Turkey's new champagne - 10th January 2024

A new wine's on the market. It's white and it's sparkling, like champagne. It isn't from France, Italy or Spain. It's from Turkey. The wine's name is "Yasasin".

This is Vinkara Winery, near Ankara. They make Yasasin there.

In 2020, Yasasin won gold in a competition for sparkling wines. It won against French champagne. Now, lots of wineries make sparkling wine. It's a popular drink.

Naze Sahin's the manager at Vinkara. Vinkara uses "Kalecik Karasi" grapes. These grapes are from Turkey.

Naze Sahin: "This is an area of 85 hectares. In about 50-60 percent of it we grow Kalecik Karasi grapes. Our speciality as a company is focusing on local varieties."

Turkey has over 800 types of grapes. Other things are helping too. For example, businesses are putting money into Turkish wine.

Burak Demirel: "Since the beginning of the 2000s around 2005 - 2006, there have been positive developments in quality wine and sparkling wine production. New investors from outside the industry are entering the sector. It is an important factor."

Good reviews and adverts are helping Turkish wine. But the business has problems too. The Turkish government dislikes people drinking. Wine prices are high. Last year, wineries sent only 30,000 litres abroad.

Wine production was low 15 years ago. But now, it's growing. And Turkish wine-makers are young and modern.

At your next party, Yasasin might be your drink!