Feature: Celebrating the Ancient Ritual of the Grape Harvest in Turkey

As mentioned in our Introduction to Turkish Wine History article, scholars and wine experts believe that winemaking originated in eastern Anatolia. According to the late Dr. Patrick McGovern, the “Indiana Jones of wine,” in this region during the early Neolithic period people began experimenting with grape fermentation. And so it was this moment in history, from the eastern Taurus Mountains to the Caucasus, that wine and winemaking entered the human experience.

And where vines grow, so will there always be gods and legends, and millennia-old traditions people still follow and respect today.

From Myth to Glass: Turkey’s Enduring Wine Culture

Long before history was written on anything other than stone tablets, grapes and wine played a vital role in both the myths and real lives of Anatolia’s people. From Mesopotamian gods, Hittite kings, and the most famous wine god of them all, Dionysus (or Bacchus), wine culture in Turkey has grown, adapted, and endured to today. But this culture always stemmed from the same root - the grape vine and the harvest.

King Suppiluliuma

The Kings, Gods, and Legends

Whereas it might seem strange, confusing, or silly to modern people who live in predominantly monotheistic or atheistic cultures, ancient peoples attributed everything from the rising of the sun to the growth of specific vegetation to specific, individual gods. Thus grapes and wine, with a more than 8,000 year history, have equally old gods.

One of the first written records of a god of wine is the Mesopotamian (i.e. southeast Anatolia!) Epic of Gilgamesh. The epic mentions Šiduri, later Naḫmazulel or Naḫmizulen in Hittite, as a wise female divinity of beer and wine.

Most famously of course was the twice-born Greek god Dionysus, son of Zeus and the mortal Semele. Known to the Romans as Bacchus, he was the god of wine, winemaking, grape cultivation, fertility, ritual madness, theater, and religious ecstasy. The cult of Dionysus was strong during the Hellenistic period, with temples scattered throughout their lands. While the Greek island Naxos is most associated with Dionysus, the ancient cities of Teos and Pergamon in Turkey also hold ruins of temples dedicated to him.

Dionysus’s influence touched upon many figures of mythology and history, including, notably, the storied King Midas. It was, in fact, Dionysus who gave Midas his golden touch. Whether or not his ability to gild everything around him was real, Midas himself is a real historical figure. Pottery discovered in his burial tomb in the ancient ruins of Gordias, outside the Turkish capital Ankara, shows evidence that he took a great deal of wine with him for his journey to the underworld.

But his is not the only uncovered tomb in Turkey to be found with wine paraphernalia. Long before Midas ruled, Hittite king Suppiluliuma originated the saying “East, drink, and be merry…” which was inscribed upon his tomb. And yes, that is indeed where the famous phrase originated!

Pouring a New Era: Modern Turkish Wine Culture

Despite its great wine-producing history, modern wine culture didn’t develop in Turkey the same way it did in neighboring countries. Many reasons, socio-economic, religious, and legal have contributed to its stunted growth. For these reasons, wine has not been a part of the development of Turkish cuisine the way it has in, say, Italy or France. In modern Turkish culture, wine does not commonly factor into holiday (even secular) celebrations. And in very recent times, the current conservative Turkish regime has created political spectacle by publicly denouncing alcohol and making business difficult for those in the industry by outlawing alcohol advertisement - all the while, in the tradition of their Ottoman ancestors, happily collecting tax revenue from the industry! As a result, oenotourism is generally kept on the down-low, and the per capita annual wine consumption is a mere one liter per person! That’s me by Wednesday!

And yet, wine will not be deterred!

Wine tourism - by local and foreign visitors alike - is undoubtedly growing in Turkey. The availability of wine tastings in major cities is booming. Wine lover groups, walk-around tastings, and educational opportunities are increasingly available. Similarly, the more Turks travel abroad, the more they bring back and implement at home, such as the desire to pair wine with dinner and learn about native grapes.

The number of wine bars around the country is on the rise. Through social media, blogs, and regular tasting events, these bars are instrumental in encouraging the love of wine in modern society. Some even employ technology like Coravin in order to provide a greater range of wines and flavors for the increasingly wine-curious population.

Ancient Vines, Living Traditions: Turkey’s Harvest Season

Turkey is a major agricultural country, exporting much of what it grows. It is the world’s leading hazelnut and apricot producer and also exports wheat flour, tobacco, tea, and various other nuts, vegetables, and fruits - including grapes. It is, in fact, the world’s 5th largest grape producer.

Like many agricultural countries, Turkey celebrates its harvest seasons, be it the harvest of olives, pumpkins, or grapes. Harvest festivals include local traditions, music, and food, and bring together communities to celebrate that they all survived another season. Survival comes into question more and more every year as climate change plagues farmers with extremes of heat and cold, frost, hail, and drought, making these harvest rituals even more vital to hold together communities.

Grape (for wine) harvest festivals are no less important nor less effusively celebrated for how little wine is made in Turkey. The utter delight and enthusiasm with which people revel during these events underscores the excitement of the new vintage and helps modern Turkish winemakers feel connected with their ancient heritage.

Grape Harvest Festivals in Turkey

Turkey offers quite a few opportunities to experience the joy of the grape harvest. Wine expert or novice, local or tourist, everyone is welcome to participate. Festivals often include traditional grape processing demonstrations, local music, folk dances, and regional food.

A few of the more well-known festivals include:

• Urla Grape Harvest Festival - first two weeks of August

• Bozcaada Grape Harvest Festival - first week of September

• Cappadocia Ürgüp Grape Harvest Festival - second week of September

• Denizli Çal Grape Harvest Festival - first or second week of September

• Gökçealan Grape Festival - second week of September

• Kırklareli Grape Harvest Festival - mid-September

• Elazığ Grape Harvest Festival - end of September

Winery Celebrations

While it is literally the busiest time of the year for them, wineries themselves often encourage visits during the harvest season. Especially for those already equipped with restaurants or event venues, they offer activities, special meals, live music, and tours.

If you didn’t have travel plans for next September… you do now!

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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.