This article grasps over 100 years of economic history of the wine industry in Armenia. It problematizes industrial development before, during and after the Soviet Union. It highlights historical elements linking the development of the Armenian wine history to ancient history and contemporary development. The study shows that an emphasis on the impact of institutions within the Soviet Union, with a focus on the geographical distribution of institutions and their impact on single industries, countries or geographical areas, is fruitful to understand the dynamics of geopolitical agricultural and food relations within the Soviet Union. Results indicate that focusing on the spatial distribution of institutions and their economic outcomes is a fruitful avenue to understand varieties in economic development within a region, within a country, and also within an alliance of countries. It also helps highlighting centre-periphery dynamics in geopolitical constellations, such as the Soviet Union and explain how the subordinated role played by certain countries or industries considered as peripheral were outlined.