Turkey is an important region for wine tours considering that many civilizations such as Hittites and Lydians produced wine in Anatolia, and wine making started around Anatolia. It is supposed that wine was consumed in Anatolia almost 5000 years ago. Various ancient objects found show that in Cappadocia wine was offered to Gods. The Hittites attributed more importance to wine in Cappadocia between 1650 and 1200 B.C. During that time, Anatolia was called Wiyanawanda – the land of wine. In Hittite period, Zuwinasa (Avanos) was among the major grape growing areas in Central Anatolia.
The soil of volcanic nature in Cappadocia is therefore very rich and gives a special aroma especially to white grapes grown in the region. While around 30 different types of grapes are grown in Cappadocia, only three are used for wine making. Öküzgözü, Boğazkere, Narince and Emir are wines that are specific to Turkey.
Öküzgözü means “the eye of the bull” in Turkish, and derives its name from the dark colour and largeness of the grapes it is made from. It is a red wine with high acidity and soft tannin. It goes perfectly with meat. Öküzgözü is recommended to be served with large wine glasses. Boğazkere means “creating sourness” in Turkish. It is dark with low acidity. Boğazkere also goes perfectly with meat and cheese. It is served with large wine glasses.
Narince is a type of white wine. It is full-bodied with high acidity. Narince should be matched with chicken and fish. Lastly, Emir is a type of wine produced from grapes grown in Cappadocia. It is a white wine with high acidity. It is sometimes produced and kept in famous Cappadocian cave cellars. Emir is recommended to match it with dishes of equal acidity, such as fish and mezes.
Famous with wine-making, Cappadocia offers a great opportunity to taste different types of high-quality wine. Cappadocia region hosts the most important wine-makers of Turkey, such as Kocabağ, Turasan and Kavaklıdere. There are also boutique wine-makers mainly in Ürgüp and Avanos, such as Salkım wine house. Therefore, wine tasting is definitely a must-do activity in Cappadocia.
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