Yağcılar, 9029 Sokak No: 8 D:8A, 35430 Urla/İzmir – Tel: 0501 352 1500 – Winery website
İkidenizarası translates as “Between Two Seas”, Yağcılar village being the mid-point between the Gülbahçe coast of the Izmir Bay in the north and the Demircili coast of Sığacık Bay in the south.
Before the departure of the Greeks in the Thessaloniki exchanges of 1924, the village had a thriving viniculture. Serhat Akbay, an architect originally from Konya, settled in Yagcilar Village in 1990 and, in learning the history of the region, decided to revive the vineyards in 1999. Construction of the winery began in 2017. Three friends and partners have joined Serhat Akbay: Nevzat Sayın, originally from Hatay, also an architect; Prof. Dr. Sait Ada, originally from Kayseri, a doctor of orthopaedics and traumatology; and İbrahim Dilan, originally from Diyarbakır, a civil engineer.
There are 32 decares of vineyards belonging to their brand; the total vineyard size in Yağcılar village is over 100 decares. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot grapes are currently grown in their vineyards. They use organic farming methods and do not use any chemicals. For their white wines produced under the name Borda, they buy Bornova Misket from Menderes and Chardonnay from Denizli.
Their annual production capacity is 40,000 bottles. They produced 12,000 bottles in 2020, and in the next 5-6 years, they plan to move to full capacity. The partners say, “Since we cannot drink all of it, we wanted to share it with other enthusiasts.” They have tasting events, and during the tasting, besides their wines, they offer meat and cheese accompaniments.
İkidenizarası Wines
Bornova Misketi 2020
It is produced from Bornova Misket Grapes grown on vines with an average age of 30-40 years in Menderes Yeniköy, İzmir. It has a light yellow appearance. On the nose, It gives aromas of bergamot, lime, nectarine, wild rose and honeysuckle. It offers citrus and floral notes on the palate with its fresh and robust acidity.
Chardonnay 2020
It is produced from Chardonnay grapes grown in their contracted vineyards in Denizli Güney region. In order to enrich the aroma palette, the fermentation of the grape skins and the kept wort is started in temperature-controlled steel, with the fermentation process continued in oak barrels. It was then held on its sediment (Elevage Surlie) and matured in French oak barrels for ten months. It is a light lemon-yellow wine with green highlights. On the nose, it has lemon, green apple, pear vanilla, hazelnut, praline, toast, butter and floral aromas. On the palate, it leaves fruity, floral and sweet spice notes. It is a lively and mineral-finished wine with its fresh acidity and slightly creamy structure.
Rose 2020
It is produced from Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes grown in their vineyards in Urla Yağcılar Village. It is fermented at low temperatures using the “Saignée” method and maturing in steel tanks. It is a light salmon colour. On the nose, it releases herbal aromas such as blood orange, pink grapefruit, citrus such as citrus, thyme and boxwood. On the palate, it has rich citrus and herbal notes. It is a wine with a balanced finish with its high acidity supporting rich minerality.
Zoza 2020. Cabernet Sauvignon – Syrah
Zoza is produced from their 20-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes grown in their vineyards in Yağcılar Village. It has 60% Cabernet and 40% Syrah. It has been matured in French oak barrels for ten months. It is a bright, ruby-coloured wine with fuchsia highlights. Zoza takes its name from the last Anatolian Pars pup (now extirpated in West Turkey) caught in Urla in 1942. The nose has elegant fruit and floral aromas such as cherry, damson, blueberry, blackberry, liquorice, cinnamon, and clove. It leaves floral notes on the palate that complement the rich fruit profile. It is an elegant and balanced wine with a high acidity and body finish.
Caracal 2020. Cabernet Sauvignon
Caracal is made from 20-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown in their vineyards in Urla Yağcılar Village. It has been matured in French oak barrels for 11 months and made ready for presentation. It is a robust and bodied wine with a dark burgundy colour and plum accents. Caracal takes its name from Caracal, a wild cat breed that was in the region and still lives in southern Turkey. On the nose, It has notes of black forest berries, spices, tobacco, dark chocolate, cedar wood and soot.