{"id":991576,"date":"2025-04-19T20:12:18","date_gmt":"2025-04-19T17:12:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/?p=991576"},"modified":"2025-04-19T20:15:46","modified_gmt":"2025-04-19T17:15:46","slug":"unutulmus-bir-teruvarin-yeniden-canlanisi-elmali","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/en\/unutulmus-bir-teruvarin-yeniden-canlanisi-elmali\/","title":{"rendered":"Reviving a Forgotten Terroir: Elmal\u0131"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

April is when nature, having awakened in the earlier months, begins to dress the landscape in vibrant greens. It\u2019s a time when the joy of life quietly rises within. At least, that\u2019s how it feels for me\u2014the one writing these lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also a season that brings a special kind of energy to the world of wine. Spring is the perfect time to visit vineyards and producers. And in April 2025, one of those journeys took us to the highlands of Antalya\u2014specifically to the town of Elmal\u0131, home to Likya Winery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Likya is a name that has graced our menus since 2015\u2014first at BEPPE, and then continuously at WAYANA. This time, we visited them at the source. And we\u2019re glad we did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Dream Takes Root<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likya Winery planted its first vines back in the 1990s, and today the \u00d6zkan family\u2019s story perfectly reflects the familiar wine-world narrative of \u201ca family devoted to the land.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Led by elder brother Burak \u00d6zkan and joined by his brother Doruk, the family pursued a vision:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

to offer the millions of visitors who come to Antalya wines made from the region\u2019s very own terroir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Closer Look at Elmal\u0131<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elmal\u0131 is located in the Antalya province, northwest of the city center, sitting at around 1,100 meters above sea level. For locals, it represents the traditional Turkish practice of escaping the heat by \u201cheading to the highlands\u201d during the summer months.\nWhile our visit focused on vineyards and wine, one can\u2019t help but notice the greenhouses dominating the landscape. Elmal\u0131 is one of Turkey\u2019s largest tomato producers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The town is also home to the Elmal\u0131 Hoard\u2014a priceless collection of ancient silver coins unearthed during illegal excavations in 1984. Once smuggled abroad, the hoard was eventually returned to Turkey after years of legal effort, and now resides in Antalya\u2019s museum collections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Scale That Never Froze<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we asked Burak \u00d6zkan how they chose the site for Likya\u2019s vineyards and winery, he shared a story that began with an old truck scale sitting on one of the potential plots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Truck scales are common in Elmal\u0131, used for agricultural commerce. But when negotiations for the land purchase began, the question came up: why was there a scale here too, when so many already existed?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause all the others freeze in winter,\u201d the landowner said.\n\u201cThis one works year-round. When the others fail, people come here.\u201d Burak calls this his \u201cmoment of realization.\u201d\n\u201cThat was when I understood what this land could mean for viticulture.\u201d\n\nDeep-Rooted Vines\nTerroir begins beneath your feet. And the vine, with its stubborn yet graceful nature, doesn\u2019t chase after fertile lands. Instead, it thrives when its roots are allowed to go deep\u2014shaped by the geology that cradles it.\nAt Likya, both the vineyards and winery share the same site. During expansion work, we captured a photo of the soil profile, clearly showing a layer of limestone stretching beneath the surface.\nThis is one of the soil types most favored by grapevines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bo\u011fazkere: 200 Days to Maturity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bo\u011fazkere is one of Turkey\u2019s most distinctive grapes. Originally from Diyarbak\u0131r, it\u2019s known for its assertive tannins and bold character. But here in Elmal\u0131, it tells a different story.\nWhen we asked how Bo\u011fazkere performs in Elmal\u0131\u2019s conditions, Burak \u00d6zkan simply said:\n\u201cIt takes 200 days for our Bo\u011fazkere to ripen.\u201d\nAt WAYANA, we serve Bo\u011fazkere wines from Diyarbak\u0131r, Thrace, Denizli, Mu\u011fla, and Elmal\u0131. We encourage you to taste the differences that terroir\u2014and time\u2014can make.\nElmal\u0131 is unmistakably a late-ripening region. The harvest can stretch all the way into November. Combined with significant diurnal temperature variations, this creates ideal conditions for slow ripening and flavor development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These factors are known to enhance a grape\u2019s chemical complexity and aromatic profile\u2014and you can experience those qualities directly in the wines produced here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does Elmal\u0131 Have a Winemaking History?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elmal\u0131\u2019yla ilgili kay\u0131tlarda Osmanl\u0131 d\u00f6neminde \u015farap\u00e7\u0131l\u0131kla ilgili bir faaliyet bilgisine rastlanm\u0131yor. Ama b\u00f6lgede ya\u015fayan gayr-\u0131 m\u00fcslim az\u0131nl\u0131\u011f\u0131n Elmal\u0131\u2019ya ba\u011fl\u0131 Ba\u011fk\u00f6y\u2019de yerle\u015fik oldu\u011funu yine kay\u0131tlar aras\u0131nda g\u00f6rebiliyoruz. Bu bilgiyi, Likya \u015earaplar\u0131\u2019n\u0131n sat\u0131n ald\u0131\u011f\u0131 arazilerin eski adlar\u0131 aras\u0131nda Manast\u0131r Ba\u011f\u0131 olmas\u0131yla da ili\u015fkilendirdi\u011fimizde, asl\u0131nda kay\u0131tlarda yer ald\u0131\u011f\u0131n\u0131 g\u00f6rmesek bile, b\u00f6lgede bir ba\u011fc\u0131l\u0131k ge\u00e7mi\u015fi oldu\u011funu \u00e7\u0131karsamak yanl\u0131\u015f olmaz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no documented winemaking activity from Elmal\u0131 during the Ottoman era. However, we do know that non-Muslim communities once lived in nearby Ba\u011fk\u00f6y. Some of Likya\u2019s current vineyards sit on land historically known as \u201cMonastery Vineyard.\u201d This suggests a viticultural presence, even if not formally recorded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go back even further, and the evidence becomes stronger.\nArtifacts from 2,000\u20133,000 years ago, now displayed in the small but captivating Elmal\u0131 Museum, include ceramic cups and pitchers\u2014likely used in both ceremonial and daily contexts for wine.\nIn addition, surface surveys have located the remains of ancient wine production facilities scattered across the Elmal\u0131 plain. The land, it seems, has long held the memory of the vine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final Word<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We didn\u2019t set out to write a blog series. But after returning from our visit to Likya Winery, we realized the insights we gathered deserved to be shared\u2014and that one post wouldn\u2019t be enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we begin this series with Elmal\u0131, a terroir that has remained in the shadows for far too long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to the \u00d6zkan family\u2019s determination to integrate local wines into Antalya\u2019s culinary culture, Elmal\u0131 is gaining recognition in the wine world. Whether this will remain an isolated story or inspire others to follow remains to be seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But one thing is certain: Elmal\u0131\u2019s long-overlooked potential is now part of the conversation. We hope this piece sparks further research into the region\u2019s winemaking legacy. Perhaps this very series will become a starting point for a broader revival.\nAnd if that\u2019s the case\u2014\nwe think it\u2019s worth raising a glass.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nisan aylar\u0131, \u00f6nceki aylarda uyanan tabiat\u0131n etraf\u0131m\u0131zdaki bitki \u00f6rt\u00fcs\u00fcn\u00fc g\u00f6zle g\u00f6r\u00fcn\u00fcr bir bi\u00e7imde ye\u015fil a\u011f\u0131rl\u0131kl\u0131 tonlara b\u00fcr\u00fcnd\u00fcrd\u00fc\u011f\u00fc, ya\u015fama sevincimizin kendili\u011finden y\u00fckseldi\u011fi zamanlard\u0131r. En az\u0131ndan bu sat\u0131rlar\u0131 kaleme alan bendeki yans\u0131mas\u0131 b\u00f6yle olur. Ayr\u0131ca bahar aylar\u0131 \u015farap d\u00fcnyas\u0131na da hareketlilik getirir. Kimi \u00fcretici ziyaretlerimizi yapmak i\u00e7in iyi bir d\u00f6nemdir ilkbahar. 2025 Nisan ay\u0131nda bu \u00e7al\u0131\u015fma ziyaretlerinden…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":991580,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-991576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nUnutulmu\u015f Bir Teruvar\u0131n Yeniden Canlan\u0131\u015f\u0131: ELMALI - Wayana Wine Bar<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/en\/unutulmus-bir-teruvarin-yeniden-canlanisi-elmali\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Unutulmu\u015f Bir Teruvar\u0131n Yeniden Canlan\u0131\u015f\u0131: ELMALI - Wayana Wine Bar\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Nisan aylar\u0131, \u00f6nceki aylarda uyanan tabiat\u0131n etraf\u0131m\u0131zdaki bitki \u00f6rt\u00fcs\u00fcn\u00fc g\u00f6zle g\u00f6r\u00fcn\u00fcr bir bi\u00e7imde ye\u015fil a\u011f\u0131rl\u0131kl\u0131 tonlara b\u00fcr\u00fcnd\u00fcrd\u00fc\u011f\u00fc, ya\u015fama sevincimizin kendili\u011finden y\u00fckseldi\u011fi zamanlard\u0131r. 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