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TURKISH
WINE
| Turkey
is the fifth-largest producer of fresh grapes in the world. Yet, until
relatively recently only 2 percent of its vineyards were used for wine
production. That was mainly because of the ban on alcoholic drinks during
the Ottoman period, which caused wine production to decline. When the
Anatolian soil, destined to grow grapes, came under Ottoman control, the
art and science of viticulture lay fallow. After Anatolia became an
Ottoman territory, only its ethnic Greek and Armenian citizens continued
to produce wine. During the 400-year Ottoman ban, thousands of hectares of
grapes were consumed as fresh or dried fruit. Yet one should still take
into account Ottoman's alcoholic drink culture. Even though there was a
ban on spirits during the reigns of Suleyman the Magnificent, Ahmed I,
Murad IV, Mehmed the Hunter and Selim III, the 1637 census records the
existence of 160 taverns and nearly 6,000 stores selling alcohol in
Istanbul alone. Following the Tanzimat Movement, a political reform
program enacted by Sultan Abdulmejid in the twilight days of the empire,
moves towards Westernization revived viticulture. So by the dawn of
the 20th century, the Ottomans were producing 30 million liters of wine
annually, and exporting a significant portion of it when Europe
viticulture was suffering from phylloxera. |
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YAKUT
Glass $4.50
Bottle $16
It is made from Bogazkere and Öküzgözü
grapes, is a dry red wine of a certain standard quality. It is the best
selling red wine of Turkey. It is ruby red, rather bulky with light
tannin. It has an aroma of cherry, banana, spice, and strawberry. It is
light-bodied, broad and refreshing.
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SELECTION Kırmızı
Glass $5.50 Bottle
$20
Selection Red one of Kavaklideres prestigious
wines is produced from most distinguished "Öküzgözü" and
"Bogazkere" grapes. Its "bouquet" develops when it is
aged in the bottle. The tannins in wine become elegant. The Selection Red,
which is dark red, and claret, has an aroma of red fruit, spice, and red
currant. It has an astringent, full-bodied, dense, and vivid finish.
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KALECİK
KARASI
Bottle
$35
The Kalecik Karası grape of Central
Anatolia, which was on the brink of extinction due to the negligence of
long years, has taken its deserved place in viticulture as a product of
Kavaklidere thanks to the long term efforts of Turkish and French experts
of Kavaklidere Wines. This special prestige wine has the color of a ruby
stone, it is rich, well-balanced, and has a lasting and charming aroma of
red fruit, vanillin, and cocoa. It has a light, fresh, and elegant finish.
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ÇANKAYA
Glass $4.50
Bottle $16
It is made with grapes of Emir, Narince,
Semillon, and Sultaniye, and is the best-selling wine of Turkey. Thanks to
the structure and production conditions of the grapes used in making
Cankaya, it is light colored, elegant, full-bodied, and very fresh wine.
It has a strong aroma of fresh fruit, apple, pear, melon, citrus fruit,
and flowers.
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SELECTION Beyaz
Glass $5.50
Bottle $20
It is made from the most distinguished white
wines obtained from the most distinguished Narince and Semillion grapes.
Its "bouquet" develops while it is aged in the bottle. This wine
with the aroma of citrus fruits, quince, honeysuckle, and acacia, is
strong, firm, rich and lasting. It has a finish of coconut and fresh
quince. |
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