings from the epic about David of Sassoun. I didn’t have time to attend the author’s lecture, but I took note of the book and will definitely read it.

Armenian wines on the world stage: what is their specialty? Are there any chances to prove yourself on the world stage?

The trick is in history, in antiquity, and we need to focus on this. How your Georgian neighbors promoted the orange/amber trend to the world stage. Need more promotion.

What weaknesses have you noticed in Armenian wines and wineries? What's stopping them from getting more recognition?

We need more marketing and work on awareness. And Armenia, as a wine country in general, and specific wineries. I see that winery owners also realize this and are working on it.

Your personal impressions of Armenian wines: are there any of your favorites among them?

Sparkling Keush is love. Well, I'm actually a fan of sparkling drinks. And again, I can’t help but remember Areni from the 130-year-old vines from Voskeni.

Liana Aghajanyan

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