Yusta Winery First Thoughts

Yusta Winery: Bold Reds from Bursa’s Forgotten Wine Heartland

Over the past five years, I’ve had the pleasure of tasting several wines from Yusta Winery, and I continue to be impressed—especially by their red blends and varietal Shiraz. While I’ve yet to visit their estate in person, their wines reflect the areas heritage and vision: Bursa’s Mudanya region, once a viticultural heartland that has all but disappeared from Turkey’s wine map. But Yusta is changing that.

Yusta Winery's Revival Rooted in Ancient Terroir

Yusta Winery is nestled in the Yörükali District of Mudanya, a scenic slope on the southern side of the Marmara Sea. This is not just another boutique winery in Turkey—it is Bursa’s first and only château-style winery, a region with surprising historical resonance. And the only winery in the area.

This was once the ancient land of Mysia, and wines from the village of Misi were so renowned that even Orhan Gazi—conqueror of Bursa—was served local vintages after he took control of the area. Grapes from Misi and nearby villages were sent to Istanbul until the 1950s, when the automotive sector began to replace viticulture as Bursa’s defining industry. Traces of the region’s viticultural legacy even survive in the surnames of families—references to vineyard keepers and wine growers are still embedded in the local identity.

Against this backdrop of faded glory, Yusta Winery has quietly but starting to reclaim the region’s winegrowing potential.

10 Years of Yusta's Patience, 100,000 Bottles of Precision

Founded by Yıldırım Beyazıt Usta, a trained ophthalmologist, the winery is a family effort now involving their daughter Zeynep Aslı Usta. Planting began in 2007, but only after a 10 year legal process to begin production. Their first vintage was released in 2017—a clear indicator of their long-term commitment and patience.

Today, Yusta has the capacity to produce perhaps as many as 100,000 bottles annually—a scale that allows for both quality control and experimentation. They cultivate 25 acres of vineyards, rich in limestone and clay, which provide ideal conditions for red varieties in particular. The sloping terrain offers great drainage, and the calcareous soils around Zeytinbağı and Mudanya contribute to a nuanced minerality in the wines.

Yusta Wines with Structure, Fruit, and Purpose

Purple wine bottle label with a grape design, showing "Yusta Shiraz 2017" text. Elegant and vintage feel.

The winery’s current lineup focuses on Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec, and Chardonnay. Since 2019, they’ve released both monocépage and coupage (blended) wines, many of which I’ve had the opportunity to taste over the years.

If I had to describe the Yusta style in one word, it would be “bold”—but not in the sense of excessive alcohol or brashness. Rather, their reds carry the structure and power of Bordeaux, with a Turkish flourish of floral aromatics, fresh acidity, and a distinct sense of place.

Yusta Winery's Standout Reds

Among my favorites:

• Shiraz 2021: Awarded a Silver in the 2024 Sommelier's Selection, this wine delivers on all fronts. Its sibling, the 2019 vintage, was chosen for the Master Class Selection in the 2022 Somm Selection, scoring 91 and 89 points respectively with 2 different Master Sommeliers. I gave it a strong personal endorsement when I tasted it—deep, polished, and expressive.

• Cabernet Sauvignon 2021: Earned a Bronze in the 2024 Sommelier's Selection. Solid structure, dark fruit, and a restrained oak profile that hints at cellaring potential.

• Bordeaux-style blends: Their 2021 Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend and the Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2021 both earned Bronze awards in 2024. These are expressive, muscular reds that show impressive integration for relatively young wines.

• Malbec: This is perhaps the most surprising gem in their lineup. Aged 21 months in French oak, Yusta’s Malbec is a rare find in Turkey. Deeply concentrated, with dark berry fruit and spice, it stands apart with its poise and aging potential.

These wines share a consistent signature: high extraction balanced by fine tannins, bright acidity, and a palate that leans more toward savory and floral than jammy or overly sweet. Some people mention a faint note of olive in some bottlings—whether a local terroir marker or a happy coincidence, it adds an intriguing Mediterranean character.

Yusta are not afraid of great quality oak, either. French barrels are used confidently but never overwhelm the fruit. This subtle yet present oak treatment suggests careful winemaking rather than heavy-handed styling.

Awaiting My First Yusta Winery Visit

Despite my extensive tasting of Yusta’s wines, I have yet to walk the rows of their vineyard or visit the cellar. That day will come, and when it does, I expect the experience to match the wines: thoughtful, rooted, and quietly ambitious.

In addition to grapes, the estate also produces Bursa’s famed black figs and Gemlik olives, which suggests a deep connection to the land and its culinary traditions.

I’m eager to see the vineyard in person.

Final Thoughts on Yusta Winery

Yusta Winery is more than a boutique producer; it is a quiet reclamation of Bursa’s viticultural identity. With each bottle—especially the red blends and Shiraz—it becomes more apparent that this is a place capable of greatness. Their success shows what’s possible when patience, precision, and place come together.

I look forward to walking their limestone-rich slopes soon. Until then, the wines keep calling me back.