Indigenous variety · Red grape · Central Anatolia
Kalecik Karası
About this grape
Kalecik Karası takes its name from the district of Kalecik in Ankara province and is the most internationally recognized of Türkiye's indigenous black grapes. The Kızılırmak river valley has cultivated it for centuries; clonal selection work led by Ankara University's Agriculture Faculty in the 1980s restored it to commercial scale.
Today it is also grown in Cappadocia and the inner Aegean. Thin-skinned and aromatic, growers often call it "the Pinot Noir of Anatolia."
Growing conditions
Low to medium tannin, bright acidity, with red-fruit aromatics (cherry, raspberry). Yields elegant structure on calcareous clay soils. Loses its aromatic signature in hot climates — cool nights are essential.
Where it's grown
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
- 8
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
- 3
Thrace
Covering Tekirdağ, Kırklareli, Şarköy, and Eceabat, Thrace is where Türkiye's vineyards meet the Marmara — a mosaic of indigenous varieties like Papazkarası and Karasakız alongside well-established international plantings. The Trakya Bağ Rotası links over a dozen producers across rolling hills, with farm-to- table dining and vineyard stays at many stops.
- Key grape varieties
- Papazkarası, Karasakız, Cabernet Sauvignon
- wineries
- 13
Producers growing this grape
Cappadocia · Karaburna, Hacıbektaş (Nevşehir)
Deniz Şarapçılık
A family producer on the northern edge of Cappadocia in Karaburna village, Hacıbektaş — run by Nazmiye Turgut. The estate bottles wines from Anatolian grapes under the Aryatus and Laurasia labels, with a tasting outlet in Avanos (Aryatus Şarap Evi).
Grape varieties: Emir, Kalecik Karası, Öküzgözü
Listing completeness 9/12
Thrace · Ahmetçe, Kırklareli
Dessera Bağ Evi
A vineyard hotel and winery in Ahmetçe village, Kırklareli, set on roughly 300 acres at the foot of the Istranca Mountains. Wines are produced under the Vino Dessera label with an annual capacity of 100,000 bottles.
Grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Listing completeness 9/12
Cappadocia · Aktepe, Avanos (Nevşehir)
Evenez Şarap Evi
A boutique winery in Aktepe village, Avanos, founded by chemistry engineer Ahmet Sarıkaya. Wine production began in 2002 and the factory officially opened in 2005, growing from 4,000 to 40,000 litres of capacity.
Grape varieties: Emir, Kalecik Karası, Öküzgözü, Dimrit
Listing completeness 7/12
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
Listing completeness 9/12
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
Listing completeness 9/12
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
Listing completeness 8/12
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
Listing completeness 10/12
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
Listing completeness 9/12
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
Listing completeness 9/12
Thrace · Ahmetbey, Lüleburgaz (Kırklareli)
Prius Şarapçılık
A new boutique winery in Ahmetbey village, 750 m outside the centre of Lüleburgaz (Kırklareli). Founded in 2020 by Metin Harbalıoğlu on roughly 650 dönüm of vineyard, Prius drew attention even before opening with gold medals at the 14th Balkans International Wine Competition.
Grape varieties: Papazkarası, Kalecik Karası, Narince, Cabernet Sauvignon
Listing completeness 9/12
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
Listing completeness 9/12
Central Anatolia · Kalecik (Ankara)
Tafali Bağcılık
A boutique winery in Kalecik (Ankara) founded by agricultural engineers Fatma Yiğit and Alime Cicerali, who started a small vineyard in 2003 and turned it into a commercial operation in 2019. Capacity is around 5,000 litres a year, processing roughly 3,700 kg of grapes.
Grape varieties: Kalecik Karası
Listing completeness 8/12
Central Anatolia · Kalecik (Ankara)
Tomurcukbağ
A boutique vineyard and winery in Kalecik (Ankara), born of a lifetime of viticultural work by Prof. Dr. Y. Sabit Ağaoğlu. The 10-hectare estate is planted exclusively to Kalecik Karası.
Grape varieties: Kalecik Karası
Listing completeness 9/12
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
Listing completeness 10/12
Thrace · Uçmakdere, Şarköy (Tekirdağ)
Uçmakdere Winery
A boutique winery in Uçmakdere village on the southern Thrace coast — wedged between the Sea of Marmara and the Ganos Mountains. Annual production is around 10,000 bottles; head winemaker Işıl Bulutsuz has led the cellar since 2018.
Grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Kalecik Karası
Listing completeness 9/12
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
Listing completeness 11/12
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Kalecik Karası grown?
Its core region is the Kalecik district of Ankara province and the Kızılırmak valley. It is also grown in Cappadocia and on the high-altitude inner Aegean.
- Is the Pinot Noir comparison fair?
Stylistically there are real parallels — thin skins, bright acidity, red-fruit aromatics — though the two grapes are botanically distinct.
- What style of wine is made from Kalecik Karası?
Typically light- to medium-bodied reds with bright acidity; barrel-aged, fuller-bodied bottlings are also common, and the grape is widely used for rosés.
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