IS A HOMELAND OF R. Girak, I. Dovgun National University of Food Technologies

The region, where the countries of , , Azerbaijan and Turkey are located today, played a pivotal role in the early and is likely to have been one of the earliest wine-producing regions of the world. Turkey is home to between 600–1200 indigenous varieties of vinifera (the European grapevine), though less than 60 of these are grown commercially. With over 1,500,000 acres planted under vine, Turkey is the world’s fourth-leading producer of the . Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Turkish first president, established the first commercial winery in 1925. According to the OIV, the total wine production in 2005 was 287,000 hl. Wine consumption in Turkey reached 20,906,762 litres in the first half of 2009. The size and accounts for the wide climatic variation of the regions. The wine regions of along the Sea of Marmara have a slight Mediterranean climate that resembles those of neighbouring southwest and northeast . This area is responsible for nearly 40% of the wine production in Turkey which also produces the most elegant and balanced . The sub region of Thrace, Kirklareli, is known for the crisp white wines and fine reds. The wine regions along the Aegean coast, mostly near İzmir, account for 20% of the wine production, and have much more pronounced Mediterranean climates with mild winters and warm, dry summers. The remaining portion of Turkish wine production takes place in scattered pockets throughout the Eastern and Central regions. The region of Central Anatolia is the most climatically difficult region to produce wine, with most vineyards being located at altitudes near 1,250 meters above sea level. Winter frost is a serious viticultural hazard, with winter temperatures often dropping to 25 °C. In summer, the grapes of this region can receive up to 12 hours of sunshine a day. The vineyards of Eastern Anatolia around Elazığ, and Diyarbakır are located in the Euphrates valley, which are one of the world’s oldest wine regions and the anecdotal location of Noah’s vineyards from the 9th chapter of Genesis. With between 600 to 1200 indigenous varieties, there are numerous options that Turkish winemakers can pursue to make wine. Currently only 60 varieties are commercially cultivated. Some of the native Turkish varieties include the Yapıncak and Papazkarası grown in Thrace; the Sultaniye of the Aegean coast; the Öküzgözü and Boğazkere (used to make Buzbağ) of Eastern Anatolia; the Çalkarası of the Denizli Province in Western Anatolia, and the Kalecik Karası, Narince and Emir of Central Anatolia. In recent years some of the international grape varieties have increased their presence, including Sémillon (known as Trakya), , , , Cinsault, , , and . The largest winery of Turkey is operated by Tekel, which started as a state- owned monopoly. TTA/TEKEL alcoholic beverages section privatized by a block sale of 100% of shares for USD 292 million to Nurol-Özaltın-Limak-Tütsab Consortium and the Share Purchase Agreement signed on February 27, 2004. It is currently owned by Diego. Other notable wineries include Sarafin on the peninsula in Thrace, which was first privately owned “boutique winery”, Doluca of Thrace, Kavaklıdereof Anatolia and Sevilen. Sevilen produces grapes for premium wines on two sites: Aegean area, around İzmir, a warm Mediterranean climate and Anatolia plateau, a cool Mediterranean climate. After having totally restructured part of the vineyard, plus adding new plantations, Sevilen Group now produces ten million bottles of qualitative wines per year. Winemaking techniques are very modern. With a full brand new reception (double sorting table), the pre-fermentative process respects the integrity of the grapes, which are all hand-harvested. Newest in the Aegean is LA Organik which makes wine from organic grapes and has in their first year won international acclaim in Decanter magazine. Buzbağ is a full flavoured red wine made from Boğazkere grapes grown in the Anatolia region of Turkey. The wine is red with high tannic levels. It is sometimes produced in an fashion with the grapes allowed to hang on the vine till the first frost and then crushed while the grapes are still frozen. Historically, the area where Buzbağ produced is considered a possible birthplace of wine. The biblical accounts of Noah after the flood has him planting a vineyard near the area where the ark landed. This area is presumed to be Mt. Ararat where Buzbağ is still being produced today by the state run vineyards of Tekel near the town of Elazığ by the Euphrates River. References 1. Johnson H. The World Atlas of Wine / H. Johnson, J. Robinson. – Mitchell: Mitchell Beazley Publishing, 2005. – P. 264–265. 2. Robinson J. The Oxford Companion to Wine / J. Robinson. – [Third Edition]. – Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. – P. 714–715. 3. Turkish Wine [Електронний ресурс]: – Режим доступу: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_wine. 4. Wines of Turkey [Електронний ресурс]: – Режим доступу: http://www.winesofturkey.org/.