Scientific studies prove that the history of wine dates back 15,000 years to the Hittites who lived in Central Anatolia, modern day Turkey, a place believed to be the birthplace of winemaking.Throughout history, more than twenty-five civilizations have been established on Anatolian soil with wine playing a key role in the lives of those societies.

However, according to legend, the first wine was produced by Noah after his ship was cast adrift atop the Ağrı Mountains in Anatolia after the Big Flood. Noah is sometimes referred as “The Father of Wine, and archeological findings suggest that wine production started as long as 8,000 years ago giving an indication of the time in which Noah lived because according to genealogy findings, the Big Flood occurred approximately 5,000 years ago (3,000 BC). Winemaking was perceived as a divine gift in exchange for the struggles he faced with the flood waters during the hurricane.

For thousands of years, Anatolia, recognized as the birthplace of wine has played a role in the lives of more than twenty-five civilizations that settled on these lands . Grape production played an essential role in the lives of these civilizations.

Grape production continued even after Islam became dominant in the region yet wine consumption was often forbidden with official prohibitions. Fortunately, during prohibition periods vineyards were never destroyed and wine production endured.

Thanks to the long term efforts of Turkish and international experts, Turkish wines are beginning to make a mark on the global wine scene by offering new experiences and tastes for consumers with high quality wines produced from indigenous grapes cultivated on Anatolian soil. Although Anatolia has a particularly rich viticultural history, the modern era for Turkish winemaking began to evolve with the technological advances of the 1990s. In the early 2000s, as the global market for fine wine noticeably expanded and trade regulations within Turkey eased, the introduction of an exciting variety of wines and wine styles from Turkey's emerging wine regions set the stage for a new benchmark in Turkish wines.