When you think of wine, we often default to France, Italy, Spain. But we don’t talk about Türkiye enough, and it’s one of the oldest wine regions in the world.

I had just been in İzmir and Cappadocia in December, starting to get a feel for the wines. So when this evening came up in Amsterdam, it felt like an opportunity worth taking.

By chance, I ended up sitting next to one of the producers, thankfully in English, while the rest of the evening unfolded mostly in Turkish.

With a little help from my phone and a bit of intuition, I was still able to fully experience it.

Three hours, a little chaos, a lot of story.
Thoughtful pairings, great food, and so much depth behind every glass.

It reminded me that you don’t always need to understand everything to feel something. To be immersed. To learn. To appreciate.

These wines are not lacking history or quality.
They are waiting for the attention and recognition they deserve.

And maybe that’s what keeps drawing me back.
Not just seeing a place once, but returning to understand it more deeply, layer by layer.

Already looking forward to my next trip to Türkiye.
More to come.

Teşekkürler