New Year, New Palate: A 12-Month Turkish Wine Challenge

As we flip our calendar pages to January and the new year, many of us are making resolutions (some of us have already broken them!). Why not make one of those resolutions - hopefully one that you keep! - to be more wine adventurous?

How can you do that? Let us help! Fine Turkish Wine has developed a month-by-month tasting plan for you! New to Turkish grapes? New to wine entirely? Ease into it with us at the helm.

For each month of the year, we’ve chosen a different native Turkish grape that pairs well with that month’s weather, holidays, and general vibe. And of course, we have wines for each month available in our store! Are you ready to embark upon your 2026 Turkish wine adventure? Let’s get started!

January - Boğazkere

For January, we need a wine with a personality bold enough to break through this coldest, darkest month of the year. When talking about Turkish grapes, that can only be Boğazkere, the country’s most tannic and brash grape. These are often wines to cozy up and drink in front of a warm fire or pair with hearty stews and warming winter dishes.

Wines to try: the Akuarela Boğazkere and Novakula, both by Heraki, a small Aegean-based winery sourcing grapes from old, dry-farmed bush vines.

February - Barburi

Valentine’s Day falls in February, so what better grape to sip than one resurrected for love? Abud Abdo of Antioche Bağları resurrected this grape by transplanting it from wild-growing grapes into his vineyards. Why go to that trouble? Because he used to forage for these wild grapes and help his grandparents make wine. When he founded his winery, he wanted to do something to honor their memory.

Wines to try: the Barburi and Özel Seri Barburi - Cabernet Sauvignon blend, both from Antioche

March - Patkara

March is still pretty cool, which has many of us wanting to keep red wine in our glasses…but maybe not a big, heavy, oaky red. That makes it a perfect month to try Patkara. Savory enough to even pair with corned beef on Saint Patrick’s Day should be so bold as to put down the beer that day! He was a Bishop after all, he drank wine!

Wine to try: Heraki Patkara

April - Çal Karası

April is one of those transitional months. Yes, it’s already getting hot in Houston (!), but it’s not full-on summer yet. So this month, drink Çal Karası, which produces wines in a range of styles and colors! In early April, try a Çal Karası red, transition to rosé, and end the month on the blanc de noir!

Wines to try: Red - Heraki Akuarela Çal Karası; Rosé - Kuzubağ Çal Karası - Kalecik Karası; White - Kuzubağ Çal Karası Blanc de Noir

May - Sultaniye

Hot, but still not summer, puts us more firmly into white wine territory. This is a good time to try wines that have a little oak and a little age on them to complement some of the seasonal produce. Try grilling stone fruit to add to salads or even savory dishes like grilled fish and chicken. Sultaniye’s fruity flavors are perfect for these kinds of meals.

Wine to Try: Heraki Delta V

June - Osmanca

For one of the hotter months of the year, we recommend one of our smoothest wines: Osmanca. Medium in body but not in depth - there’s a whole world to be discovered in this wine! And for those really hot days when you can’t imagine cooking, try pairing this with crunchy green salads heavy on things like fresh basil or shaved fennel.

Wine to try: Akberg Büyükbağ Osmanca

July - Narince

Narince is a great progression from last month’s Osmanca. Similarly, grilled (and fresh!) stone fruit will enhance your food and wine pairing game with these wines. Narince also offers a variety of styles to explore, including traditional method sparkling to celebrate the 4th!

Wines to Try: Arda Rezerv Narince, Odrysia Narince, and Odrysia Nareen

August - Gök

Transport your mind away from August’s sticky heat in the zesty relief Gök offers. With its electric energy and saline edge, this rare grape is perfect to sip as an aperitif from the safety of your air-conditioning, or pair with light, summery fare.

Wine to try: Heraki Gök

September - Papazkarası

Another transitional month, September. But, unlike April when we started red and moved into white, we’re doing it backwards! Papazkarası wines create elegant whites, fruity-savory rosés, and savory, medium-bodied reds that can be lightly chilled, or oak-aged and ready for cool, autumn weather.

Wines to try: Reds - Arda Gala, Odrysia Papaskarası - Öküzgözü Natural Fermentation, and Gurbuz Papaskarası; Rosé - Arda Gala Rosé; White Arda Gala Bland de Noir

October - Erciş Karası

There’s nothing spooky about Erciş Karası (other than maybe how scary good it is!). An easy-to-drink red wine with bold fruit flavors and a silky palate, it’s a great grape to start easing you more fully into fall.

Wine to try: Akberg Büyükbağ Erciş Karası

November - Karasakız

November has barely started before you’re bombarded with articles and posts about which wine you need for Thanksgiving! Red? White? How do you pair turkey with red wine? But does that wine also go with traditional side dishes? Karasakız is a medium-bodied, savory red wine that not only pairs well with Turkey and all the trimmings, but will become your new obsession!

Wine to try: Heraki Akuarela Karasakız

December - Kalecik Karası

Kalecik Karası is our Christmas gift to you. Considered by many to be one of the highest-quality grape varieties out of Turkey, it creates beautiful red wines that almost beg to be paired with meals - festive Christmas meals or otherwise! Whether you prefer more fruit-forward red wines or rich oak-aged and ageable reds, this grape can do it. Don’t like red wine? This grape makes vivid rosés too!

Wines to try: Reds - Gurbuz Kalecik Karası and Kuzubağ Kalecik Karası; Rosé - Kuzubağ Çal Karası - Kalecik Karası

Follow along each month as we explore more in-depth these grapes and wines in our 2026 12 Month Wine Challenge!

And as always, you can enjoy and purchase each of these wines and many more at the Fine Turkish Wine Bottle Shop + Tasting Room, located in Houston's Montrose District at 1909 Dunlavy Street.

Andrea Lemieux is an international wine expert with particular expertise in Turkish Wine. She is the author of The Essential Guide to Turkish Wine, the world's only comprehensive English language book on Turkish wine. She is also the author of The Quick and Dirty Guide to Greek Wine and the founder of The Quirky Cork blog which is dedicated largely to Turkish wine.