Chris Vannoy
Jul 18, 20221 min
Updated: Nov 2, 2022
At the head of the ancient Meander River Valley is the latest Wine Route in Turkey
So At this point details are still scarce, but keep an eye out. Here's what we know so far: It's exciting times for viticulture in Turkey!
The Cal Valleys are a number of valleys that make up some of the headwaters of the mighty and long lived Meander river. Located an hour north of Denizli or Pamukkale, this is an area that has long been known for its grapes, particularly the Calkarasi - yet another of the Kara type of grapes named for its region of origin.
This is quite an interesting Aegean variety. The predominant wines from Calkarasi are rose' and red blends. The grape is very high in acidity and has excellent red fruit flavours, and also peach. Though the area produces many other grape varieties as well.
The Vineyard Route is new as of 2022 and has 4 members.
Hanchalar, Kup, Kuzubag and Lermonos. There are many other wineries in the area, so lets see if this number grows.
This area is located in the foothills as the river valley heads up to the plain of Anatolia. And the elevations are higher here than elsewhere in the Aegean region, leading to different wine profiles. Think Cal Karasi acidity above from the cool nights. I'll be visiting here soon, so keep an eye out.
If you want to take a peek at the wineries check their instagram's below.