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Likya Antique Grapes Masterclass

 

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In a strange twist, I knew Acıkara almost before I knew Likya. Or it is perhaps more accurate to say, that I knew the grape/wine before I knew Likya well. I don’t remember how exactly I found it or even knew then how special it was, this was closer to the beginning of my Turkish wine journey. But in many ways, it was my gateway into not only this winery, but the realm of rare, Turkish grapes.

I was invited to a recent event, Likya Antique Grapes Masterclass, hosted by Göknur Gündogan PhD and Burak Özkan. The event invited guests to explore and celebrate the many rare grapes, including Acıkara, that Likya has uncovered through its Arkeo Project.

Likya & the Arkeo Project

Likya’s story began in the late 1990s when Burak Özkan left a career in business in search of a new life, which he found in wine. After studying wine production at Plumpton College in England, he founded Likya Vineyards in 2007 with his brother Doruk, a horticulture graduate of Akdeniz University.

Likya’s winery and its vineyards are set on the Elamlı plateau of the western Taurus Mountains. The plateau, itself at about 1100 meters above sea level, is surrounded by high peaks and while close to the Mediterranean, its altitude gives it a more inland continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. Like many Turkish vineyards a combination of native and international varieties can be found in Likya’s vineyards. What stands out here is the rarity of several of the varieties.

One of the country’s pioneers in resurrecting lost grapes, Likya has (re)introduced us to many grapes over the years. Its first rescue in was Acıkara followed by Fersun, and Merzifon Karası, then quite some years later by Tilki Kuyruğu. But that was not enough! The Özkan brothers launched the ‘Arkeo Project’, under which many of these rarer varieties are labeled, to continue their research. They have registered quite a few grapes now that have been verified by multiple sources, including Dr. José Vouillamoz’s Swiss labs and Ankara University, as being “unique genotypes”. These grapes match nothing already registered in global grape databases and are 100% indigenous to Turkey.

What began as a few wild vines is now several hundred acres of vineyards.

Likya Işığı, 2024

The first wine of the event was also the only white. I’ve been able to try this one a few times previously but, I’m not sure if it was the vintage (Likya’s had this out for a couple now) or the circumstances, but it impressed the socks off me this time. 

“Bold” isn’t often a word we hear with white wines, particularly not Turkish whites, but that’s what the Likya Işığı (Light of Likya) is. Yellow tree fruits like quince and stone fruits and a squeeze of citrus decorated with acacia petals on the nose. Then the sip … SO MUCH ACIDITY! Like, rip your face off, strip your enamel level acidity and I am so here for it. Big juicy nectarine flavors took center stage on the palate, supported by notes of mineral, citrus, and acacia. The wine, a medium-low bodied affair with 12.5% ABV, spent only two months on the fine less before bottling. Does it need more time to tame that acidity? Perhaps…but why would one want to?!

During the course of the event, I drank this both out of the ice bucket cold and closer to room temperature and discovered that I vastly preferred it that little bit warmer.

Who is stocking this?! I need to have it. 

Likya Ateşi, 2024

The parade of reds began with the Likya Ateşi (Fire of Likya) which, like the white, I have also been able to taste once or twice before. This, like all the reds in fact, underwent malolactic conversion (MLF) and some time spent on the lees, but no oak, so as to taste the pure fruit.

Clear, pale ruby in the glass. Bright red fruits hit the nose in a wave of cherry and strawberry. Light-bodied with a mere 11.5% ABV, no particular tannins to speak of, this is a “crunchy” wine with vibrant fruits and acidity, threads of mineral, and a surprising apple blossom note.

6. His, 2024

I do not know the origin of this name. I mean, I know what it means, “Sixth Sense.” But, if anyone knows why, please drop it in the comments! It very well might have been mentioned but between engaging my “active listening” ears, making notes in a weird combo of English and Turkish, and concentrating on my impressions of the wines, I often miss the finer details of Turkish presentations. 

Whatever the meaning, this is definitely a wine I can get behind. 

On the paler side of ruby, aromas of cranberry, kızılcık (cornelian cherry), rhubarb, red plum, and fern leapt from the glass. On the palate, silky with bright acidity with tart sour cherry and medicinal blood orange.

Fersun, 2022

I have long been a fan of this grape. It’s featured in a number of my red wines for summer lists and I find it great for pairing. 

Purple-black fruit aromas of plum and black mulberry strike an excellent balance with earth and spice on the nose while the palate offers a surprisingly broad feeling and high alcohol (14% ABV) for the otherwise freshness and light that this wine is. Fruits, olive, spice, and freshly turned earth mingle on the tongue and lead to a delightful finish. 

Oğlak Karası, 2024

Oğlak Karası is not just new but, if I understood correctly, still actually a little experimental at Likya. Hopefully something that will continue though as I, at least, found it quite pleasant. 

Lots of black fruit notes on the nose here. The palate revealed yet more black fruits, juicy black cherries, and earthy olive notes. More present tannins than the preceding red wines but with that same bright acidity and medium-low body with a mere 12% ABV.

Vera Özkan, 2024

If you discover the grape, you get to name the grape. The Özkan family behind Likya has really taken that heart with a couple of these “new” grapes, naming them after family members. The first of these that we tasted in this event was the Vera Özkan. 

There is a sense of cohesion among these wines, with many featuring aromas and flavors of various black fruits. That makes a number of these sound quite similar, but they truly are not. Yes, the Vera Özkan gave aromas of black cherries, and plums – similar to the Oğlak Karası, the Fersun, and the Acıkara (below)…but only if you look at the one piece of the whole. This wine also gave a sense of richness and forest spices. Tarter flavors on the palate leaned more red than black fruit, indeed, the finish with an explosion of red plums. A tight wine with vivid acidity, moderate alcohol (13% ABV) and tension.

Not a bad wine to have named after yourself!

Acıkara, 2024

I’ve been in love with Acıkara since I first had it back in maybe 2014 or so. If, like me, you enjoy this wine, you’re going to want to find a couple bottles of the 2024. This is an unparalleled vintage. 

Deeply colored and balsamic-forward in the nose with black mulberry and pomegranate. Tuba Işık, who led the tasting, also said red apples. I didn’t clock that, but find it interesting. Concentrated with vibrant acidity and structure. Tannins are present and, while not the main player, carry the flavors across the palate. Notes of bitter orange and a medicinal herbaceousness linger on the finish. 

Arya Özkan, 2024

We ended the tasting with another family-named grape: Arya Özkan.

This wine was BLACK in the glass and had the highest alcohol of any of them at a whopping 15% ABV.

The wine’s color hinted at the personality within with juicy black fruits like blackberry and damson plum. Nicely structured with more black fruit flavors, olives, and forest all wrapped in a briny acidity leading to a long finish. 

These were all lovely wines. While the Likya Işığı and Acıkara were my personal favorites, I would happily buy any one of these (depending on the state of my bank account, that is). One word that came up a lot during the course of the tasting was “fresh”. Fresh flavors, fresh acidity, refreshing wines in a few cases. Rather than being a redundant description, it really shows that Turkey does these lighter-bodied, brightly acidic red wines really well. Hopefully, more wineries will see the benefit of creating wines in this style and we’ll start to see more of it. 

The Likya Arkeo Project is another thing that we need more of in Turkey. Happily, there is more (although I would personally like to see still more). Some wineries, like Paşaeli and Gelveri are deeply involved (and have been for years) in grape recovery. Even newer wineries like Akberg have thrown themselves into looking for lost grapes. Other wineries, like Öküzgözü Şarapçılık, Kuzeybağ, Gordias, Antioche, Yaban Kolektif, Kerasus, and 502 Vineyards are doing this on a smaller scale. 

While this event was for industry people, you can try a lot (if not all) of these wines at Wayana. In fact, Burak Özkan was at Wayana a couple months ago leading a tasting of many of these very wines. Keep an eye on Wayana’s website for news of their tasting events.

Curious about the rest of Likya’s portfolio? Check out all my previous reviews of Likya’s wines. And, if you want to explore Turkish wine more deeply, you can always get a copy of the second edition of my book: The Essential Guide to Turkish Wine!