Walk into any well-stocked bar or beverage aisle, and the back wall will immediately catch your eye: jewel-toned bottles filled with vibrant ambers, deep crimsons, velvety creams, and glowing emerald greens.

When the golden light of late autumn blankets mountain valleys and orchards give up their final harvest, Armenian kitchens begin to fill with an aroma that feels like a warm embrace: toasted rice, melting honey, cinnamon, and roasting winter squash.