Turkey is known to have been producing wine for 7,000 years with the modern wine culture evolving continuously. Some of the world’s oldest known grape varieties are cultivated here but the domestic consumption has been declining since 2013. Coupled with a ban on online sales since 2011 and prohibiting advertising of alcohol products since 2013, many producers are trying to shift to exports. Wine and beer makers already face a high tax burden with many other restrictions like in India. The Islamic-rooted ruling party is reportedly anti- alcohol. Recently, the authorities have even declared their intent to demand and recover collateral now over future potential fines for wines produced or imported.

Nevertheless, the Masterclass Guided Tasting organised by Tuba Yargıç de Wilde, the Sommelier wife of a senior Belgian diplomat, was a fun event with many of the invitees present including diplomates simply enjoying an afternoon with wines with plenty of cheese and various coffees to end the experience.

The welcome drink Frizzano– an off dry Indian bubbly from Good Drop Cellars, Nashik was a surprise that held its own in the world of bubbles, especially because of its affordability and celebratory status for the event. It is always enjoyable to sip a glass of bubbly while enjoying the Art adorning the walls of the Gallery owned by the charming Reshma Chordia who co-hosted the event.

Tuba had selected the following wines produced in different regions of Turkey:  a dry White, Rose, 2 Reds and a semi-sweet wine.

• Heraki Delta V 2020 Sultaniye Dry White
• Kastro Tireli Elaia 2022 Kalecik Karası Syrah Mourvèdre Rosé Dry
• Vinkara Reserve 2018 Kalecik Karası Dry Red
• Midin Baluto 2020 Boğazkere- Raşegurnik- Öküzgözü- Gavdoni
• Doluca Safir 2021 Misket Semi Sweet White

Wines Tasted

1. Heraki Delta V 2020 (Sultaniye white)

This white wine from Heraki Winery, Delta V made with Sultaniye grape, was a welcome start to the tasting. It was a dry, clean, light bodied wine, complex with mineral notes. The grapes were from 60+ years old vines , grown at an altitude of 850 meters.  An excellent aperitif that was a great match with the soft cheese adorning the cheese platters for about 25-30 people gathered to taste the Turkish Delights from 5 different wineries.

2. Kastro Tireli Elaia 2022

This Rosé is from the Aegean region. A blend of Kalecik Karası-Syrah-Mourvèdre grapes grown in organic vineyards, it’s dry but fruity wine, fresh and pleasant on the palate. Fermented in Stainless Steel tanks and kept on lees for 6 months, this slightly dark pink colour wine with flavours of red fruits like strawberries and good acidity with a touch of herbs, make the wine interesting and good food match.

 3. Vinkara Reserve 2018

Kalecik Karası grapes were the protagonist for this first red Wine from Vinkara Winery.  Kalecik Karası takes its name from the town of Kalecik, 65 Kms. North-east of Ankara in Central Anatolia. The Reserve Kalecik Karası parcels are located at an altitude of 690 Meters. The big difference between day and night temperatures (Diurnal range) provides a special taste and aroma in the grapes grown in Kalecik, says Tuba, adding, “Kalecik is one of the most important viticulture centers in the world due to the microclimate effect created by the mountains surrounding the district. The air that rises by hitting the mountains, provides a hot air flow to the valley and leaves precipitation on the plains, giving flavour to the grapes.”

The full-bodied dry wine was homogenous and full of complex flavours that would go very well with the Indian palate. Ageing for 18 months in French oak has given it an excellent structure, making it also a longer maturing wine that was well liked by the audience.

4.  Midin Baluto 2020

This wine from 5-year old Mildin Winery located in a small village-Midin which lies at the intersection of borders of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria was a blend of 4 local grapes Boğazkere- Raşegurnik- Öküzgözü- Gavdoni. The boutique winery has only 50,000 liters of wine produced (with 70% being red-and it showed in the seductive flavours). Vines are as old as 150 years (the area was not affected by Phylloxera) and the concentration shows in the texture, taste and complexity, with the vineyards being at 750 meters.

This special reserve wine was produced with native indigenous yeasts, and then aged in French oak (Baluto) barrels for 16 months. There is no irrigation facility and so the grapes are drought tolerant.

5. Doluca Safir 2021

Doluca is the oldest and well-established, big winery with a 14 million liter capacity (comparable in size to Sula).It was founded in 1926 in the Aegean region when the founder Nihat Kutman, after completing his oenology studies in Germany had founded this 98-year old winery in a town called Galata. Although he made wines from the local grapes Yapıncak and Karalahna, he also imported and cultivated Cinsault, Gamay, Riesling and Semillon. The 3rd generation now tends to the grapes and carries on the legacy.

This Semi Sweet White wine uses Misket (Muscat) grapes. The natural sweet wine was very aromatic and refreshing with a powerful personality. The light-medium wine was quite fruity with medium acidity, leaving a good impression on the palate. Unfortunately, sweet wines have a limited scope in India at the present time and might find difficulty finding an importer if required.

All in all, a very interesting event- laudable as Tuba had organised it in a private capacity to give a taste of Turkish Delights to a select audience.

For more information, you may contact Tûba Yargic De Wilde at vinatuu@gmail.com.

About Turkey

Turkey was the world’s number five grape grower in 2021, with 419,000 hA (over one million acres) of vineyard surface, according to International Organization of Vine and Wine, only 15% of that area was dedicated to wine production. The balance are eating grapes or consumed as raisins.

While drinking alcohol is forbidden in Islam, it is drunk relatively freely in Turkey, though mainly in more secular, western and tourist coastal regions. Local wine consumption was 834,000 hLs in 2021, below Bulgaria which has less than a tenth of Turkey’s population, according to a Report by Reuters.

Interestingly, whereas practically the whole of Europe and other countries including India suffered the devastation caused by Phylloxera, the plants in Turkey survived the tragedy.

Subhash Arora