Thrace Wine Route
I'm quite fond of Thracian people. They are sincere, open minded, cheerful folk and they get more cheerful as they drink. We, as a group of girls piled into a car and followed the wine route in Thrace for a weekend getaway. The place we stayed, the road we went through, the wine we drank and the food we ate, they were all exhilarating.
Firstly, you can download the app "Trakya Bag Rotasi" (Thrace Wine Route) to your phone before visiting the place. It will make it easier for you to choose the places you will visit and the route you will take. We already knew where to visit, so it helped us decide the order of our tour. If you are going there in a busy season, I suggest making a reservation beforehand in order not to face any surprises after all the way you have driven.
We started our tour with Chateau Nuzun. I was already a fan of theirs. Their wines are not easily found, so wherever I found a Syriah 2008, I stocked it. So when I arrived there, I felt like a child in a candy shop and loaded up the bagage of the car until it burst. However I must say here that their Syrah 2011 is even better than Syrah 2008. For those who like full bodied wine, you should definitely try this. It is worth changing your route for this winery even only for this wine -though they have other quite delicious wines as well.
Our second stop was Barel vineyard. The place is like a dream. You feel like you are in a movie, relaxing under the sun surrounded by vineyards.
Barel's owners are two siblings named Baran and Elif who are still very young. They were both there with their huge smiles. When you go there, you have the option to relax inside before the fireplace; however I suggest you visit this place in a better weather, because the terrace is amazing... We went there in October and were fortunate enough to sit outside. I think everyone was under this place's spell, all was so tranquil. We really got carried away with the tapas we ate, the wine we drank and with the peaceful ambiance. We left there grinning deliriously each of us with a bottle of wine in hand. (I bought "Reserve" and was really satisfied with it.)
The next day we made our way to Chateau Kalpak. I first discovered them in some restaurants in Istanbul and their wines have become one of my favorites. Their distribution net is better than other boutique wineries. Actually, I did not make any research about them and therefore was amazed when I arrived there.
You will behold a scenery of a vineyard, trees and the sea from the top of a hillside... The harmony of green and blue as far as the eye can see...
We were very lucky; our visit coincided with their harvest. As this vineyard is quite above the sea level, their harvest was later than other wineries. We had the chance to see the wine making procedure with our own eyes instead of the explanations we listened for years in each winery. They were working in such a peaceful manner that I wanted to roll up my sleeves and join them.
Their tasting room was spacious and elegantly furnished. Everything was thought for. The cheese served with the wine was presented with a vine leaf and a bunch of cabarnet sauvignon grapes. Simple and charming. I think Chateau Kalpak likes to use grapes wherever possible; e.g. on the table, with the cheese... You really feel that you are in a vineyard. We bought a couple crates of BBK 2011 and went on our way.
One of the best parts of Thrace is its nature. An ideal destination for a road trip. If you follow the route inland, you can enjoy the endless greenery, or if you choose to drive by the seaside, you can observe the hills kissing the sea. The makeshift jetties of fishermen along the road seem like a representation of a Salvador Dali painting.
We came up by some amateur wineries within the villages we passed. We did not have time to taste them; however some may surprise us in the future. A quick side note: The seaside road is a little long and bendy. If you do not have much time, you can skip it; but I think you should not miss it.
We ended our trip with Umurbey. As we heard that they do not make any sales at their vineyard, we stopped by at their sales point in Tekirdag. Of course it is not the same as visiting a vineyard. However I can say that their price/quialty ratio is good. As more than 1 year has passed since I went through this route, I can't exactly remember what I bought there. Though I am sure I added up at least one crate to my cache. While our tour ended, we could barely fit ourselves into the car.
Our Thrace trip left me with so many good memories, flavors and fragrances. In this journey, you may fall in love again or turn over a new leaf in your life. It was a very refreshing journey for me. I am biding my time to go there again... There are many vineyards I still haven't visited yet, such as Barbare and Gali. Though, a wine route should not be rushed, you must savour it slowly. So, until next time...
Chateau Nuzun
Ceşmeli Village, Marmara Ereglisi, Tekirdag Tel: +90 530 871 42 50
Barel
Karaevli Village, Kızılay Str., Derince Mevkii 2.km No:2/A Tekirdag
Tel: +90 543 322 18 04
Chateau Kalpak
Gelibolu Road 7.km, Sarkoy
Tel: +90 532 277 11 37
Umurbey
Ataturk Boulevard 32/1, Coastal Road, Tekirdag
Tel: +90 282 260 13 79