Turkish wines are red, dry, white … and delicious!
Like many countries in the Mediterranean region, Turkey is passionate about winemaking and this love spans more than a millennium. Already eight centuries before the advent of a new era, the inhabitants of modern Turkey were producing wine, as archaeological finds tell wine tour enthusiasts. Many centuries ago, Turkish wines and grapes were the main products that were supplied from here to different regions of the Old World.
Islam and wine making traditions
The Muslim religion, professed by the majority of the Turkish population, does not welcome the use and manufacture of alcoholic beverages. This was the reason for the development of different grape processing methods during the Ottoman Empire. Juices were obtained from fruit and jam was prepared, oriental sweets and dried fruit were prepared. The new power that triumphed in the twentieth century, led by Atatürk, turned on the green light of winemaking and new masters began to remember old secrets. Yet, despite the fourth place in the world in terms of the volume of grapes grown, only a quarter of the fruit goes to the needs of winemaking. Ready-made wines from Turkey are delivered to Europe and the Western Hemisphere.
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Regions and varieties of Turkish wines
The most prolific region of Turkey, which offers the largest volume of grapes, is the Aegean. The coast of the homonymous sea is the best place with an ideal microclimate for growing a capricious vine. Considerable volumes are grown in southeastern and central Anatolia and on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. To make Turkish wine, many white and red grape varieties are grown in the country, the most popular of which are:
– Akhmat Bay vines: ordinary dry wines are prepared from it. The characteristics of these drinks are affordable prices and reliable quality.
– Gewurztraminer: a variety of berries that allows you to obtain blended white wines with a rich bouquet of aromas and spicy taste.
– Riesling: for the production of perfect white wines in Turkey with bright citrus notes and an aftertaste of apple, pineapple and peach. With age, Turkish Riesling brings out the color of honey and becomes particularly tasty.
– Chardonnay: with a generous lemon aroma, the wine from which it is infused in oak containers to give it a special nutty flavor.
– Merlot: it is the second largest variety in the world. Despite their popularity, these fruits make it possible to prepare wines with unique organoleptic properties. Turkish Merlot grape wines have a luxurious fruity taste with hints of caramel, chocolate and even coffee.