February 2025
The only winery in Antakya, Antioche Vineyards and its employees were seriously affected by the 2023 earthquakes that devastated large areas of the country. This month’s wine trio honors the resilience of the people in Hatay with three wines from Antioche Vineyards.
We will donate a portion of proceeds from the sale of these wines this month to Support to Life, an independent humanitarian organization providing emergency assistance to disaster affected communities.
Thanks largely to the Hittites who once ruled the area during the 2nd millennium BC, winemaking is a living tradition in the region, although one that was largely kept within individual families with homemade wine. It wouldn’t be until 2007 that commercial wine production came to the Turkish province of Hatay with Antioche Vineyards. Founder Abud Abdo founded the winery as a monument to his love of wine and to honor the region’s strong wine culture.
Antioche’s vineyards are a single site located in the Topboğazı village of Hatay, in southern Turkey. The sandy clay vineyards sit at 328 ft and are planted with a mix of native and international grapes, including: Barburi Blanc, Chardonnay, Misket, Narince, Sauvignon Blanc, Barburi (noir), Boğazkere, Öküzgözü, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Sangiovese, and Syrah.
After the massive earthquakes in February 2023 that flattened the city of Hatay, Antioche Vineyards set about rebuilding. Amazingly, the vineyards themselves sustained no damage. In the winery, they lost three of their large stainless steel fermentation tanks and 20-25 wine barrels in addition to structural damage. As they were in the process of building new winery facilities, they put all their concentration into doing that instead of repairing damage. By the 2024 harvest, they were back up and running at full capacity.
Tasting Antioche Vineyards’ flagship wine, its Barburi, fermented in stainless steel and matured in second use, 300 liter French oak barrels, is to taste Hatay. Hatay is one of Turkey’s major food capitals, benefiting from centuries of multicultural and culinary influence. Barburi is, not coincidentally, one of Turkey’s most food-friendly red wines. It pairs well with grilled foods (meats and veggies!), casseroles, tomato sauces, mezes, and more.
Winery founder Abud Abdo resurrected Barburi by foraging for wild vines and propagating them in his vineyards. The grape’s story reflects the endurance and resilience of the people in Hatay, still working on rebuilding their lives after the earthquakes.
Tasting Notes. This deep but surprisingly medium bodied wine displays uniquely bright and jammy strawberry flavors that leap from the glass and burst off the palate along with notes of red raspberry and black cherry, all rounded with hints of black pepper, fresh herbs and warm vanilla. Pairs nicely with most foods, but particularly with salty, nutty and rich dishes.
Antioche Vineyards’ Özel Seri wine translates as the “special series.” A West meets East blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Barburi reflects the meshing of cultures who have shared Hatay for centuries. This area, named Antioch in antiquity, has been home to many civilizations, including Hittites, Greeks, Romans, Levantines, and of course, Turks. A great melting pot in which Christians, Jews, and Muslims lived harmoniously, much like the harmony and balance achieved in this wine by Antioche’s winemaker, Saba Açıkgöz.
Tasting Notes. Aromas of tart cherry, red raspberry and plum with earthy undertones of wilted flowers and fresh cedar. A beautifully structured and rounded juicy blend, this wine is ready to drink now or could be aged to develop further complexity and robust tertiary flavors.
With its label featuring an image of ancient Antakya, the Antioche Vineyards Classic wine is an easy going red wine, great for solo sipping or pairing with foods like pizza and pasta. An innovative blend of two red grapes you wouldn’t automatically put together: Sangiovese and Syrah, it mirrors the creativity of Antakya’s cuisine.
Tasting Notes. This silky and voluptuous red blend displays pronounced red and black cherry with satisfyingly present acidity and delightful floral notes of rose and hints of black pepper on the finish. A perfect choice for red wine lovers!
You can enjoy and purchase each of these wines 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, and she is the founder of The Quirky Cork blog which is dedicated largely to Turkish wine.
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