Gürbüz Winery & Restaurant
- Chris Vannoy
- May 15
- 5 min read
Gürbüz Winery: A Robust Force in Turkish Wine, Rooted in Knowledge and Vines
Nestled unexpectedly inside an industrial park in the town of Büyükkarıştıran, —which translates as “The Big One That Messes Things Up”—you’ll find something unexpectedly elegant and strikingly precise: Gürbüz Winery & Restaurant. It’s one of the two closest wine-producing restaurants to Istanbul, yet it offers more than just convenience. It offers a story of dedication, terroir-driven ambition, and one man’s pursuit of excellence in Turkish wine.
That man is Akin Gürbüz—a name synonymous with quality, innovation, and what the future of Turkish wine could look like. And fittingly, the word “Gürbüz” in Turkish means “robust.” It’s a perfect descriptor not only for the wines that carry the name, but for Akin himself—a passionate, hands-on winemaker whose depth of knowledge is equaled only by his energy and generosity as a host.
Gürbüz Winery Vineyards: From Sea Breezes to High Hills
Gürbüz Winery draws fruit from over 60 hectares of vineyards, including 10 hectares that Akin personally farms—mostly in and around Gaziköy where he grew up, a coastal village near Tekirdağ . The terrain here is dramatic: vineyards sprawl from 50 to 800 meters in elevation, winding through forested hills with chalky clay soils and scattered stones. Mechanization here is rare, which is fine—Akin prefers to do things by hand.
What makes this geography special is its climate. Strong summer rains pass through the area, yet constant breezes off the Sea of Marmara prevent mildew and over-ripeness. This interaction between sea, slope, and soil brings freshness and longevity to the grapes—even for bold reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, which he sometimes harvests as late as October.
Matching grape to terrain is an obsession here. Akin is regularly seen on Instagram, grafting vines on slopes, evaluating ripeness block by block, and adapting his vineyard approach year after year. That flexibility—rather than a fixed recipe—is what defines his winemaking.
The Gürbüz Wines: Robust, Refined, and Ever-Evolving
Akin doesn’t chase varietal trends. He lets the vintage and the vineyard decide. Each year’s best fruit shapes the blends and even the labels. While other wineries may keep a static range, Gürbüz Winery is dynamic by design—always focused on quality, never bound to routine.
He uses American, Hungarian, and French oak to shape his reds, and ages every red wine in barrel, bringing spice, structure, and elegance. Some wines are experimental, like his natural orange Sauvignon Blanc, while others, like his Bordeaux-style blends, are deeply classical.
Here’s a tour through some of the winery’s standout labels:
✦ Mood Series
– Grapes First, Always
This label offers outstanding value and a great introduction to Gürbüz’s winemaking style.
Mood Sauvignon Blanc / Misket – Bright, fresh, aromatic white with floral notes from the Misket.
Mood Rosé – A crisp blend of Kalecik Karası, Papaskarası, and Cinsault—light in body but not in character.
Mood Red (2019) – A juicy, textured red from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, and Shiraz—balanced and highly drinkable.
✦ Fumé Blanc
– Akin’s nod to his New Zealand influence, with subtle oak, citrus, and savory notes.
✦ Caro Vino Kalecik Karası
– A monovarietal Turkish classic with lively cherry, spice, and gentle tannins.
✦ Natural Sauvignon Blanc
– Fermented with skins, no sulfur added. Orange wine lovers, take note.
✦ Blend #1 (2023)
– Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, a barrel-aged red with deep concentration, smooth tannins, and striking fruit purity. Expected to be a vintage highlight.
✦ Winemaker’s Selection
– Small lot wines with personal touch, including local grapes such as Kalecik Karasi, Karalahna, Papaskarasi, Okuzgozu, or international varieties like Merlot or Shiraz.
✦ Hieron Oros
– A flagship Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, and occasionally Cabernet Franc. This line is named after a lost Pontic city near Trabzon, merging history and heritage with modern elegance.
✦ Semillon Late Harvest
– A rare dessert wine in Turkey, made from late-harvested grapes.
Each bottle carries Akin’s signature—literally. His name appears on the label as a stamp of personal craftsmanship, a detail not lost on those who’ve met him or tasted with him.
The Experience: Hands-On, Warm-Hearted, and Educational
At Gürbüz Winery, the only thing better than the wine is the host. Akin is deeply generous with his time and knowledge. A visit often includes not just a tasting, but can also include a barrel sampling straight from the cellar, detailed insights into the vintage’s challenges, and a conversation that might wander from vineyard management to international trends in natural wine.
Though the winery is set in an industrial zone—a somewhat unlikely backdrop—the interior tells another story: a cozy restaurant, a warmly-lit tasting room, and walls filled with wine history. Numerous guests I’ve sent have raved not only about the food and wine, but about Akin himself: “charismatic,” “deeply informed,” “down-to-earth,” and “infectiously passionate.”
The Man Behind the Wine: Akin Gürbüz
Akin’s journey into wine began in Gaziköy, where he grew up among the vines. Early experimentation led to a decision that would change his life—and Turkish wine. In a country without formal winemaking education at the time, he looked abroad and enrolled at the University of California, Davis, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Viticulture and Enology in 2008.
His hands-on training took him across the globe: Napa Valley, Baja Mexico, New Zealand—where he developed a deep affection for Sauvignon Blanc. He later earned a Master’s in Computer and Information Systems from Brooklyn College in New York—an unusual, but revealing combination of systems thinking and agricultural artistry.
Upon returning to Turkey, he became a consultant for some of the country’s most
prestigious wineries: Barbare, Chamlija, Likya, Urla, and Ayda, just to name a few. His work is known for raising quality and consistency, always with an emphasis on terroir and transparency.
In 2012, he founded Gürbüz Gıda A.Ş., launching his own label with a clear purpose: to showcase what Turkish wines could become when rooted in science, experience, and love for the land. By 2017, the first wines—made from the 2015 harvest—were released, and the winery has grown to now produce around 50,000 bottles annually.
Akin is also a judge for the International Wine Challenge, a speaker at international wine symposiums, and a founding member of Winemakers of Thrace and the Turkish Wine Bloggers Group. He advocates for organic, sustainable, and biodynamic viticulture, and for the power of regional collaboration in elevating Turkish wine.
A Final Word: Why Gürbüz Winery Matters
In a country still finding its global wine identity, Gürbüz Winery stands out for all the right reasons. It’s not just proximity to Istanbul or a good restaurant that makes this place special—it’s the depth of knowledge, personal connection to the land, and hands-on care in every bottle.
Akin Gürbüz isn’t just a winemaker—he’s a leader, a mentor, and a builder of community. His winery reflects that. Robust in name, robust in wine, and robust in spirit, Gürbüz is a must-visit for anyone serious about discovering the future of Turkish wine.
So the next time you’re traveling through Thrace, take a turn off the D-100 highway into Büyükkarıştıran’s unassuming industrial park. Behind the metal gates and concrete facades, a world of elegance, passion, and robust wine awaits.
Contact Gürbüz Winery & Restaurant
You can book a wine tasting directly online through Gürbüz Winery’s Website, or contact them by phone or email to arrange a tour.
They’re open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and tastings can be paired with a full meal.
📍 Yeni Mahalle, D-100 Karayolu Caddesi No:33, Buyukkaristiran Kucuk Sanayi Sitesi, C Block 10-27 No, Lüleburgaz, Kırklareli
📅 Monday–Sunday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
📞 +90 535 360 7334
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