Turkey, located on the Anatolian peninsula between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, produces more grapes than any other country in the world. However, only a very small proportion of these grapes are made into wine; as a predominantly Muslim nation, Turkey's per capita Alcohol consumption is very low.
The lack of wine production in Turkey is highly ironic, as wine historians believe that viticulture and winemaking originated in this Part of the world. Archaeological projects in Turkey and neighboring countries in the Levant have uncovered evidence suggesting that primitive VineBreeding was part of life here more than 6,000 years ago, which explains the abundance of wine grapes (vinifera).
The most commonly used wine grapes in Turkey are those used as table grapes, the only use they could be put to during the seven centuries of Ottoman rule. Ampelographic research has suggested that Turkey is home to between 500 and 1000 distinct varieties of vinifera grapes.
Although Turkey's wine history is one of the oldest in the world, the modern Turkish wine industry is very Young. Turkey only began producing wine again in 1925, as a symbol of the nation's modernization and westernization.
The founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, established the country's oldest winery. The largest winery in modern Turkey is owned by tobacco giant Tekel (whose name translates as "monopoly"), now a subsidiary of British American Tobacco.
Turkey's transcontinental location, between the deserts of Arabia (its eastern neighbours are Syria, Iraq and Iran) and the seas of Eastern Europe (the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea), results in significant climatic variations within its borders. While the western coastal regions have a temperate Mediterranean Climate, with hot, Dry summers and milder, wetter winters, the northern regions (on the Black Sea) have significantly higher humidity in summer and colder winters.
Some Rasteau 2020s lack substance this year, but it’s a vintage that has played into the hands of those estates who favour elegance over power. Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2020 wines {"content":"PHA+JiM4MjE2O0lmIHlvdSB3YW50IHRvIG1ha2Ugd2luZXMgd2l0aCBmaW5lc3NlLCBpdCB3YXMgYSBnb29kIHllYXIsJiM4MjE3OyBzYXlzIE1pa2FlbCBCb3V0aW4uPC9wPgo8cD48ZGl2IGNsYXNzPSJhZC1jb250YWluZXIgYWQtY29udGFpbmVyLS1tb2JpbGUiPjxkaXYgaWQ9InBvc3Qt ...
Our feet crunched through layers of dry oak leaves as we climbed a pebbly path towards the vineyards behind the farmhouse. Roots go deep here. Not just the tall oaks and squat vines, but families too. I walked the vineyards at Mas de Libian with Hélène Thibon, but it was her father Jean-Pierre that greeted me when I arrived. Hélène’s sister Catherine was out front with Bambi the horse, ploughing the sandier plots. Later, we tasted in the winery with Hélène’s son Aurélien. Three generations of a ...
This is a remarkably classic vintage for Hermitage given the hot, dry conditions. The reds have impressive tannic weight and texture, balanced acidity and a good sense of freshness. Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring Hermitage 2020 wines {"content":"PHA+VGhlIHdoaXRlcyBhcmUgYSBmbG9yYWwsIG1pbmVyYWwgZXhwcmVzc2lvbiBvZiBIZXJtaXRhZ2UsIHdpdGggbGVzcyBvZiB0aGUgcmljaG5lc3MgYW5kIG9wdWxlbmNlIG9mIHJlY2VudCB2aW50YWdlcy48L3A+CjxwPiYjODIxNjtJdOKAmXMgbGlrZSB0aGUgdmluZXMgY ...
