WOW, despite over one thousand grape
varietals being grown in Turkey, a very small amount actually becomes wine. Alcohol
consumption is low, as would be expected. Yet this where wine was first made. Evidence
of wine-making equipment found there may be from 4000 BC.
The Ottoman
rulers were not pleased with wine but when their empire collapsed after World
War I, the new Turkish president founded the first commercial winery, Doluca,
in 1925. Since then the industry has built up slowly, with mostly larger
companies but now include a tiny group of small volume wineries. Wonder
what the Turkish word for "garagiste" might be.
The
majority of wines are produced in eastern parts of the country, near Greece and
along the Aegean sea or on the Mediterranean coast. Climates vary greatly from
the cooler coastal regions to those inland areas, which are much drier and
warmer. Thus, the variance in styles can be great.
A
significant number of the major producers are vinifera and have plenty of
choices in what to cultivate for wine.. European grapes (or actually those born
here and migrating west) are on the rise and made as single varietal styles.
More often they are included as blending components. The most popular
local grapes have names I couldn't pronounce and have no type face that allows
the correct symbols for spelling!
If I
actually find a source for something to taste, I'll report back. Also, Turkey
has a national spirit called Raki often served cold with meals. This is a pomace
based (think grapa) distillate flavored with anise seed. That might be easier
to locate and to compare with Sambuca.
