The Odyssey and Turkish Wine
Everyone is going so crazy over the new Odyssey movie. Granted, I haven’t seen it yet. I still can’t forgive the people behind Troy for robbing me of two hours and 43 minutes of my life that I hesitate to jump into another Hollywoodized telling of Greek mythology.
I am not, however, above taking advantage of all the hype. Especially given the real Turkish connection to Homer and his writings.
Homer, Tenedos, and the Trouble You Get into Leaving an Island of Wine
First, let’s all get on the same page about about names. Tenedos is an Aegean island off the Turkish coast near Çanakkale. Tenedos was once upon a time the island’s name. Now it’s called Bozcaada. We’ll call it Tenedos when referring to the Homeric epic, and Bozcaada later when talking about wine.
After the fall of Troy, the Greeks decamped to the nearby Aegean island, Tenedos.
“Coming to Tenedos we made sacrifices to the gods, heading for home. But Zeus was not yet planning a homecoming for us, a cruel god, who stirred up evil strife a second time.”
Does this line for The Odyssey specifically mention wine (Tenedien or otherwise)? No. However, for the Greeks, sacrificing the gods would very much have involved wine as well as feasting and likely some actual sacrifices.
The other thing this passage doesn’t explicitly state is how pivotal the stopover on this island was. It was here that the leaders of the fleet fell out amongst one another. Nestor decided to continue onward. Diomedes and (eventually) Menelaus followed him back to Greece. They all made it home (although Menelaus’s journey was rather its own odyssey). Odysseus turned back with Agamemnon. While both eventually make their way to their respective homes, Agamemnon was murdered shortly after his arrival and Odysseus wandered for 10 years during which he had some not so fun adventures.
Is there a lesson to be learned here? Well, Homer doesn’t say. But if we’re going to make one up, it will obviously involve wine: Sometimes the smartest thing you can do when you’ve reached a beautiful Aegean island is stay for another glass.
Am I stretching for a connection? Eh. Given how far Hollywood expects us to extend our willing disbelief, I feel like I can be forgiven for a little creative storytelling myself.
Wine Production on Tenedos and Bozcaada
Bozcaada (aka Tenedos) has been churning out wine for centuries. Grapes and wine have historically been so important to it that they featured on the money. Tenedos (and Lesbos) minted the first coins with Greek writing on them. Along with the writing, the coins featured bunches of grapes, amphora, and kantharoi.
It’s incredibly windy on Bozcaada. So much so, that it’s actually pretty difficult to find crops that can stand up to it. Even the few olive trees islanders tried to plant have been bowed down by the winds. They dot the island, bent over like tired old men. Grapes though, when grown in bushes (or “goblet” as they’re called here), are shockingly sturdy.
Tenedos may be an island, but the wine made here didn’t stay here. It was widely exported around the Mediterranean and highly revered for its quality. Evliya Çelebi, 16th century Ottoman traveler, wrote that the finest wines in the world were being produced on Tenedos. Modern Bozcaada still produces wine. Less famous and not the finest wines in the world, but certainly wines that express a clear place.
The Grapes of Bozcaada
In my opinion, the best part about Bozcaada wines are the grapes. The island boasts several native grapes, three of which I don’t think grow anywhere but here.
Native grapes on Bozcaada include:
There are, of course, also a plethora of international varieties on the island as well. One producer works with varieties from other islands like Grillo and Zlahtina. There’s the requisite Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot as well as grapes like Zinfandel. Not all the grapes used for wine grow on the island, some producers bring in grapes from elsewhere in the country, usually from Denizli.
Wineries on Bozcaada
While production on Bozcaada is a mere shadow of what it used to be, there are still a number of operating wineries. The most well-known being:
Visiting Bozcaada
Odysseus may have made the mistake of rushing off too quickly, but you don’t have to. Bozcaada is a hugely popular summer destination, but it’s pretty nice all year around.
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 Dardanelles 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.
If you’re not going with your own car but plan to stay largely in the main village, then you’re all set. If you want to explore the island more, maybe visit some of the wineries, you’ll may have to rely on minibuses or the island’s over-priced taxi service. There are bike rentals and if you’re really in shape, those will get you where you need to go. Just remember that, while it might look small on the map, once you start biking it expands in size. You can also rent scooters and ATVs if you’re feeling brave.
If you are relying on cabs, make sure to get a business card from your driver or the cab stand so you can call and order a ride for your return trip.
Accommodation
Bozcaada’s economy relies heavily on tourism which means there are no shortages of places to stay. You can find everything from basic to luxury. A couple of the wineries, like Çamlıbağ and Talay have some accommodation, but keep in mind that those and many other hotels aren’t in town. Take location into consideration when booking.
That also means that centrally-located rooms will come with a higher price tag, especially during the high season.
Things to Do
Of course you can explore the wineries on the island. A couple of them are part of the new Troia Bağ Yolu if you’re folding this visit into a larger trip.
As it’s an island, of course there beaches to enjoy: Ayazma Beach, Sulubahçe Bay, Aquarium Bay, Belik Bay, Çamlık Bay, Ayana Bay, and Tuzburnu Bay are the most popular.
Enjoy just walking around the town! It’s adorable. The buildings have their own style and are often brightly colored and covered with ivy or other climbing plants.
There’s also the Bozcaada Castle and Museum, both of which are absolutely worth a visit.
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!
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