Turasan winery, based in Turkey's iconic Cappadocia, holds the spot as not only the largest winery in Cappadocia, but one of Turkey's most recognizable brands. Operating since the early 1940s, Turasan has built a reputation for consistent quality. Sometimes the quality is quite good. Other times
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I am so excited to begin collaborating with The Vintner Project as a contributor to their fantastic site. It's an honor to have something published alongside these knowledgeable, dedicated, and enthusiastic wine experts! And not only did I get a piece published, but one that features the amazing maps and infopgraphics made by the talented Empathia Creative! Turkish Wine 101 The most common question I get about Turkish wine is an incredulous “Turkey makes wine?” Yes, it does! Unintentionally, Turkish wine remains a well-kept secret; but one well worth discovering. To help you do so, I offer a little primer on wine in Turkey. Modern Turkey is the product of thousands
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Hailing from some of Turkey's most easterly vineyards in Elazığ, Öküzgözü is the number one planted wine grape in Turkey. As demonstrated in my online Öküzgözü taste along, there is no shortage to wines made with this grape. Commonly found as a varietal wine but blends are also popular. Öküzgözü traditional blending partner has been the ultra tannic Boğazkere. However, we're seeing more and more blends that include more than Boğazkere or that don't include it at all. Öküzgözü's naturally high acidity makes it a great foil for any number of grapes, both domestic and international. Diren Öküzgözü Boğazkere, 2017 Diren, the only Black Sea region winery in Turkey, sources its Öküzgözü
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I generally try to bring attention to wineries in Turkey that champion native grapes. However, some of the wineries here that focus on international varieties are too good to ignore. One of my favorites is Chateau Nuzun. Not only does the winery turn out well-crafted and delicious wines; it does so with sustainable practices and utter charm. [caption id="attachment_11576" align="alignright" width="501"] Chateau Nuzun vineyards-protecting Öküzgözü grapes from bees[/caption] Owner Nazan Uzun lends not only her name to the winery (N. + Uzun = Nuzun) but also her humor and strength of character. I love meeting with Nazan. She always has a huge smile and her energy and presence make her
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I continued my online wine tasting series last Friday with one of my favorite Turkish grapes, Öküzgözü. Öküzgözü wasn't always a favorite of mine. In fact for a long time I avoided it; finding it too insipid for my preferences. This is Turkey's most widely planted native black variety. Which means the chances for encountering crap wines is pretty high; and I've drunk a lot of those. However, a couple years ago I came across a boutique producer, Eskibağlar. That one wine changed my whole view about Öküzgözü and I began actively seeking out examples from around the country. This grape originates in the Eastern Anatolia province of Elazığ. Vineyards abound
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I don't usually celebrate Rosé Day, pink wine not being a favorite of mine. However, this year the intermittent bright spring weather in Istanbul has gifted me with a fresh outlook on pink. So, I decided to dive into Rosé Day with a celebration of four wines from three of the wine countries I know the best: Turkey, Austria, and Greece. Rosé Day in Turkey Rosé, or blush wine has gained popularity in Turkey over the last few years. Most wineries have added at least one to their roster (although a few have done it reluctantly). Some wineries make a distinction between the two terms. Particularly if they make more
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Last summer, Istanbites and I visited Garova Vineyards and I wrote about a couple of the red wines the winery produces. Now it's time to tackle the Garova Öküzgözü blush. Nestled in a bowl-like cradle in mountainous Bodrum and nearly lost in the riotous greenery of the surrounding agriculture grow vines of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Shiraz, and Zinfandel. This is Garova Vineyards. While winery owner Mehmet Vuran grows the four aforementioned grapes onsite; he brings in Öküzgözü from the Denizli district of Izmir. He believes the more moderate climate there a better for Öküzgözü than the heat of Bodrum. I very much enjoy the Bodrum-grown Öküzgözü wines I've had.
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Located in Turkey’s Thrace, just a stone’s throw from several other wineries on the Trakya Bağ Rotası (Thracian Wine Route), Saranta produces quality wines under two labels: Saranta and Chateau Murou. The winery possess several features that set it apart; one such is the Saranta Öküzgözü. Saranta sources grapes from its own vineyards in Kırklareli as well as from other growers in the Thracian region. The origin of grapes used in member wines has been a point of contention among several of the Trakya Bağ Rotası member wineries. Some of the members feel that you cannot call a wine "Thracian" if the grapes do not come from Thrace. A
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At the end of November during Turkey's annual Sommeliers' Selection event, I had the chance to participate in a vertical tasting of two wines from Doluca: the Karma Cabernet Sauvignon Öküzgözü and the Karma Shiraz Boğazkere presented by the winery's Education and International Marketing Manager, Ebru Günaçan. Circa 2000, Doluca owner Ahmet Kutman decided to make the Karma line to show that Turkish grapes could blend well with recognized, European varieties. Blending Turkish and international varieties isn't new (well maybe it was in 2000, that was before I got here). Now, at least, such blends are not uncommon as a) many of the grapes really do work well together; and
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Taking its name from the Syriac word for “peace,” Shiluh is Turkey's largest commercial Assyrian-style winery. Based in Midyat about 100 km from Mardin in the extreme southeast of Turkey, Shiluh (which also goes by Süryani Şarabı) carries on the winemaking tradition of Christian Assyrians. But in a modernized way. Until recently, Assyrian wine remained largely a family by family project. People sourced grapes from home gardens and made traditional wines at home to share with friends and family. Then in 2008, wishing to share this part of their culture outside the community, members of three Assyrian families: Gabriel, Aktaş, and Aslan, created a commercial winery to produce such wine. Shiluh
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