Doluca Wines
- Chris Vannoy
- May 14
- 5 min read
Doluca Winery – A Century of Turkish Wine, Rooted in Quality and Vision
When you open a bottle of Doluca, you’re not just tasting wine—you’re uncorking nearly a century of Turkish winemaking history. From humble beginnings in Mürefte to a nationwide presence across every shelf, table, and tasting room, Doluca Winery has evolved into one of Turkey’s most iconic producers. But what’s most remarkable isn’t just the longevity of Doluca—it’s how their quality has consistently improved, from the entry-level wines we all start with, to premium labels now competing on the world stage.
Doluca Wine's Vineyards — The Foundation of Doluca’s Legacy
Doluca’s winemaking identity is deeply rooted in place. With over 3,300 decares of vineyards spread across Thrace, the Gallipoli Peninsula, Denizli, and Uşak, the winery has invested significantly in grape growing as the cornerstone of quality.
Their flagship vineyards in Gallipoli are some of the most prized, with three distinctive sites:
Sarafin Vineyard – Producing Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Fiano. This vineyard underpins their prestigious Sarafin label, known for its depth and varietal clarity.
Alçıtepe Vineyard – Home to Grenache, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay. These wines are typically bold and structured, thanks to the vineyard’s limestone-rich soils and maritime influence.
Eceabat Vineyard – Focusing on Merlot, Bornova Misket, and Viognier, this vineyard contributes to some of Doluca’s more aromatic and fruit-driven expressions.
In Tekirdağ, they maintain five additional vineyards across 500+ decares, such as Kızılcaterzi (Merlot and Shiraz), Hamzapazarı (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz), and Kokaryamaz (Cabernet Franc). These vineyards play a key role in mid-range labels like Villa Doluca and Karma.
Further south in Uşak, Doluca experiments with international varietals such as Malbec
and Tempranillo, alongside native Bogazkere and Okuzgözü. Their Denizli vineyards, nearly 400 decares on the Güney Plateau, yield grapes with natural acidity and structure, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Bogazkere.
Crucially, Doluca produces the majority of their wine from their own grapes— This estate model allows them to craft wines with greater terroir expression and vintage variation, much like producers in Saint-Émilion or Gigondas.
Doluca Wines — From First Sip to Collectible Bottles
Ask any Turkish wine drinker what their first glass was, and chances are the answer is DLC or Villa Doluca. These wines are everywhere—from seaside cafés to ski lodges, from supermarket aisles to restaurant pairings. But what many don’t realize is how far Doluca’s portfolio reaches, from introductory wines to premium, award-winning cuvées.
Everyday Icons
DLC – A gateway wine for many, the DLC label is Doluca’s most widely distributed. It expresses classic varietal character with minimal intervention—clean, approachable, and consistent. The semi-sweet Playa (from Kalecik Karası and Çalkarası) adds a fun, fruit-forward twist.
Villa Doluca – Ubiquitous across Turkey, Villa Doluca has aged well since its launch in the 1960s. Once cutting-edge, it now offers a classic Turkish wine experience—reliable, food-friendly, and a nostalgic favorite.
Antik – A step up in complexity, Antik often blends local and international grapes and leans on moderate oak for structure.
Regional and Varietal Expression
Tuğra Series – A line of monovarietal wines focused on native grapes like Kalecik Karası, Öküzgözü, and Boğazkere. These emphasize fruit purity and are less oak-forward, letting the grape’s character shine. The Tuğra Öküzgözü has consistently won gold at the International Wine Challenge in the UK.
Kav Series – More classically styled, Kav wines focus on traditional Anatolian grapes, with richer textures and longer finishes. Kav Boğazkere-Öküzgözü is a staple and gold medal recipient.
Karma Series – One of Turkey’s first blend-focused labels, Karma pairs native and international grapes (e.g., Merlot-Boğazkere, Cabernet Sauvignon-Öküzgözü). Oak aging is more pronounced here, creating body, spice, and boldness. The 2016 Karma Merlot-Boğazkere and 2018 Karma Cabernet Sauvignon-Öküzgözü have both earned international gold medals.
Prestige Bottlings
Sarafin – The jewel of Doluca’s collection, Sarafin wines represent site-specific, low-yield, meticulously crafted bottlings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Shiraz, and more. Known for elegant oak integration, long aging potential, and international acclaim, Sarafin is the first Turkish label to rival world-class producers.
Signium – A limited-production cuvée made from the best grapes of each vintage, whether red or white. The 2017 Signium was a white blend—a bold move that proved exceptional. This label reflects the winemaker’s intuition and creative expression.
Kirte – A vineyard-specific blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon from Alçıtepe.
Often bold, with strong oak, deep fruit, and long finishes. Not for the faint of palate, and certainly deserving of decanting.
TANIT – A newer, modern label—e.g., the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc blend—showing firm tannins and medium-plus body. Expect more from this line in the future.
Safir – A naturally sweet wine made from Sultaniye grapes whose fermentation is arrested early. A gentle, fragrant, dessert-friendly wine.
Doluca Wine History — A Century of Reinvention
Few wine producers in Turkey can claim the kind of intergenerational legacy that Doluca enjoys, since the wine industry here took a break for nearly 80 years. It all began with Nihat Kutman, born in 1903 in Mürefte. After studying engineering in Germany, he pivoted to oenology, attending the prestigious Geisenheim Grape Breeding Institute. He returned in 1926 as Republican Turkey’s first trained oenologist and opened a winehouse, Maison Vinikol, in Galata.
By 1935, Kutman had introduced Cinsault, Semillon, Gamay, and Riesling to Turkish vineyards, particularly around Mürefte. From those vines, the Doluca label was born—named after the highest hill in the region. Transport was rudimentary: barrels were floated offshore to waiting boats bound for Istanbul. Still, the quality was apparent.
In the 1960s, Doluca opened a modern facility in Mürefte, equipped with temperature-controlled presses and de-stemmers. This led to the launch of Villa Doluca in 1969, which quickly became a national staple.
That same year, Ahmet Kutman, Nihat’s son, returned from studying and apprenticing at wineries near UC Davis. Under his leadership, Doluca modernized rapidly: introducing Riesling varietals (a rarity to this day), and establishing Turkey’s first wine-grape joint venture—NILKUT, in partnership with Guven Nil. Their Sarafin line, launched in the mid-1990s, set new standards for Turkish fine wine.
By 2011, Doluca had built a 14-million-liter capacity facility in Çerkezköy, with over 300 steel tanks and thousands of oak barrels. This enabled them to expand distribution both domestically and internationally, while still upholding their quality-first philosophy.
Today, Ahmet’s daughter, Sibel Kutman Oral, and her brother Ali Kutman, a Napa Valley College graduate, carry forward the family’s vision with fresh eyes and a global perspective.
Final Thoughts: The Future of a Turkish Wine Icon
Doluca Winery is more than a household name—it’s a story of resilience, reinvention, and reverence for the vine. Over the past 100 years, Doluca has grown from a Galata winehouse to one of Turkey’s most respected and recognized producers, crafting wines that appeal to both new drinkers and seasoned collectors.
Whether you’re sipping a Villa Doluca at a seaside taverna, or uncorking a Sarafin Merlot to mark a celebration, you’re participating in a story that began in Mürefte nearly a century ago. With every vintage, Doluca continues to evolve, proving that legacy and innovation can walk hand in hand.
Here’s to the next 100 years of Doluca!
Contact Doluca Wines
There's not really any place to visit that I'm aware of, though their production is near Istanbul, but you can find their wines at almost every market that sells wines and their best production at nicer wine shops in Turkey.
Çerkezköy Organize Sanayi Bölgesi
Yıldırım Beyazıt Mah. 26.Sokak No:14-16
Çerkezköy / TEKİRDAĞ
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