A Tiring but Incredibly Joyful Event:

HOW THE TASTING IDEA WAS BORN

While WAYANA’s new event series, “Producers at WAYANA,” was in full swing, we suddenly witnessed the birth of a brand-new vineyard route. It was March 2025. We had already announced TURASAN as our March guest, but April’s event was still a mystery.

When I heard the news, I immediately called Göknur Gündoğan, the project’s communications coordinator. I said, “We would love to host your vineyard route for our April event and contribute to your visibility.”

Of course, this could only happen if the producers on the route agreed. Fortunately, all seven producers were already represented on the WAYANA menu.

Göknur passed our message to Ercan Boztepe, founder of Sobran Vineyards and coordinator of the route, and soon we received a green light.

We eagerly rolled up our sleeves to work on the best way to introduce this newborn vineyard route to our guests.

TASTING CONTENT

A perfect framework emerged, fitting seamlessly with our format: In the first part of the tasting, we paired one wine from each of the seven producers with a dish from WAYANA’s kitchen. In the second part, we offered two additional wines from each producer in an open tasting format.

Since we already had close working relationships with the producers, selecting and sourcing the wines went smoothly. We carefully balanced the priorities of the wineries with the expectations of our guests.

We finalized the pairings, shared them with the producers, and completed our preparations with their approval.

THE DAY OF THE EVENT

The interest was so overwhelming that what was initially planned as a single session expanded into two—an additional evening session had to be added.

On the event day, we were joined by representatives from the wineries, who graciously co-hosted the gathering.

After the welcoming speeches, Göknur Gündoğan and Ercan Boztepe shared the story of the Lidya Ancient Vineyard Route.

During the wine presentations, Yasemin Taşlıca from Pendore Vineyards and Ercan Boztepe from Sobran Vineyards told the stories of their wineries and wines.

The second half of the event was even livelier. Conversations deepened, and guests started planning their trips to explore the new route.

The same vibrant atmosphere carried through to the evening session. By the end of the day, it was clear to everyone that the Lidya Ancient Vineyard Route was a must-visit.

ABOUT THE LIDYA ANCIENT VINEYARD ROUTE

In short, the Lidya Ancient Vineyard Route is not just a wine tour—it is a journey through a land rich in ancient heritage.

It’s worth mentioning that the route’s name was suggested by our dear friend Murat Yankı, a guide and wine expert whose expertise ensured the perfect name was chosen.

The route’s secretariat has also prepared a compact yet highly effective guidebook that immediately conveys the spirit of this unique wine and culture synthesis.

One of the highlights is that three of the Seven Churches, so significant in Christian history, are located along the route. This offers Christian visitors a rare opportunity: a journey back through time, intertwined with wines that hold ceremonial importance within their faith—a truly irresistible invitation.

ROTAYI DENEYİMLEYEN BİRİSİ GÖZÜYLE

The Lidya Ancient Vineyard Route is not suited for spontaneous, walk-in visits. Distances that may appear short on a map can be misleading, something I experienced firsthand.

After planning the April 27 tasting event, I felt it was essential to visit the wineries myself before presenting the route to others. Rather than visiting as a tourist, I traveled as an observer—since I already knew the wines, there was no need for additional tastings.

EXPERIENCING THE ROUTE FIRSTHAND

After departing from Istanbul, my first stop was Yanık Ülke in Kula, where I was warmly welcomed by Burak Bey, the production manager. We discussed how they host guests and explored the vineyards and facilities.

Next, I headed to Pendore Vineyards. While Yanık Ülke and Pendore are neighboring estates, the drive between them took nearly an hour—a reminder that in real life, “next door” can be quite far!

Pendore is part of Kavaklıdere, Turkey’s largest wine producer. Thanks to Erdal and Önder Beyler’s detailed guidance, I continued my journey, traveling about another hour to reach Heraki and Sobran Vineyards.

Heraki ve Sobran Bağları’nın üretimi bir organize sanayi bölgesi içinde. Heraki’nin sahipleri Fulya ve Jose ile geçirdiğimiz yaklaşık bir saatten sonra bu kez Fulya’nın rehberliğiyle Sobran’ın bağ evine gittik. Burası hem Heraki hem de Sobran Bağları şaraplarının tadımlarına ev sahipliği yapacak yer.

Their production facilities are located inside an organized industrial zone, a result of regulations I will comment on later.

After a wonderful hour with Fulya and Jose from Heraki, Fulya guided me to Sobran’s tasting house, where both Heraki and Sobran wines are showcased. The final stop for the day was Nif Vineyards, about 1.5 hours away. There, Onur Bey showed me around and kindly hosted me for dinner. Nif Vineyards, with its long-standing hospitality experience, requires little additional preparation for visitors. The following morning, I visited Kastro Tireli, where Onur Bey once again offered a warm welcome.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn about their work with two local grape varieties. The journey ended at Selendi Vineyards in the village of Sarnıç, where we were lucky enough to meet the management team and tour the facilities with beloved Sabahattin Bey, who has been part of Selendi from the very beginning.

A BRIEF NOTE ON OPERATING WINERIES IN TURKEY

Allow me a short digression to highlight a key regulatory challenge faced by Turkish wineries. In quality wine production—as in any kind of production—the distance between raw material and production facility is crucial. Traditionally, most fine wineries worldwide use a “château model,” producing wines at facilities located adjacent to their vineyards.

This was also true in Turkey—until a gradual regulatory change between 2004 and 2010 mandated that production licenses for wineries could only be granted within organized industrial zones. This policy effectively decided that producing a food item (even one containing alcohol) among factories making plastic, paper, footwear, or textiles was more appropriate than producing wine at the vineyard itself. I remain hopeful that this regulation will eventually change.

SUMMARY

Here are my key takeaways:

• Set aside time to experience the Lidya Ancient Vineyard Route—you won’t regret it.
• Whenever possible, join an organized tour through a licensed travel agency to ensure a smooth and well-planned visit.
• If you prefer to travel independently, always make reservations in advance. Walk-in visits may not always be accommodated.
• If you wish to enjoy the journey both as a wine and culture tour, plan for two nights of accommodation. If focusing purely on wine, one night and two full days should be sufficient.

A FINAL WORD

Turkey is still in the early stages of developing its wine tourism sector. Yet the Lidya Ancient Vineyard Route stands out as a highly accomplished example—not only as a vineyard trail but also as a cultural itinerary rich with history. Moreover, it signals even greater projects on the horizon, such as the forthcoming vineyard route in Cappadocia.

The fact that seven competing wineries came together around a shared vision to bring this project to life is a major success. We sincerely congratulate everyone who contributed to making it happen.

And now, a little friendly “propaganda” to wrap things up: If you don’t have time to travel to Manisa for the Lidya Ancient Vineyard Route, come visit us at WAYANA—we’ll bring the wines of the route to your glass right where you are!

https://lidyaantikbagrotasi.com