Turquazz: A Primer on Turkish Wine Grapes Part One: Black Grapes
I am so excited to share that I am a contributing author to the revamped Turquazz! What began as a celebration of Turkey’s devotion to jazz and its own Anatolian music has developed into a full-blown exaltation of Anatolian music and culinary arts.
“From the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, from Greece to the Iranian border – what is known as Anatolia has a lot to offer, not only a varied landscape but also a long history and multi-faceted culture. For certain, Anatolia is a place of endless stories once you explore its abundant riches. What we focus on today here are the contemporary approaches to this cultural mosaic that is Anatolian culture. There are two words that spring to mind when mentioning culture: flavour and melody. These words have a crucial place in our brand. The ‘zz’ at the end of our name ‘Turquazz’ is a nod to jazz music, the bravura of musical mastery. Turquazz is a cultural movement which aspires to bring Anatolian music and culinary art, artists and creatives and new audiences together.”
What will I be writing about? Wine! Of course! And for me first piece, I begin where one should begin. At the beginning with the building blocks of wines, the grapes.
A Primer on Turkish Wine Grapes Part One: Black Grapes
I’ve been writing about Turkish wine for going on five years now and still the most common question I get about it 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 two-part primer on Turkish wine and its grapes.
But first, a little history.
Modern Turkey is the product of thousands of years of acting as a crossroads between the east and the west: a fact that Istanbul uses as one of its big tourism selling points. It is famously known as the city that straddles two continents. This cultural melting pot has also greatly influenced wine production in Turkey. During their time ruling Anatolia, the Hittite Kingdom (1700 – 1200 BC), Anatolia was called “Wiyanawanda” – land of the grapevine. The Hittites, who used wine for religious ceremonies in addition to enjoying the beverage themselves, laid down numerous laws to regulate both vine growing and winemaking. After the Hittite Kingdom fell, subsequent peoples like the Assyrians, Phrygians, and of course the Greeks and Romans both continued and contributed to winemaking traditions in Turkey. Winemaking in Turkey continues today and those looking for off the beaten track enotourism can find wineries in all corners of the country. For those looking to expand more than their wine horizons, history buffs will be delighted by the number of UNESCO historical sites including ruins, monuments, underground cities, ancient churches, and archaeology museums that are within easy reach of wineries.
Click to Read More of my piece on Turquazz!