Kuzubağ Çal Denizli Kalecik Karası 2023

The Kalecik Karası grape feels right at home in the terroir of Çal and has adapted to it with ease. Described as “Turkey’s answer to Burgundy Reds” by the IWC judges, its fragrant elegance perfectly complements Mediterranean and Anatolian cuisines.

Known as Mossyna in Ancient Greece, the region of Çal is situated in the inner Aegean part of Turkey on a plateau 850-1100 metres above sea level. With the Büyük Menderes River (named after the river-god Maiandros) flowing nearby, the terroir is defined by its distinctive clay-loam and calcareous soil and wide ranging temperatures between day and night, with average fluctuations of 19°C. All four seasons can be experienced in Çal which helps to grow a wide range of grape varieties. All 50 hectares of the estate’s vineyards are within the borders of Çal, Denizli planted with 35 year old vines. Grapes are harvested by hand before sunrise. Emphasis is placed on the health of the vineyard, using only Bordeaux mixture (copper, sulphate and quicklime), permitted in organic viticulture. Each grape variety is pruned according to its needs, aiming for a very low yield such as 500-600 kg of grapes per 0,1 hectares to achieve concentration and balance.

The winemaking process is done entirely by gravity. Before fermentation starts, cold maceration took place for 3 days minimum around 7-8 degrees in stainless steel tanks. During the maceration and fermentation phase, different stirring techniques were used depending on the must's condition twice a day. Fermentation temperatures were around 23-25C° using commercial yeast in stainless steel tanks. 66% of the wine was matured in second use French oak barrels for 5 months and the rest of the wine was matured in stainless steel tanks.