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Introducing the Troia Bağ Yolu

 

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This June saw the launch of Turkey’s newest wine route: the Troia Bağ Yolu. Pack your bags, put on some sunscreen, and get ready for an adventure!

Troia Bağ Yolu / Troy Wine Route

Troy. A name deeply embedded into the minds of every lover of myth and legend, every high school student who had to read Homer, all of us who sat through that truly terrible movie from the early aughts, draws tourists in droves year after year. The founders of the new wine route are hoping to capitalize on that. 

The Troia Bağ Yolu (Troy Wine Route) has brought together people from both the wine and tourism industry in an effort to encourage people to explore the region outside of the Troy museum. Members hope that lovers of travel, history, gastronomy, and wine will appreciate an experience that weaves together past and present as they explore the route. 

By bringing together thousands of years of viticulture tradition, the region’s cultural memory, and production knowledge, it aims to carry this ancient heritage to new generations through today’s narrative. This route is not merely a path connecting history and vineyards; it is a journey that facilitates the transmission of knowledge, stories, and production culture from the land to the future. 

Starting from the ancient city of Troy and extending to the traces of Maidos, the shores of Çanakkale, and the vineyards of Bozcaada, this route offers an experience where the past and present intertwine…The aim of this journey is to make visible, retell, and carry the spirit of such an ancient land, steeped in mythological narratives, into new experiences. – Troia Bağ Yolu

A Land of Myths and Vines

The Northern Aegean region has been shaped by viticulture for thousands of years. That tradition did not skip Troy. A new study published by the American Journal of Archaeology revealed that physical and chemical evidence of wine has been found around the site of Troy. Based on the vessels in which they found the residue, they’ve shown that wine was enjoyed by all levels of Trojan society, not just the elites. 

The island of Bozcaada, a significant part of the wine route, has its own storied wine history. Literally storied. Under its old Greek name, Tenedos, the island (and its wines!) rated mentions in both the Iliad and the Aeneid. It is, after all, just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Troy. Tenedos was linked with the cult of Dionysus and its wine was once known as being the best in the Eastern Mediterranean. Vineyards have existed there since antiquity and today occupy the bulk of its agricultural land.

“In this region, grapes don’t just grow; they blend into the rhythm of life; they exist alongside faith, time, and people.” – Troia Bağ Yolu

Grapes of the Troy Wine Route

White kind of wines might you expect to find on this wine route? There are a lot of international grapes, especially from the mainland wineries; a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Asmadan is the exception of the mainland wineries. It pulls grapes from its own vineyards and around the country and works with several native grapes, including the regional Karasakız. 

Grapes get more interesting on Bozcaada with varieties like Çavuş, Vasilaki, Kuntra (Karasakız), and Karalahna, all of which, with the exception of Kuntra/Karasakız, are found only on the island. Çamlıbağ especially has some nice examples of native grapes with its Ayapetro Erken Hasat Vasilaki and the Ayapetro Kırmızı’dan Beyaz Kuntra. 

Following Troia Bağ Yolu

The members of the Troia Bağ Yolu suggest starting at the top of the Gallipoli Peninsula. Of course if you’re coming from Anatolia, you might choose to do the tour a little inside out, that’s up to you. But the organizers say to start on the peninsula with Yükseltan, then proceed to Eceabat to stop in at Asmadan and Etruscan.

Next, cross over the Dardanelles Strait to the Anatolian side of Çanakkale and proceed to Troy. From there, continue south until you make it to the ferries for Bozcaada. 

And before you ask…no. You cannot do this in one day. Plan for three minimum. 

Getting There and Around

Coming from abroad, you’ll want to fly into Istanbul. If you plan to spend time in the city as well, it doesn’t matter if you fly into IST or SAW. But, if you intend to land and head straight out, definitely fly into IST. 

Should you not have your own car, my suggestion is to rent one from any of the agencies at the airport. Don’t bother with rental agencies in the city. Agencies at the airport are open 24/7 (in the city 09:00-19:00 at best), and, since the airport is essentially on the way to anyway, you get to skip negotiating traffic in the city. I recommend taking one of the many Havaist shuttles from wherever you live/are staying to the airport. 

By the time you make it to Eceabat and are ready to go on to Troy, you can cross the Darnadelles two ways, via the long, long bridge, or ferry. Ferry is the only way to get to Bozcaada and there are multiple ferries to and from the Geyikli port and Bozcaada every day.

Accommodation

Several of the wineries along the route, including Yükseltan, Asmadan, Etruscan, and Çamlıbağ offer accommodation. And there’s the Avec Hotel in Troy should you decide to overnight there. 

You may of course choose to not stay with any of the members. In which case, there are a number of hotels in Eceabat, Çanakkale, and bunches on Bozcaada. Regardless of where you stay, book early if you’ll be visiting during the June-August high season. 

Troy Wine Route Wineries and Stops

Yükseltan

Yükseltan is located in Gelibolu, near the “start” of the Gallipoli Peninsula. Here on the Gulf of Saros, the winery’s 140 hectares has the Sea of Marmara on one side and the Aegean Sea on the other. Cross winds from these bodies of water contribute greatly to vineyard health, keeping vines cool and helping mitigate pests and diseases. They go a long way in making it easier for Yükseltan to farm organically.

The winery works exclusively with foreign grapes including: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling.

Read my review of their wine here. 

Asmadan

Meaning “from the vine”, Asmadan started life by taking over an existing, small, winery in Eceabat. Since its foundation, it has expanded considerably with new winemaking facilities, a hotel, and a wine museum. While based on the Gallipoli Peninsula, only a small portion of the winery’s vineyards are there. Most of them are located in Denizli.

The winery works with an impressive range of grapes, including native varieties like the regional Karasakız, and some off the wall international grapes like Macabeo. 

I’ve not drunk many of their wines, but you can read my Asmadan reviews here. 

Etruscan

Vineyard planting for Etruscan Bağcılık began in 2010 in Eceabat on the Gallipoli Peninsula. If Eceabat sounds familiar (in a wine context), it’s because several other wineries including Suvla and Asmadan call it home. Etruscan’s vineyards here grow a familiar mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Sangiovese.

You can find what I’ve written about Etruscan’s wines here.

Avec Hotel

Avec Hotel may be a hotel, not a winery, but it sounds like it might be a place a wine lover would enjoy. The hotel claims to have over 20,000 bottles in its cellar, from Turkey and abroad. Its restaurant, which promises an excellent wine pairing experience, sources its products locally and takes inspiration from the history and sea. 

Its location offers easy access to Troy and the Gallipoli Peninsula, making it a great place to put up for the night or at least stop for a meal.

Troy

We cannot forget about Troy itself! There are lots of options for visiting the site and museum. You can take a full day tour from Çanakkale, or you can visit the Troy museum and archeological site on your own. 

Çamlıbağ

Çamlıbağ has a long history on Bozcaada, opening first in 1925 when Haşim Yunatçı bought defunct winery, Panayi Dimo, and began the transformation of a family winemaking history into one of Bozcaada’s most recognizable commercial wineries. He renamed it Çamlıbağ Şarapları as a nod to the pine forests that surround the main vineyard. 

Today under the leadership of the Yunatçı’s third and fourth generation, Çamlıbağ comprises some 30 hectares (74 acres) of vines around the island planted to a combination of native and international grapes. The majority of vines are traditional, goblet style to protect them from the constant island winds and everything in the vineyards is done by hand. 

The winery has a small guest house somewhere on the island where visitors can book in and sleep among the vines.

I personally quite enjoy a number of wines from Çamlıbağ and have used them in the past as examples of Turkey’s overlooked island wine culture.

Talay

In 1948, three brothers, Necati, Hayati, and Sebati Talay established a small family winery on the island. They began with the island’s native grapes; cultivating Çavuş, Vasilaki, Karalahna, and Kuntra (Karasakız). Quickly gaining popularity with islanders and visitors alike, by the 1960s Talay reached one million liters in annual production. That number grew steadily reaching six million liters by the 80s. By the late 90s they expanded their vineyards to include other indigenous Turkish varieties Boğazkere, Bornova Misketi, Kalecik Karası, Narince, and Öküzgözü as well as a compliment of international varieties including: Alicante, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Hamburg Misket, Malbec, Merlot, Muscat of Alexandria, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Tempranillo, and Zinfandel.

Today, Talay Şarapçılık has small vineyard plots scattered across the island and multiple restaurants, and storefronts in Bozcaada town. The very first winery is now the 1948 Wine House while the current winery maintains a prominent location, covering several blocks in the town center.

Talay’s wines have never been quite as available in Istanbul as Çamlıbağ’s, but perhaps that will change now. 

If you want to explore Turkish wine more deeply or learn about the country’s other wine routes, get a copy of the second edition of my book: The Essential Guide to Turkish Wine! If you already have the book but think maybe you’d like larger versions of the infographics…good news!! You can get digital downloads of all of the infographics!