It was in January 2008 that Varuzhan Mouradian decided to return to his roots: this passionate Armenian winemaker left California with his family and settled in Van in Armenia, the former capital and cradle of Armenian viticulture, where his ancestors originated.

He created the Van Hardi estate or "Soleil de Van" with 9 hectares planted with 5 different local grape varieties in Ashtarak, also an ancient wine region of Armenia, on a terroir of very steep volcanic soils: Areni, the emblematic grape variety of Armenian red wines, Kakhet, Haghtanak and Kangun, the latter for white wines.