Indigenous variety · Red grape · Denizli
Çalkarası
About this grape
Çalkarası is an indigenous black grape that takes its name from the Çal district of Denizli — the name means "the black grape of Çal." It is grown almost entirely there, on the high plateaus of the Büyük Menderes basin.
For most of the 20th century it was a table and local-consumption grape; it gained commercial winemaking attention in the early 2000s amid renewed interest in indigenous Turkish varieties. It is typically harvested from old head-trained bush vines at 800–900 m on calcareous clay-loam soils.
- Profile
- Pale, silky, low tannin; strawberry, raspberry, floral notes
- Best experienced in
- Çal district, Denizli
- Pairs with
- Grilled fish, olive-oil mezes, stuffed grape leaves
Growing conditions
A lightly pigmented black grape, which gives pale-colored wines and makes it especially well suited to rosé. It offers medium-to-high acidity, moderate alcohol, and low tannin, with a soft, silky texture and notes of red fruit, strawberry, raspberry, sour cherry, and florals.
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
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
Producers growing this grape
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
Denizli · Hançalar, Çal (Denizli)
Kuzubağ
A modern family winery in Hançalar village (Çal/Denizli) led by Salih and Aslı Kuzu. Vineyards have been planted since 2007; the winery building was completed in August 2021 and annual production runs to around 169,000 bottles.
Grape varieties: Çal Karası, Kalecik Karası, Acıkara, Narince
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
Denizli · Çal
Pamukkale Şarapçılık
Based on the Çal plateau in Denizli, working with the indigenous Çalkarası grape. Easily combined with a visit to the Pamukkale travertines on the same trip.
Grape varieties: Çalkarası, Sultaniye, Bornova Misketi, Cabernet Sauvignon
Aegean · Tire, İzmir
Paşaeli
A family-owned producer founded in 2000 by Seyit Karagözoğlu, based in the İbni Melek industrial zone in Tire (İzmir). The name comes from the ancient city of Paşaelis; fruit is sourced from estate and contracted vineyards across several Turkish regions.
Grape varieties: Karasakız, Sıdalan, Çakal, Yapıncak
Frequently asked questions
- Is Çalkarası a red or rosé grape?
It is a black grape, but its low pigment makes it best known for high-quality, aromatic rosé wines; light reds and sparkling rosés are also made from it.
- Where is Çalkarası grown?
Almost entirely in the Çal district of Denizli province, on high-elevation calcareous plateaus.
- Are Çalkarası and Çal Karası the same grape?
Yes — they are the one-word and two-word spellings of the same name, and the same variety.
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