Tovuz, Azerbaijan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tovuz is the capital of Tovuz (rayon) in Azerbaijan.

It was once a German settlement called Traubenfeld.

Formerly a town of German settlers called Traubenfeld, Tovuz is a recent town founded in 1912. After the Germans were expelled by Stalin the town was resettled with Caucasian population.

The town is on the main route to Georgia, with both the railway and the road passing through. The European Union has been investing in the area, improving the transportation infrastructure with the TRACECA programme. The area is rich in mining resources, including gold.

Tovuz is famous throughout Azerbaijan as the birthplace of the Ashug musician Hussein Bozalganli, whose house is now a museum

The Tovuz region where the wine and cognac plants are located has a rich history of wine-growing in Azerbaijan. Before the arrival of the Arabs in the 7th century, the Tovuz region was known as the oldest land of quality wine-growing. Many archaeological findings prove that (vessels for wine storage, stones and remains of tartaric acid found in Gyandja and Tovuz) during early stages of social development, the wine-growing was apparent in the Gyandja-Tovuz region. In addition to the manuscripts of famous travelers, historians and geographers (Homer, Heradot, Strabon, Columell, Hovgell, Masoodi, Al-Muqadasi, etc.), the 10th century Arabian geographer Al-Muqaddasi, while describing the wealth of Azerbaijan, remarked that "the region is rich and beautiful; it has many fruits and wines. Such sweet wine is not found anywhere like in Nakhichevan."

In the Epos of Dede Gorgut (10-11th centuries), which is not only a poetical but a historical monument, roughly 80 types of wines were served in the golden grails served during holiday festivities in Azerbaijan. During the 11th century, Omar Khayyam spoke about the social uses of wines in his poems, as did the great Azeri poet and thinker Nizami. In fact, Nizami lived in a city with a rich wine-aking tradition.

During the 19th century, Russia had an immense interest in Azerbaijan, its wines, figs, saffron, mulberry trees, pomegranates, etc. As during the rule of Peter I and Catherine II, the Russian territory expanded and, due to its small labor force, lands were left uncultivated. As a result, Catherine II issued a manifesto on June 22, 1763 to relocate foreign citizens to Russia. The first who responded to her appeal were Germans.

Alexander I issued a manifesto on February 20, 1804 to resettle Germans to Russia and create the necessary living conditions for them to develop the winemaking industry.

A total of 488 Swedish Germans were settled in the Transcaucasus in Nov.-Dec. 1818. The main goal of the Czar government in resettling the Germans to Azerbaijan was to develop the wine-making industry. After reset-tling the Germans in western regions of Gyandja, Khanlar, Shamkir, Tovuz, Agstafa, new vineyards were planned.

Hence, there was a great deal of winemaking taking place in the Caucasus in the Gyandja-Tovuz region from 1820-1830. The world's most famous winemaking capitalists appeared in Azerbaijan. They include Christopher Froer and Christian Gummel, who were among these German settlers. The largest plant for producing cognac was built in Traubenfield (Tovuz), which supplied the entire Russian market.

In addition to German influence in the Caucasus, Russia also played a significant role in the development of winemaking, especially in the Gyandja-Tovuz region in the 19th century. Russian influence was formative in the development and production of aromatic wines and planting new wine gardens in the Gyandja-Tovuz region (Shamkir, Khanlar, Samukh, Agstafa and Tovuz). Caucasus Governor M.S. Vorontsov, Prince K.N. Gorchakov, General A.I. Plemyannikov, famous Russian capitalist and vineyard owner N.G.Shustov and Prince Golitsin were also influential.

History proves that the Caucasus - especially Azerbaijan and its western Gyandja-Tovuz region is traditionally a wine-growing territory home to famous Russian, German and Azeri historical figures, scientists, proprietors and millionaires.

The company is unique on Caucasus which, since 2004 makes non-polluting high-quality pomegranate wine from an exotic product pomegranate which growing only in territory of Azerbaijan. The given pomegranate wine is issued under the name of "Azeri-Nar", is applied at treatment of many diseases, character for people suffering gastroenteric and intimate diseases has medical, at an anemia, radiation, a diabetes and has important value at clarification of blood from toxic substances.

Our business partners possess high-quality, long-standing cognac (25-50 years). Khanlar industrial complex specialized in the production on elite cognac for the central apparatus of the USSR for many years. Cognac materials were kept in special barrels made of 100-year old oak from the Limusin forest. At the present time, this stock of cognac material is kept in storehouses in specially controlled temperature rooms, following European standards (Gold Reserve).

After decree number 667 of President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev dated on January 2, 2002 regarding the development of grape-cultivation and wine-making in Azerbaijan, Tovuz-Baltia LTD began bottling cognac goods using French technology. Bottles, corks and all necessary materials were bought from Saver Glass, Domec, Saint Gobain, Diakom, Vetro and Delage.

At the moment, our partner has a brandy alcohol production capacity of more than 1000d/L per day and 65 ha of grape plantation (where such special sorts are grown for production of cognac alcohol and wine material, such as Recachitel, Gold-Riesling, Bayan-Shire, Uni-Blan, Shardonne and Cabirne-Savinion, but 265 ha of plantations under technical sorts of grape, in the rent of farmers.)

Only highly-qualified specialists with experience and a Moscow education work in the plant. Thanks to experienced cadres and

accumulated knowledge, the company produces high-quality wine from special varieties of grapes, as well as creating superior cognac alcohol. Cognac alcohol production is kept in 200-500 liter oak barrels, made of 100-year oak trees from Bulgaria, Italy and France. The flood of production is caused the purchase in apparatuses from French, German and Italian firms: Zeis, Gai and Costral, respectivley.

The main priority of our company is that the technology of creating spring water is used, which is received from mountainous river Dzegam. Mountain streams in 475 canyons of Shahdagh fall into Dzegam. This water has more significance for creating quality cognac. At the same time, climate conditions are an important factor as well. Azerbaijan is considered to be the world's grape-growing center. The quantity of active sun energy in Azerbaijan is two times more than in France. This is the main factor behind Azerbaijan's high quality grape harvest.

Honored Scientific Researcher of RSFSR and Professor A.M.Negrul demonstrated his comparative table, proving the advantage Azerbaijan has in comparison with other wine- producing countries.

Table of A.M. Negrul, showing position of active temperature in Ganja-Tovuz region of Azerbaijan and in the territories of the world countries, growing grape and dealing with wine - production

Regions and countries Average temperature of air (?C) Quantity of active tempe- rature (more than 10?C) April May June July August September October Ganja-Tovuz (Azerbaijan) 15,4 21,6 26,2 29,4 29,4 24 18 2905 Bordo (France) 11,4 15,1 17,9 20 21 17,9 13 1399 Algire 16,9 20,3 24,4 28,2 28,1 24,7 19,7 2889 Fresno (California) 15,7 19,5 24,3 27,8 27,1 23 17,8 2600 Neapol (Italy) 14,8 18,1 21,5 23,6 23,8 22,8 18,9 2228 Georgia 14,3 20,2 24,5 26,2 26,1 20,3 16,1 2600 Armenia 12,7 17,3 22 23,7 23,6 19,7 14,2 2360

The table above shows that, thanks to active temperatures, the highest quality brandy material is produced locally. Acid, pectin, mineral substances (calium, calcium, phosphorus, iron) and vitamins (carotene, thiamine, aneurine, axorbin, riboflavin, adermin, citrine and nicotine) are all ingredients of natural brandy. These combinations are dissolved quickly and easily in humans, giving one the opportunity to acquire oxygen the muscular system, especially the heart. This helps avert bacterial and infectious diseases. In addition, it strengthens organs in the circulatory system, renders poisonous substances harmless that have accumulated in the liver and intestines, assists in decreasing urinary acid in the blood and prevents the accumulation of harmful salts in the body. Natural brandy helps fight heart diseases, stomach, kidney, anaemia, breach of exchange of substances, weakness, impotence, beginning stages of tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, pleurisy and breaches of nerve system. Professor Gerpikin suggests that it contains powerful contents only found in a mother's milk. This kind of treatment in Azerbaijan is one called "ampelotherapy".

 "Ampelotherapy"- it is your health, cheerfulness and longevity. 
 At the present time the company produces various cognac products following European standards: V.S. (Absheron), V.S.O.P. (Bouquet of Azerbaijan, Goy-gol, Ganja) , V.V.S.O.P. (Azerbaijan, Baku, Shirvan), X.O. (Tovuz), Extra X.O. (Baku-Jeyhan, Leyli and Mejnun, Peter I, Gold Tovuz, Old Tovuz).