The asterisk in the title marks a quote. These are the words of one of our industry’s most respected figures—academic and winemaker Prof. Dr. Sabit Agaoglu. And when they come from him, there’s no room for doubt. I must admit: my impressions align perfectly with the Professor’s. Vinkara truly earns this praise through its meticulous dedication to its craft.

We had already agreed with Serkan Bey, Vinkara’s Sales Director, that the tasting we would host on Sunday, July 27, 2025, would be dedicated to Vinkara. This will be the sixth event in our “PRODUCERS AT WAYANA” series. Only one of the previous events was not devoted to a single producer but to the newly announced Lydia Ancient Vineyard Route. The other events featured guest producers Mor Salkım, Turasan, Akin Gurbuz, and Kuzubag.

A FEW WORDS ON THE “PRODUCERS AT WAYANA” EVENT FORMAT

The “PRODUCERS AT WAYANA” series follows a unique format, one that we developed in response to certain gaps we noticed in professional wine events. As those close to the industry may recall, GustoBar used to organize events twice a year, offering producers a chance to meet both sales channels and consumers. These gatherings helped keep us up to date. Sadly, such events have become rare. The frequency has dropped to once a year, and producers are no longer allowed behind their own stands. We hope this is temporary and that those valuable events will return.

In contrast, our PRODUCERS AT WAYANA format aims to create intimate, small-scale meetings between producers and wine lovers. At our tastings, members of the production team directly present their wines and tell their stories. In the first part of the event, the WAYANA kitchen prepares food pairings based on the wines selected by the producer. We taste and talk. In the second part, the atmosphere shifts into a lively, informal mix of conversation and open tasting.

After launching this series, we made it a point to visit each producer beforehand. We saw how much value these visits added to the experience. So, on Friday, July 18, we took a working trip to Vinkara's facility in Kalecik.

VISITING VINKARA

We were hosted by Candaş Mısır, who oversees production. For nearly three hours (interrupted only by a few well-earned sips), we talked about all things Vinkara. Candaş did most of the talking, so I’m sure he was exhausted by the end—and I thank him for that.

As soon as you enter the Vinkara facility, there’s a door and an elevator to your left. Open the door and you find yourself in the lab. That’s where I first saw Candaş, who welcomed me with a quick hello and got straight to the point. He led me through the production area, and we stopped in front of the presses. 

Now is a good time to give you an overview of Vinkara’s vineyards, grape varieties, and portfolio. Vinkara owns about 85 hectares of land, 60 of which are currently planted. Until recently, they supplemented their own grapes with varieties sourced from distinct terroirs—like Öküzgözü from Elazığ and Boğazkere from Diyarbakır. But according to what we heard, that phase is coming to an end. From now on, Vinkara’s wines—for better or worse—will be made entirely from their own grapes.

Vinkara is based in Kalecik, and nearly half of their production (46%) is dedicated to Kalecik Karası. This variety is vinified into Blanc de Noir, rosé, red, and sparkling wines. Other indigenous grapes include Narince, Hasandede, and Bornova Misketi for whites, and Öküzgözü and Boğazkere for reds. International varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah make up only about 8% of total production.

Their sparkling wine labeled YAŞASIN is one of the country’s finest, made with the traditional method and holding a significant share of the market. A major portion of their investments has gone into this area, including a unit designed specifically for gently pressing grapes for sparkling wine, preserving their integrity. This equipment maximizes the free-run juice and represents a significant capital investment. A second production line in the same area handles grapes not intended for sparkling wines.

Our second stop was the tank room, where we spent quite a bit of time. Sampling from taps on tanks of various sizes, Candaş gave me a tour of the vineyards without ever leaving the building. One of Vinkara’s defining features is its commitment to true terroir winemaking—even down to the parcel level.

Let’s take a moment to clarify what terroir means. It encompasses every factor you can think of: elevation, rainfall patterns, daily and seasonal sunlight, wind exposure, soil structure, water access, and more. It’s not enough to think in terms of macro terroirs. Vinkara treats each vineyard plot as its own micro terroir and processes them accordingly, from vine to bottle. This requires a great deal of attention and precision. The final blending of these separate terroir wines is a particularly complex challenge. 

Vinkara currently monitors 77 distinct terroirs on a parcel basis. Think of it like a family with 77 children—each with their own worldview, preferred school, strengths and weaknesses, and unique needs. Just as a parent can’t possibly catch a break in such a household, neither can our winemaker friends. But everyone has their role, and this one belongs to Candaş and his team—and they’re exceptionally good at it. So let’s wish them strength and keep going with our tour.

Vinkara produces two lines of wine: those aged only in tanks, and those that also spend time in oak. The latter are labeled as Reserves. Most of their wines are varietals. Blends are in the minority—among them, Öküzgözü-Boğazkere for locals, and CS-Merlot-Syrah for internationals.

French oak dominates their barrel aging program, though they do use a small number of acacia barrels, especially for Narince.

Our second-to-last stop was the sparkling wine section. Some of the processes here are done by hand. If the timing works out in the future, I’d love to witness this in action—and maybe even take part. There’s something irresistibly charming about the image of champagne bottles being shaken like maracas to the beat of upbeat music. 

One step in sparkling wine production is the gradual rotation of bottles at a specific angle to bring the yeast sediment to the neck. This process, called remuage, takes a long time. To ease the burden, Vinkara uses a mechanical system called a gyropalette, which automates what used to be done by hand.

Next comes disgorgement—removing the sediment collected in the bottle neck. The necks are frozen, the cap popped, and the frozen sediment ejected. The bottle is then topped up in a way that aligns with the wine’s style. For this step, Vinkara uses a dedicated production line called the Degorgement Unit.

Toward the end of the tour, Candaş surprised me with a special treat: a taste of Reserve YAŞASIN, a wine produced in honor of the 10th anniversary of the YAŞASIN label and not yet released to the market. And then came a small flash of inspiration: discovering that the bites accompanying the sparkling wine included Kalecik’s Geographically Indicated bread and pastry made me realize how fitting it would be to use Kalecik Bread in the tapas served at our Vinkara tasting. When I shared the idea with the kitchen team, they loved it—and that’s how our tasting event took on its own distinct identity.

A FINAL WORD

Visiting producers before each tasting event is no small effort—but it’s one of the best decisions we’ve made. It enriches us and allows us to do our job better. This visit turned what was supposed to be just a Vinkara tasting into a Vinkara & Kalecik experience. Of course, our participants will be the ultimate judges.

We sincerely thank the Vinkara team for their warm hospitality and for reminding us that good things are still being done in this country. Until the next tasting report!