"It is our mission and responsibility to spread the word of our ancient grape varieties, winemaking legacy and traditions."
	Ardıç Gürsel, Founder, Vinkara

“When Vinkara asked me to visit and give my assessment of their winery and vineyards in Kalecik, I immediately and gladly accepted the offer even though I was not familiar with the Anatolian region at all.

Arriving in Kalecik, I looked at the surrounding mountains and vineyards along the steep slopes of the Kızılırmak River and was clearly convinced that even though the soil was light to my touch, the soils were deep and offered good drainage.

The Kalecik region has a dry climate and is generally windy throughout most of the year. The summers are hot and sunny and the winters are cold. Yet, during the summer months the mountains surrounding the vineyards block against the extreme afternoon heat common in the Mediterranean region, and at the same time afford for cool evenings. These two factors are also very important for attaining the desired quality in viticulture.

The first detail that remained in my memory after visiting Vinkara was its light and buttery soils. This suggests that the soil’s characteristics are in one word - ideal! Another important point is that traditional viticulture continues in this region.

Turkish wines clearly have their own personality and distinctiveness to carry them to success. Our job is to identify and expose this, to understand, evaluate and promote these unique wines.

About Marco Monchiero