{"id":991690,"date":"2025-05-31T22:19:12","date_gmt":"2025-05-31T19:19:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/?p=991690"},"modified":"2025-05-31T22:19:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-31T19:19:13","slug":"kayranin-deneysel-sarap-serisi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/en\/kayranin-deneysel-sarap-serisi\/","title":{"rendered":"KAYRA'S EXPERIMENTAL WINE SERIES"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kayra is the wine brand developed by MEY-Diageo for the Turkish market after TEKEL\u2019s privatization in 2004. Thanks to its production strength and distribution power, Kayra holds a prominent place in the local wine scene. Among its various ranges, the one that has truly won our hearts deserves a closer look. And why now, you might ask? Because on Tuesday, May 27, a special tasting was held for the fourth wine in this series\u2014Gamay (which the French charmingly pronounce as \u201cGa-MEH\u201d). It was the perfect opportunity to revisit the earlier wines and welcome the latest addition.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>

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Experimental Series: A Closer Look<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The name says it all. This is Kayra\u2019s playground\u2014an institutional space where the professional team can explore ideas without the usual commercial pressures. It\u2019s a platform that encourages experimentation, not dictated by market expectations but guided by curiosity and passion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s one thing for a company to have the financial capacity to support such a vision, but it\u2019s quite another to have leaders who find it meaningful to allocate resources to such initiatives. The fact that Kayra has supported this series for years\u2014and still does\u2014is something all of us who care about wine can genuinely applaud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first wine in the series was the distinctively crafted Ambrosia. Sadly, by the time WAYANA opened its doors, Ambrosia had already sold out\u2014we never even got the chance to put it on our list. Then came the Old Vine S\u00e9millon, which we\u2019ve proudly been serving ever since. One of the most delightful surprises was the natural version of Karku\u015f (a grape we already knew from Shiluh and Midin) released as \"Old Vine Karku\u015f Natural,\" now a staple of our natural wine menu\u2014which, by the way, has grown to nearly 60 labels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most recently, we had the pleasure of tasting the fourth wine in the series\u2014Gamay. Once distribution begins,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kayra Old Vine Gamay\" will surely find its way onto our menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ambrosia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were already familiar with the Alpagut \u00d6k\u00fczg\u00f6z\u00fc in Kayra's Versus series\u2014one we\u2019ve known and served for years. So we knew the Alpagut vineyards well. Ambrosia was made with \u00d6k\u00fczg\u00f6z\u00fc grapes from these very vineyards, but it wasn\u2019t their first attempt\u2014two prior trials hadn\u2019t succeeded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Ambrosia, they used grape clusters left to dry on the vine. In a specific part of the vineyard, the shoots were deliberately broken to stop the flow of nutrients to the clusters. These grapes stayed on the vine for nearly a month before harvest. In that sense, the method echoes Italy\u2019s Amarone, where grapes are also dried before fermentation. Aged for 17 months in old oak barrels, Ambrosia clocked in at just over 16% ABV. The use of neutral barrels ensured the oak didn\u2019t overpower the wine.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>

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The name \u201cAmbrosia\u201d is inherited from Greek mythology\u2014it refers to the food of the gods, not meant for mere mortals. It appears frequently in foundational Western texts like the Iliad and the Odyssey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s only one vintage of Ambrosia. Whether this was an intentional \u201clet it be remembered this way\u201d gesture, we don\u2019t know. But at WAYANA, we\u2019re hopeful for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Vineyard Story: Kayra Old Vine S\u00e9millon<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The grapes for Kayra\u2019s S\u00e9millon come from vineyards in G\u00fczelk\u00f6y, Tekirda\u011f. In wine literature, \"old vine\" refers to vines over 35 years of age. The ones producing this wine? Nearly twice that\u2014between 65 and 70 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

S\u00e9millon was introduced to Turkey during the early years of the Republic as part of an agricultural development strategy, aided by foreign experts. For many years, it was widely grown, but eventually lost favor, and vineyards were repurposed. Kayra took over one of the few that survived this transformation and brought it under its own care. The wine we\u2019re drinking today is born of that heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The process is worth noting. The grapes are pressed without disturbing their floral skins. The initial skin contact continues until fermentation reaches 5% alcohol, extracting all desired aromas. Then, yeast is added to initiate the second stage of fermentation, which lasts over a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After fermentation, part of the wine is transferred to stainless steel, part to oak barrels. Only the barrel portion undergoes malolactic fermentation, giving the final wine a rounded, creamy texture and a fuller body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though it still bears the \u201cexperimental\u201d label, Old Vine S\u00e9millon has clearly proven itself over multiple vintages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Endemic Power: Kayra Old Vine Karku\u015f Natural<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wouldn\u2019t be right to mention this wine without also acknowledging another producer. Midin Winery\u2014a Syriac winemaker\u2014has long worked with the Karku\u015f grape. Despite the country\u2019s many ups and downs, Karku\u015f is one of the endemic varieties that has survived. For years, it\u2019s been a beloved entry on our WAYANA menu under the Midin label.\nWith Kayra\u2019s version, we see not only a new interpretation but also the influence of a major player like MEY\/Diageo backing such a rare variety. The Kayra team took a considerable risk by opting for spontaneous fermentation\u2014a hallmark of natural winemaking. We can imagine the suspense within the team as they waited, watched, and hoped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karku\u015f grows in extremely harsh conditions. When we talk about searing heat in the region, we mean temperatures nearing 50\u00b0C. What keeps the grapes alive in such heat? Pruning techniques that let the leaves shield the fruit from direct sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each wine expresses its own truth. The Midin and Kayra Karku\u015f wines are like siblings\u2014clearly related, clearly distinct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A NEW GAMAY INTERPRETATION: KAYRA OLD VINE GAMAY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve only had a first taste, so we\u2019ll reserve our full judgment\u2014but this Gamay is no ordinary Gamay. Typically, Gamay is fresh, light, and fruity, rarely surprising. Not this one. Made from 45-year-old vines, this version offers more structure, more tannin, and a depth we don\u2019t usually associate with the grape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeast was added in the final stage of fermentation, giving the wine a distinctly different character\u2014same grape, different soul. We hope it joins the WAYANA menu soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PRAISE FOR THE WINES, BUT MOSTLY FOR THE TEAM<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey isn\u2019t an easy place for experimental work\u2014not just because of financial challenges, but due to mindset. As the Turkish writer \u00c7etin Altan once recalled: \u201cI asked my grandmother why doors open sideways instead of upward. Her answer captured the country perfectly: \u2018Don\u2019t make trouble.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raised on \u201cdon\u2019t make trouble,\u201d it\u2019s hard for us to imagine\u2014let alone attempt\u2014innovation. That\u2019s why we owe gratitude not only to MEY\/Diageo for offering this space, but to the people who turned it into something meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So thank you\u2014especially to Murat \u00dcnver and \u00d6zge Kaymaz, the production team, and IWSA and Ay\u00e7a Budak, who brought these wines to our glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to you, our spirits are lifted. Let\u2019s not lose hope.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kayra, 2004 y\u0131l\u0131nda TEKEL\u2019in \u00f6zelle\u015ftirilmesiyle T\u00fcrkiye pazar\u0131na giren MEY-Diageo\u2019nun T\u00fcrk pazar\u0131 i\u00e7in geli\u015ftirdi\u011fi \u015farap markas\u0131. Gerek \u00fcretim gerek da\u011f\u0131t\u0131m g\u00fcc\u00fcyle pazarda \u00f6nemli bir yere konumlanan Kayra\u2019n\u0131n g\u00f6nl\u00fcm\u00fczde taht kuran serilerinden birisine daha yak\u0131ndan bakal\u0131m istedik. Niye \u015fimdi bak\u0131yoruz diye soracak olursan\u0131z 27 May\u0131s Sal\u0131 g\u00fcn\u00fc bu serinin d\u00f6rd\u00fcnc\u00fc \u00fcr\u00fcn\u00fc olan Gamay (Frans\u0131zlar \u2018game\u2019 diye okur)…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":991691,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-991690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nKAYRA\u2019NIN DENEYSEL \u015eARAP SER\u0130S\u0130 - 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\/kayranin-deneysel-sarap-serisi\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"KAYRA\u2019NIN DENEYSEL \u015eARAP SER\u0130S\u0130 - Wayana Wine Bar\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Kayra, 2004 y\u0131l\u0131nda TEKEL\u2019in \u00f6zelle\u015ftirilmesiyle T\u00fcrkiye pazar\u0131na giren MEY-Diageo\u2019nun T\u00fcrk pazar\u0131 i\u00e7in geli\u015ftirdi\u011fi \u015farap markas\u0131. Gerek \u00fcretim gerek da\u011f\u0131t\u0131m g\u00fcc\u00fcyle pazarda \u00f6nemli bir yere konumlanan Kayra\u2019n\u0131n g\u00f6nl\u00fcm\u00fczde taht kuran serilerinden birisine daha yak\u0131ndan bakal\u0131m istedik. Niye \u015fimdi bak\u0131yoruz diye soracak olursan\u0131z 27 May\u0131s Sal\u0131 g\u00fcn\u00fc bu serinin d\u00f6rd\u00fcnc\u00fc \u00fcr\u00fcn\u00fc olan Gamay (Frans\u0131zlar \u2018game\u2019 diye okur)...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/en\/kayranin-deneysel-sarap-serisi\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Wayana Wine Bar\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-31T19:19:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-31T19:19:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-30-at-18.06.36.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"594\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"539\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Wayana Wine Bar\",\"description\":\"Wayana Tapas\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/en\/kayranin-deneysel-sarap-serisi\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-30-at-18.06.36.png\",\"width\":594,\"height\":539},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/en\/kayranin-deneysel-sarap-serisi\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wayanatapas.com\/en\/kayranin-deneysel-sarap-serisi\/\",\"name\":\"KAYRA\\u2019NIN DENEYSEL \\u015eARAP SER\\u0130S\\u0130 - 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