Traditional vineyard trips, organized by Kavaklidere Wines, begin this weekend. Those who wish to explore the environs of Ankara can participate the trips to Kalecik and Akyurt vineyards. The price of daily vintage and wine tasting tours to Kalecik and Akyurt vineyards is 75 YTL. Fore more information and reservation: (312) 847 5073.

This is an interesting topic, as I think wine is very unpopular in Turkey, although it could probably be a huge business over there. Do Turks drink wine at all?

 Yes, turks drink wine as well, and in restaurents it become more and more popular. I´m sure that we cannot get any close to some countries for annual wine consumption, but turks as well discovered wine. In markets you can see bottles of wines and people buy it.

Here is a site of turkish wine producer "Kavaklıdere":

http://www.kavaklidere.com/kavak/english/index.html

They produce anatolian wines and they are not bad at all. Turkey has projects for wine production for the near future because the anatolian soil and the sun are very good for good wines.

Best of Winehouses

Wine is a culture gradually gaining more prestige in Turkey, and seems that the production and consumption have also increased in Turkey. There are efforts to establish its place among quality product in the global market. There are many wine boutiques in big cities. Moreover, some wine lovers have begun to produce their own wine at home.

The daily Hürriyet newspaper asked the expert jury for the best ten winehouses in Turkey. Here are the results:

Şarabi
Şarabi is at the entrance of the historical Çiçek Pasajı on İstiklal Caddesi. The site has three stories and has a capacity of 170. On some days, jazz performances take place. There are more than 100 kinds of local and imported wines on the menu. The table wine made for Şarabi by Doluca, the white wine called Pasaj and the red Pasaj made for Şarabi by Turasan are among the favorites. Besides Kavaklıdere, Kutman, Turasan and various Anatolian wines, the menu also offers Italian, French and Chilean wines. The food is also delicious.

Viktor Levi
Today´s Viktor Levi was founded in the building of the historical Viktor Levi Winehouse in 2000. They sell the wines specially produced for them by the Doluca and Yazgan wine companies. Adakarası, Papazkarası, Karasakız and No. 59 are among the favorites. Cabernet Sauvignor and Kalecik Karası by Kavaklıdere are also available. It is a three-story building with a capacity of 400. Beer is also served. The menu consists of Mexican and Italian food, salads and desserts.

Pano
Pano winehouse was founded by Panayot Papadapulos in 1898. It was renovated in 1997. Mostly, specialties of Pano and Viktor Levi are served. No. 10 and Beyaz Şevval, specially produced for Pano by Doluca and Yazgan, are the favorites. The menu is rich and the Pano Special Fillet, prepared with special sauces and served with mushroom, kaşar cheese and garniture topping, is the specialty of Pano.

İsabey Vineyards and House
Isabey Vineyards and House belong to the Sevilen brand and are located in a vineyard with an area of 8000 m2. It is open everyday between 12:00 and 22:30. It was founded in 2002, and 30 kinds of Sevilen brand wine such as Cabarnet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carignan, Grenache, Semillon and Chardonnay are produced from the grapes of their own vineyard. Wine-making tours are organized in August and wine seminars are arranged twice a year. The menu is composed of French and Italian cuisine.

Hayyami
It is named after the 11th century Iranian poet Omar Khayyam (spelled Ömer Hayyam in Turkish), famous for his poems on wine, love and joy. Hayyami has a capacity of 200 people and offers 40 kinds of wine. The favorite is Hayyami Special, produced specially for Hayyami by Yazgan wines. Also, famous brands such as Pamukkale, Turasan, Diren, Buzbağ, plus French wines are available. The rich menu and wine cocktails of Hayyami are among the favorites.

Wine House Swiss Chalet
Wine House is one of the oldest establishments in Ankara. When Joe Löliger of Switzerland became the partner in 2003, the name was changed to Wine House Swiss Chalet. The decoration resembles a Swiss chalet. It offers 81 kinds of wine. In addition to Swiss wines, it offers Turkish wines such as Kavaklıdere, Doluca and Diren. Yakut, Çankaya, Doluca, Antik and Kavaklıdere Selection are among the favorites. Kavaklıdere also produces barrel wine especially for Wine House. The place has a capacity of 200 people. The menu consists of selections from Swiss, French, Italian and Chinese cuisine. Live classical music with violin and guitar is performed three days a week.

Hazzapulo
This two-story wine house is located at the historical Hazzapulo arcade on Meşrutiyet Avenue, Beyoğlu. The decoration also features historical characteristics. Besides the Hazzapulo wine specially produced in Mürefte, the wine house also offers 60 kinds of local and imported wines. The menu is comprised of grilled meat, various kinds of fish and warm mezes (appetizers).

Isis
Isis has been serving as a café-bar-restaurant in Kadıköy since 1997. The wine house was opened in 2003 on the top floor of this four-story building. The wine menu consists of 150 kinds of wine from fourteen countries such as France, Italy, the USA, Australia and Chile. Doluca produces Isis brand wine for them. Wine tasting and wine lessons are also available.

Asım´ın Yeri (Asım´s Place)
An underground house in Cappadocia was restored and became a wine house in 2000. The house has two separate part, one of which serves as a wine house while the other serves as a disco and bar. The capacity is 120 people. The wine is Turasan, mostly produced from the grapes of the region. Dinner is not served. Cheese, fresh and dried fruit accompany the wine. Turkish folk and ethnic music are played.

Canan´ın Yeri (Canan´s place)
Canan (literally beloved) Özinsal runs this wine house, which is carved from natural rocks. It offers tourists wine produced from the grapes of the Cappadocia region. Still, Turasan 97, Kalecik Karası and Öküzgözü are also among the favorites. Ms. Canan also takes to the stage and dances for the groups. Food is not served. Various kinds of fresh and dried fruits accompany the wine.

 Ofcourse Turks drink wine aswell

Lots of people earns their living by producing wine in izmir, denizli, kutahya and tekirdag areas there are lots of vineyards! and also in bozcada and gokceada there are festivals of havesting grapes

I think wine is increasingly becoming popular in IStanbul particularly with the younger generation.  There is an increase in European style wine bars and Turkish fusion bars and some really lovely wines available in Turkey.  They are bit expensive though compared to wine prices in the UK.  My favorite white wine is the crispy ANGORA and I really love the smooth Kavakldere Muscat.   Fabulous cold with all the exquisite mezzes in Turkey and also just as a drink on its own in front of the television after a long hot summer day! 

Oh I am thirsty now !

One of the problems is that wine is seen as a drinkof the upper classes: and so is similarly priced.

I was impressed to see the kalecik tour is only (sarcasm) 75 YTL (about 65 USD per person).

Doluca do one from IStanbul to therir wonderful place in Murefte.  I did it about 5 years ago when it was about the same price as the Kalecik one.  But every year it has got more and more expensive and now is nearly 200 YTL per person!!!!!!!!! They run every Saturday in August and September and get fully booked!

There is a heavy excess of demandover supply, which means that medium quality Turkish wine sells for high quality prices.

You can buy a very nice bottle of wine for a meal at home with friends in the UK for 5 pounds at the supermarket.

10 YTL will only get you a bottle of Turkish plonk.  For something decent like Villa Doluca it is 13 YTL, Çankaya now 14 YTL.  A very nice bottle is nearer 19 or 20 YTL (I like DLC Cebrnet MErlot or Doluca Reisling, but only buy them for special occasions as they are 22 YTL nearly 10 pounds a bottle!!).

And dont get me started about Istanbul restaurant prices... 40 to 50 YTL for a bottle?  Forget it guys!  I expect the best of the best of the worlds wine for that price!!!!

I hope that many more Turkish wine producers start to come up with nice wines, so that supply catche up with demand, and prices become more reasonable for the quality.

Hi Marion

I do agree, wine here is so very expensive and as you say - 10 lira for a bottle of average vino is way too much.  In the UK I remember sometimes drinking Bulgarian wine which was a very good price and actually very tasty.  We are spoiled in the UK with good priced high quality wines from all over the world.

There is such high tax on alcohol here though and I always fall off my chair when I see the cost of foreign wines in Turkey.

A few months ago, I have a small dinner for friends at home and they brought a bottle of Australian red wine with them.  I have always love Australian red it is for me one of the best in the world.  The wine they bought was so delicious.  So I kept the bottle so I could remember the name of it and thought to myself, ok next time I go to metro I will check it - I went to metro, found the wine and almost fainted when I saw a price tag of 42 YTL. 

It goes without saying that I don´t think I will ever taste that wine again !!!!

I reckon we should make our own !!! hahaha