Turkey’s fourth vineyard route was recently brought to life as a collective initiative by seven producers. Initially conceived as a platform, the Lydian Ancient Vineyard Route is also in the process of formalizing as an association.

Wine lovers might not immediately recognize these producers by their regions, but we’re confident many will be familiar with their wines. Once you see the names, you’ll likely agree:

• Heraki
• Kastro Tireli
• Nif Bağları
• Pendore Bağları
• Selendi
• Sobran Bağları
• Yanık Ülke

Heraki is the youngest label among the seven producers, brought to life by a couple of wine professionals. In addition to developing their own brand, they continue to offer services to the broader wine industry. Their wines stand out for their quality as well as their distinctive bottle choices. Unlike the other producers who use grapes from their own vineyards, Heraki sources grapes from contracted vineyards and vinifies them with care.

Kastro Tireli emerged from the wine passion of a local family. Since planting their first vines in 2004, they have been committed to producing high-quality wines. Kastro Tireli has expanded its range by selecting grapes according to the diverse terroir characteristics of their vineyards. While they use cultured yeast in their white wines, their red wines are spontaneously fermented, giving nature a chance to take the lead.

Nif Bağları Nif Vineyards takes its name from Nymphaion, the historical name of the Kemalpaşa region where it is located. Established in 2004 on a vineyard area of approximately 400 decares, Nif produces wines from both indigenous varieties like Bornova Misketi and internationally cultivated grapes such as Solaris, which requires expert handling. At Nif Vineyards, the founding generation still works side by side with the second generation.Even if you’re just now hearing about Pendore Vineyards, there’s a good chance you’ve already come across the name on wine labels—particularly as a series under Kavaklıdere Wines, one of Turkey’s oldest and most established producers. Pendore spans a vast area of 2,228 decares, divided into 77 distinct plots, each designed to be cultivated according to its unique terroir characteristics. Alongside Öküzgözü and Syrah bottled under the Pendore label, the estate also produces other varietals like Bornova Misketi and Malbec, even if “Pendore” doesn’t always appear on the bottle.

Pendore Bağları’nı bu adıyla yeni duymuş olsanız bile Kavaklıdere Şarapları’nın bir seri adı olarak görmüş olma olasılığınız çok yüksek. Türkiye’nin en eski ve köklü şarap üreticilerinden Kavaklıdere çatısı altında yer alan Pendore Bağları 2228 dönümlük bir alana yayılıyor. Bu büyük alan kendi içinde 77 parsele bölünmüş ve her parsel özgün teruvar özelliklerine göre işlenmek üzere tasarlanmış. Pendore adıyla şişelenen Öküzgözü ve Syrah’nın yanı sıra Bornova Misketi ve Malbec gibi, etiket adında Pendore bulunmayan şaraplar da bu bağların ürünü.

Sobran Vineyards has been producing wine since 2017. Among the grape varieties grown on their 60-decare vineyard, the most distinctive is Nebbiolo. While rarely seen elsewhere in Turkey, Nebbiolo is well known for the prestigious red wines of Italy. Sobran takes it a step further—not only crafting a red wine from this variety but also vinifying it as a rosé and even a white wine using the blanc de noir method.

Selendi may be remembered for its founder Akın Öngör’s banking background, but the roots of the brand date back to the early 2000s. What began as a casual idea—“we’ll make some wine and spend time on the farm”—evolved into today’s Selendi brand, especially after new vineyards were planted. Segmenting its wines with series named after local settlements, such as Moralı and Sarnıç, Selendi also features original artworks by different artists on the label of each vintage of its Akhisar blend.

Yanık Ülke, which means “Scorched Land,” takes its name from the dark volcanic soils of the Divlit Volcano. Established in 2007 in the Kula district of Manisa, the estate now spans 800 decares of vineyards where 16 different grape varieties suitable for both red and white wine are cultivated. In addition to well-known international varieties, Yanık Ülke also grows more niche grapes—Gewürztraminer among the whites, and Catarratto and Nerello Mascalese, both native to Sicily, among the reds.

A common thread that unites all the producers on the Lydian Ancient Vineyard Route is their strong family identity. No matter how large the scale becomes, this sense of family—so distinctive to the wine world—remains vital for the longevity and continuity of a brand. With the exception of Kavaklıdere, all of the producers are run by first and second generations. We wish each of these family-led brands a long and thriving journey ahead.

At WAYANA, we currently serve around 40 different wines from these seven producers. In other words, we share a long-standing and deeply rooted relationship with each of them. So when we first heard about the launch of the Lydian Ancient Vineyard Route, the idea of curating a tasting around it felt like an exciting and meaningful responsibility.

We sincerely hope that our contribution helps raise awareness of this special route, even in some small way.