Kavaklidere Cotes d’Avanos Collection
Cenap And founded Kavaklidere in 1929 in the Turkish capitol Ankara. What started as a winelover’s dream to promote Turkish grape varietals has grown to become one of Turkey’s largest wine producers and exporters.
Kavaklidere vineyards encompass more than 650 hectares in seven locations: Aykurt, Côtes d’Avanos, Pendore, Kirşehir, Elazığ, Güney, and Kalecik and with a production capacity of nearly 20 million liters annually, it is not surprising that the company requires multiple production facilities. The main winery is still located in Ankara with smaller facilities in the north Aegean (Pendore) and Cappadocia (Côtes d’Avanos).
Nearly 90 years after Cenap And began his journey to promote indigenous Anatolian grape varieties the winery continues the viticultural research and development activities And began. Kavaklidere now markets a range of 66 different wines. Some are made with Turkish grapes but the winery also tries to adapt international grapes to its 
vineyards situated in different regions of Turkey.
The Côtes d’Avanos series is part of the latter project. The 40 minute drive to the winery is fascinating; offering travelers the opportunity to watch the land change from the alien landscape of Cappadocia to more comfortable lush green vineyards.
Boutique wineries, the phrase if not the reality, have become very popular in Turkey. As a result several of the larger wineries now market “limited production” wines. Côtes d’Avanos is Kavaklidere’s answer to this phenomenon. In this slick-looking winery outside Cappadocia Kavaklidere produces three wines as part of this new, premium series: Tempranillo, Sauvignon Blanc, and a Chardonnay-Narince blend.
Kavaklidere Côtes d’Avanos Tempranillo 2011 Tasting Notes:
This Tempranillo comes with a pretty high sticker price. But I have to say that the cost wasn’t the only thing that blew me away. Given the time this wine spent both ageing in barrel and bottle it would be considered a Riserva by Rioja standards. Even without knowing how long it was aged before release (2 years each barrel and bottle) the aromatics let you know someone took care with this wine.
Initially it was a big old fruit bomb but with some air individual fruits presented themselves. Baking spices, earth, and tobacco twined around the berry and plum aromas. Firm tannins, racy acid, and a 14.5% abv said “take me seriously”. Dried fig, crushed gravel, and herbs contributed to the complex flavors. What I really enjoyed about this wine was how it developed as we drank it; each glass revealing new depths.
Kavaklidere Côtes d’Avanos Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Tasting Notes:
Beautiful, brilliant pale lemony color in the glass with equally fresh and clean aromas of bright citrus, grass, and white pineapple. Minerality balanced nicely on the palate with citrussy acid, tropical fruit, and green flavors.
Sauvignon Blanc abounds in Turkey with the most famous region being the southern Thracian region around Tekirdağ. Wineries in that area, most notably Umurbey, are well-known for their lush Sauvignon Blanc wines full of ripe stone fruit flavors. Kavaklidere is certainly showcasing a different side of Sauvignon Blanc with its Cappadocia terroir.
Kavaklidere Côtes d’Avanos Chardonnay Narince 2016 Tasting Notes:
The third wine in the Côtes d’Avanos line the Chardonnay Narince blend. I really enjoy it when wineries blend Turkish and 
international grapes. For those not familiar with Turkish varietals it’s a nice, easy introduction to the unknown. Chardonnay and Narince are great for this as their similarities make them a great blending pair. Both reflect characteristics from the terroir where they’re grown and react well to oak ageing. Kavaklidere used a light hand with the oak on this blend which succeeds in highlighting the grapes’ natural flavors rather than drowning them.
Warm, tropical fruits on the nose float on aromas of creme anglaise. The palate is balanced, round with hints of creaminess. The zing of mineral and wet stone play with flavors of grilled pineapple, nutmeg, and cream.