Indigenous variety · Red grape · Southeast Anatolia
Öküzgözü
About this grape
Öküzgözü is an indigenous black grape native to the Maden and Sivrice districts of Elazığ, on the high volcanic plateaus of eastern Anatolia. The name — literally "ox eye" — comes from the grape's unusually large, glossy berries.
Together with Boğazkere it is one of the most widely planted indigenous reds in Türkiye. Beyond Elazığ it is now also grown in Cappadocia, Tokat, and parts of central Anatolia.
Growing conditions
Medium tannin, bright acidity, dark-red-fruit character. Performs well on volcanic and calcareous clay soils. Frequently blended with Boğazkere — the two grapes structurally complement each other.
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
- 28
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
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
Listing completeness 9/12
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
Denizli · Hançalar, Çal (Denizli)
Erdel Şarapçılık
A family winery in Hançalar village, Çal (Denizli), run by Hüseyin Kuzu and his sons. Wines are released under the Hanchalar label; the facility processes around 1,000 tons of grapes a year, making it one of the larger producers on the Çal Vineyard Route.
Grape varieties: Öküzgözü, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc
Listing completeness 9/12
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
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
Aegean · Kavacık (İzmir)
Koztepe Winery
A boutique family vineyard and winery in Kavacık village (Karabağlar/İzmir), founded in 2004 on 20 hectares of land that the family bought for its mountain setting. Farming is certified organic.
Grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Öküzgözü, Alphonse Lavallée
Listing completeness 8/12
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
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
Listing completeness 9/12
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
Listing completeness 9/12
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
Listing completeness 8/12
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
Aegean · Özbek, Urla
Statera Şarapçılık
A boutique vineyard and winery in Özbek village (Urla), started by Lena and Alihan Haydaroğlu. The first 30,000 m² were planted in 2010, an additional 20,000 m² followed in 2017, and the first vintage worthy of the name was bottled in 2022. Statera — Latin for "balance" — sums up the house philosophy of low yields and sustainability.
Grape varieties: Bornova Misketi, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Öküzgözü
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
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 Öküzgözü grown?
Its native home is the Maden and Sivrice area of Elazığ. It is also planted in Cappadocia, Tokat, and on the high plateaus of central Anatolia.
- Why are Öküzgözü and Boğazkere often blended?
Öküzgözü brings bright acidity and aromatic fruit; Boğazkere brings structure and tannin. Together they produce balanced blends that have become a regional signature.
- What style of wine does Öküzgözü make?
On its own, medium-bodied reds with red-fruit character; blended with Boğazkere, more structured, age-worthy reds.
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