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My Favorite Turkish Wines of 2024

 

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Every year – well every year that I remember – I like to do a quick review of the wines I tried or posted about during the year that I most enjoyed, that most surprised me, etc. This year the list is a little shorter than normal. Part of the problem with hyper focusing on such a relatively small wine industry is that … well … one runs out of (new) wines eventually! While several new wines were certainly released this year, I haven’t had a chance and/or the money to try them all. Hopefully in the new year!

Now, with no further ado, let’s jump into my favorite Turkish wines of 2024!

My Favorite Sparkling Wines

Like last year, there weren’t many new sparkling wines released during 2024. And frankly, with the skyrocketing price of most Turkish bubbles, I didn’t really drink much. The one exception having been the Akberg Emir-I Vaki Pét-Nat. Made with Emir, it is frothy, fruity, floral, and oh so enjoyable!

My Favorite White Wines

 If I can’t drink bubbles then I prefer white wine. I have realized that if I sit on the left side of my couch, I can reach into the wine fridge and pull out a bottle all without getting off the couch. This is dangerous knowledge. 

♦ Kuzubağ Fumé Blanc is a beautiful wine rivalling several of the more expensive Fumés on the market. Made with a deft hand and just a kiss of barrel, it will also go over well with people (like me!) who don’t really like oak on white wine. 

♦ Midin Cudi is a new release from Midin this year featuring a whole new grape: Msabık Heworo. Definitely something interesting to check out!

♦ USCA Sonnet 5 Bornova Misketi is not a new wine by any means but has always been one of my favorite (dry) Bornova Misket wines. Which is why I was shocked to realize I’d not actually written about it until this year!

♦ Kayra Karkuş I had a hard time deciding where to put this. Based on the color, it should go below with amber and rosé wines, but it has no skin contact…so I’m settling for putting it as the last white and a bridge into the next category! Kayra’s now the third commercial winery working with Karkuş (aka Kerküş) and they did such a beautiful job with this, it’s worth the splurge! 

My Favorite Amber and Rosé Wines 

I didn’t see too many new wines this year in the amber or rosé categories. But it has been a quality over quantity year for what I tried!

♦ Kastro Tireli Hermos Viognier was a POW! mind-blowing wine and I’m partially convinced that Viognier should always be made with skin contact.

♦ I don’t know how I’ve missed including the Tasheli Kehribar Göküzüm before but this should definitely be on the list. Both one of my hands down favorite amber wines in Turkey, and also one of the most affordable.

♦ Heraki Rosé I haven’t posted about this yet but will asap. Suffice to say, if you see it, BUY IT. 

My Favorite Red Wines

♦ Canavar Karasakız  should have been on my list last year, but I was late to the Canavar party! 

♦ This was a year for Karasakız so, in addition to the Canavar, the Heraki Akuarela Karasakız very much was on my list this year. 

♦ Paşaeli Merman Çalkarası has likely made the list before but it’s worth putting it on my list again, particularly with the 2022 vintage being the one available this year. Their best yet!

♦ Büyülübağ Ada Karası  is such a sadly overlooked wine, I think. Personally, I really love both Büyülübağ’s red Ada Karası and the Iris rosé Alp makes and would drink both far more often if they were more accessible. 

Please Help Turkey and Syria!

Turkey and Syria are still in desperate need of help after the horrific earthquakes that have decimated large areas of Turkey’s south east and northern Syria, please consider donating to one of the relief efforts if you are able:

• Animal rights organization Haytap is helping animals affected by the earthquake, and displaced people who need a place to stay with their pets. Other animal-focused groups such as Dört Ayaklı Şehir (Four-Legged City) and Work Animals Rescue Foundation, are also helping farm animals, street animals, and pets.
• Donate to civil society groups working on the ground to provide immediate relief and medium- to long-term recovery to survivors via UK-based Turkey Mozaik Foundation or US-based Turkish Philanthropy Funds. 
• Donate to the volunteer response being carried out in Turkey by the trusted, independent NGOs İhtiyaç Haritası (Needs Map) or Ahbap.  
• Hayata Destek (Support to Life), is a Turkish NGO experienced in providing humanitarian relief and working with underserved communities. 
• World Central Kitchen provides funds and food to those still living in tents in the affected areas. 
• To support rescue efforts in Syria, donate to White Helmets and SAMS. 
• Field Ready Türk‎iye (Sahaya Hazır İnovasyon Derneği) is a team of engineers working in Gaziantep, Turkey, and northwest Syria who make cheap, low-tech airbags for search and rescue from buildings which have collapsed. “If we move fast they can make more,” a good friend who previously worked with the team writes. “The workshops in Syria also have vast experience of fixing essential medical equipment, and making insulated shelters – both greatly needed right now”