Indigenous variety · Red grape · Southeast Anatolia
Boğazkere
About this grape
Boğazkere is one of Türkiye's two flagship indigenous black grapes, alongside Öküzgözü. Its homeland is the Diyarbakır area of Southeastern Anatolia, and it is now also planted in Elazığ and other warm-climate Turkish regions.
The name translates roughly as "throat-burner" — a direct reference to the grippy, mouth-drying sensation of its powerful tannins. It thrives in the warm, semi-arid climate of Eastern Anatolia on well-drained calcareous soils, needing a long, warm season to ripen fully.
- Profile
- Powerful tannin, deep colour, firm structure, age-worthy
- Best experienced in
- Diyarbakır & Elazığ, Southeastern Anatolia
- Pairs with
- Grilled lamb, kebabs, ragù, aged cheese
Growing conditions
A late-ripening, thick-skinned variety with small-to-medium berries. It delivers deep color, high tannin, firm structure, and moderate acidity, with strong aging potential. Classically blended with Öküzgözü — Boğazkere supplying structure and tannin, Öküzgözü supplying fruit and acidity. Oak maturation softens its tannins over time.
Where it's grown
Aegean
Stretching from the Urla peninsula to the island of Bozcaada, the Aegean coast is one of Anatolia's deepest viticultural landscapes — volcanic soils, cooling sea breezes, and indigenous varieties like Bornova Misketi and Urla Karası shape the region's terroir. Boutique wineries offer tastings, vineyard tours, and on-site stays.
- Key grape varieties
- Bornova Misketi, Urla Karası, Sultaniye
- wineries
- 31
Cappadocia
Spread among the tuff valleys of Ürgüp and Avanos, Cappadocia's vineyards sit on volcanic soils at high elevation, producing distinctive expressions of indigenous Emir and Narince. Cellars carved into soft rock, hilltop tasting rooms, and cave-hotels make the region a natural multi-day wine tourism destination.
- Key grape varieties
- Emir, Narince, Kalecik Karası
- wineries
- 6
Central Anatolia
North-east of Ankara, the district of Kalecik gives its name to one of Türkiye's signature red grapes — Kalecik Karası. Vineyards run along the Kızılırmak river valley, where continental conditions and ancient terraces shape elegant, perfumed reds. Day trips from the capital are easy, and a handful of producers welcome visitors year-round.
- Key grape varieties
- Kalecik Karası, Hasandede, Narince
- wineries
- 5
Denizli
The high plateaus of Çal and Güney in Denizli host cool-climate vineyards, including the indigenous Çalkarası grape that gives its name to the region's signature rosés. Proximity to the travertines of Pamukkale makes Denizli a natural pairing of wine, nature, and ancient ruins on a single trip.
- Key grape varieties
- Çalkarası, Sultaniye, Bornova Misketi
- wineries
- 9
Mediterranean
The strip between the southern foothills of the Taurus range and the Mediterranean coast is one of Turkey's most distinctive warm-climate viticultural settings. On the Elmalı plateau in Antalya, vineyards rise past 1,000 metres, where the Mediterranean climate meets cool mountain air — a terroir that supports both rescued indigenous varieties such as Acıkara and a full international set.
- Key grape varieties
- Acıkara, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah
- wineries
- 2
Southeast Anatolia
The volcanic plateaus around Elazığ and Diyarbakır are the historic home of Öküzgözü and Boğazkere — two of Anatolia's most powerful indigenous reds. Beyond viticulture, the region offers a deep gastronomic and archaeological heritage that rewards multi-day visits.
- Key grape varieties
- Öküzgözü, Boğazkere, Kalecik Karası
- wineries
- 5
Producers growing this grape
Aegean · Şirince, Selçuk
Akberg Şirince Şarapçılık
A boutique producer widely credited with establishing Şirince's reputation as a wine village. The winery was founded in 1997 when the village's old olive-oil factory and historic schoolhouse were converted for wine production; modern equipment was installed in 1999.
Grape varieties: Boğazkere, Öküzgözü, Narince, Cabernet Sauvignon
Mediterranean · Datça, Muğla
Datça Şarapçılık
A family vineyard and winery in Kızlan village on the Datça Peninsula, founded in 2010 where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean. The roughly 40-hectare estate is organised around a stone building that echoes the peninsula's famous windmills.
Grape varieties: Öküzgözü, Boğazkere, Merlot, Syrah
Southeast Anatolia · Kürkköy, Sivrice (Elazığ)
Eskibağlar
A vineyard-and-hotel estate set on 50 hectares in Kürkköy village, Sivrice (Elazığ) — billed as the first wine hotel in Mesopotamia. The project was built by Fırat Bey, an electronics engineer who returned to his home region after a banking career.
Grape varieties: Öküzgözü, Boğazkere
Denizli · Selcen, Çal (Denizli)
Ezel Şarapları
A family producer in Selcen, Çal (Denizli), founded in 2006 by Mehmet Atılsın and named after the family's daughters. Ezel is one of the wineries along the emerging Çal Vineyard Route (Çal Bağ Yolu).
Grape varieties: Çalkarası, Sultaniye, Öküzgözü, Boğazkere
Central Anatolia · Kalecik (Ankara)
Kalvi Şarap (Chateau Kalecik)
A boutique winery in central Kalecik (Ankara), set near the old railway station — also known as **Chateau Kalecik**. The estate runs 15 hectares with a 2,500 m² cellar and an annual capacity of two million bottles.
Grape varieties: Kalecik Karası, Öküzgözü, Boğazkere, Cabernet Sauvignon
Central Anatolia · Akyurt (Ankara)
Kavaklıdere — Akyurt
Founded by Cenap And in 1929 in the Kavaklıdere neighbourhood of Ankara, Kavaklıdere is Turkey's first private-sector wine producer. Production moved to a modern 50-hectare complex in Akyurt in 1987; the company now operates three production facilities — Akyurt, Côtes d'Avanos (Gülşehir/Cappadocia) and Pendore (Kemaliye/Aegean).
Grape varieties: Kalecik Karası, Narince, Öküzgözü, Boğazkere
Cappadocia · Yeşilyurt, Gülşehir (Nevşehir)
Kavaklıdere — Côtes d'Avanos
Kavaklıdere's Cappadocia production facility, opened in 2003 in Yeşilyurt village (Gülşehir/Nevşehir) under the "Côtes d'Avanos" name — a boutique-scale outpost focused on central-Anatolian indigenous grapes.
Grape varieties: Emir, Kalecik Karası, Boğazkere, Öküzgözü
Cappadocia · Ürgüp
Kocabağ
A three-generation family estate in Ürgüp with cellars carved into the region's iconic volcanic tuff. A natural Cappadocian wine-tourism stop.
Grape varieties: Emir, Narince, Kalecik Karası, Boğazkere
Denizli · Çal (Denizli)
Lermonos
A boutique winery in the Çal plateau (Denizli), running between two sites — the vineyard house in Hançalar and the main winery & restaurant a few kilometres away in Selcen. The project belongs to Hürriyet Yılmaz, a former doctor returning to her childhood family vineyards; the first vines were planted in Hançalar nearly 20 years ago and the modern winery opened in 2021, with around 200,000 litres of capacity.
Grape varieties: Çal Karası, Öküzgözü, Kalecik Karası, Boğazkere
Aegean · Kuşçuburun, Torbalı (İzmir)
Lucien Arkas Bağları
A roughly 117-hectare single-parcel estate in Kuşçuburun (Torbalı/İzmir), established in 2006 by Lucien Arkas — known as Turkey's largest single-block organic vineyard. Production runs from a 2,500 m² modern winery.
Grape varieties: Bornova Misketi, Narince, Öküzgözü, Boğazkere
Southeast Anatolia · Midyat (Mardin)
Midyat Shiluh Süryani Şarapçılık
Shiluh — meaning "peace" in Syriac — was founded in 2009 in Midyat (Mardin) to bring Upper Mesopotamia's century-old grape varieties together with modern winemaking. The first vintage was bottled in 2010.
Grape varieties: Kerkuş, Mazrona, Öküzgözü, Boğazkere
Southeast Anatolia · Eğil (Diyarbakır)
Ninova Şarapçılık
A wine production facility in the Oyalı Organised Industrial Zone of Eğil (Diyarbakır). Ninova carries the slogan "the millennia-old flavours of Mesopotamia" and roots its identity in the deep wine heritage of southeastern Anatolia.
Grape varieties: Öküzgözü, Boğazkere
Aegean · Zeytinler, Urla (İzmir)
Perdix Şarapçılık
A boutique winery on the İzmir-Çeşme road in Zeytinler village (Urla), founded in 2019. Wines have been recognised at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2022.
Grape varieties: Bornova Misketi, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon
Cappadocia · Sarıhıdır, Avanos (Nevşehir)
S'narin Riverside Wine House
A boutique winery on the bank of the Kızılırmak in Sarıhıdır village (Avanos), founded by Senar Sümer Çalışkan in 2022 with around 7,000 bottles of annual production. Winemaker Gülçin Akçay has worked in viticulture and wine production since 2002.
Grape varieties: Emir, Kalecik Karası, Öküzgözü, Boğazkere
Cappadocia · Ürgüp
Turasan
A long-established Ürgüp producer well placed for visitors on a Cappadocia day trip — the tasting room sits in the centre of town.
Grape varieties: Emir, Narince, Kalecik Karası, Öküzgözü
Central Anatolia · Kalecik
Vinkara
Set on the slopes above the Kızılırmak valley, Vinkara is the flagship producer of Kalecik Karası, with on-site accommodation that turns a visit into a weekend.
Grape varieties: Kalecik Karası, Narince, Boğazkere, Öküzgözü
Frequently asked questions
- Why is it called Boğazkere?
The name means "throat-burner" in Turkish, describing the firm, drying sensation the grape's powerful tannins leave on the palate.
- What is Boğazkere usually blended with?
Most classically with Öküzgözü; the pairing balances Boğazkere's tannic structure against Öküzgözü's softer fruit and acidity.
- Where is Boğazkere grown?
Its homeland is the Diyarbakır area of Southeastern Anatolia, and it is also planted in Elazığ and other warm-climate Turkish regions.
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