Although home to one of the world’s earliest wine-producing regions – dating back 4,000 years – Turkey’s wine offerings were low on variety and uninspiring until just a few years ago.
A state-run alcohol monopoly and two companies – Kavaklidere and Doluca, founded at the same time as the republic in the 1920s – dominated a lacklustre market. Then there were a handful of lesser brands, known colloquially as “dog-killers”. Vintage year or grape variety were little-known details and hardly mattered.
