TEKIRDAĞ VITICULTURE and RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT WORK
Back in September 2024, during the “Bir Başkadır Avşa” festival, we met Mehmet Ali, the Director of the Tekirdağ Viticulture Institute. We mentioned our wish to visit the Institute and received a warm invitation on the spot. It took us 15 months to finally make the trip, but the experience truly renewed our hopes for the future. With this article, we wanted to share our impressions and also give voice to the devoted team at the Institute, who quietly shoulder a monumental responsibility.
A Brief History of the Tekirdağ Viticulture Institute
The Institute was founded in 1930, shortly after the establishment of the young Republic, under the name “American Vine Nursery Directorate.” A quick reminder for readers unfamiliar with the subject: the greatest nightmare in the history of global viticulture is a microscopic insect known as phylloxera. When Europe failed to overcome the devastation caused by this pest, vines with natural resistance—collectively known as “American vines”—were planted, and local grape varieties were grafted onto them to save viticulture. The predecessor of the Tekirdağ Institute was created specifically for this mission.
In the following decades, the organization was assigned broader tasks and, since 1958, has evolved into a project-based research institution. Today, it stands as a technological hub for viticulture. Initially tied to the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, it is now structured under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s TAGEM (General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies). What began as a 90-decare property now encompasses approximately 800 decares.
Viticulture in Turkey: The Numbers
The land we inhabit has an astonishingly rich place in the history of the vine. The domestication of wild grape vines into cultivated vines took place in the geography that includes Southeastern Anatolia. This transformation is estimated to date back 12,000 years. Our ancestors were domesticating vines alongside early grains such as wild wheat and barley.
Grape cultivation spread across Anatolia and, through migration and ancient trade routes, reached Mediterranean civilizations. Viticulture developed in Europe roughly 1,500 to 2,000 years after its rise in Anatolia.
Today, unfortunately, Turkey is rapidly losing vineyard area. Yet despite this decline, we still rank fifth in the world in vineyard surface area and sixth in grape production.
Another field in which we lead is grape diversity. A paper presented at an international conference in 2010 listed 1,115 registered varieties in Turkey. Once homonyms (same name, genetically different) and synonyms (different name, genetically identical) were removed, 845 distinct varieties remained.
Since then, many new varieties have emerged in Turkey. Their genetic analyses have not yet been completed. But the number that stood at 1,115 in 2010 has now reached 1,459. Until scientific clarity is established, it is fair—and cautious—to say that Turkey possesses well over 1,000 grape varieties. This alone is both a treasure and a record.
What Does the Tekirdağ Viticulture Institute Do?
Among all its responsibilities, one mission stands above the rest: finding, preserving, and maintaining the vines of every grape variety identified within Türkiye, and passing them on to future generations in a living collection vineyard. It is essentially a living archive of the vine.
The Institute is one of the primary guardians of this heritage. Its team works closely with various universities, generating experimental results that are evaluated not only through products but also through academic publications.
Many grape varieties that emerge from these studies are ones we closely follow. Grapes are the grower’s livelihood, and the rising value of grapes directly improves producers’ incomes and living standards. With its research and guidance, the Tekirdağ Institute plays a crucial role in elevating grape quality. Producers, especially in Thrace, frequently consult the Institute, which has become an approachable and trusted advisory center.
The Economic Value of the Grape
The grape is consumed fresh but also transformed into products with significant economic value. Historically, one of the grape’s most important roles was meeting humanity’s need for sweetness. Refined sugar, which we take for granted today, has existed for only about 150 years. For thousands of years, grapes were dried or turned into molasses to preserve their sweetness for year-round use.
Wine is, of course, another traditional method of preserving grapes, but wine grapes require different characteristics than table or drying grapes. The Institute plays a key guiding role in identifying which varieties are suitable for which uses. Among Turkish varieties, some stand out for their drying potential. Sultaniye is the classic example, and Turkey is the global leader in this category.
Regardless of the final product, everything begins in the vineyard. Terroir, grape variety, and the vineyard care practices all determine quality. This is why the Institute’s role in promoting qualified viticulture across the country is of great importance. Vineyard guidance covers everything from the right rootstock and variety selection to planting, pruning, tending, and harvest timing—an entire process where precision matters. The Institute remains the country’s primary reference point for all these topics.
A Quick Summary of Our Visit
Yesterday, we visited the Institute together with architect Umay Çeviker, a passionate supporter of Turkish grape heritage, and investor Metin Harbalioğlu, who is entering the viticulture sector. We were guided by two senior members of the Tekirdağ team: Tezcan Alço and Tamer Uysal. Getting answers to all our questions, hearing firsthand insights about the ongoing studies, walking through the collection vineyards, and feeling the energy of the place was truly exhilarating.
Among the samples we tasted, there was also a grape you may have encountered at WAYANA: Karamenüş. It finally appeared this year as a commercial product, but if you trace its story back, you immediately see the tremendous effort Tekirdağ Viticulture Institute has invested in this variety.
We also met Tarsus Beyazı, examined by the Institute following a specific request. Originally grown as a table grape, it has been evaluated from several angles by the technical team, and the result is a white variety well worth discovering.
The Institute has built a highly functional tasting room, complete with movable panels between seats to prevent influence between tasters. We also marveled at the production area: a compact laboratory of thirty airtight, temperature-controlled units equipped with miniature 30–60-liter tanks.
In Essence
Our visit on 18 December gave us hope at a time when developments in Turkish viticulture often leave us discouraged. We cannot thank Institute Director Mehmet Ali Kiracı, along with Tezcan Alço and Tamer Uysal, enough for welcoming us and giving us their time.
Rest assured: our national vine collection is in safe hands.
