Turkish wine bubbles with success

The domain of sparkling white wine is typically bubbling over with French champagne, Italian prosecco and Spanish cava, but a Turkish wine is now making its presence felt. Named "Yasasin", which means "hurray" in Turkish, this bubbly is created at the Vinkara Winery, just an hour away from Ankara.

The Turkish tipple, which comes in both white and rose, took the prized gold medal in a 2020 competition, outdoing a local French champagne. Vinkara was the first vineyard to initiate production, employing the champagne method with its double fermentation process. Other local wineries soon followed suit and output has soared.

Yasasin's success can be attributed to their own indigenous red grape, "Kalecik Karasi '', similar to a Pinot Noir, says production manager Naze Sahin.

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."

While more than 800 varieties of native grapes have been classified by universities and wine producers in Turkey, as oenologist Burak Demirel explains, the industry's flourishing thanks to one very significant reason.

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."

With scaled-up marketing, blogs and positive reviews of Turkish wines from respected critics, demand is fizzing, despite the fact that last year a mere 30,000 litres reached foreign markets. The only fly in the ointment has been Turkey's Islamic-conservative government, which has imposed heightened taxes and legislation on alcohol.

Against all odds, Turkish wine production has tripled in the last 15 years and, with enthusiastic young winemakers working at the cutting edge, it might well be Turkish fizz bubbling in your champagne glass at next New Year's festivities.

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