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Ergenekon family started their wine business in the year 2000. Dr. Seyla was an environmental economist, and Dr. Cagatay Ergenekon was working for the Istanbul Stock Exchange at that time. They had a great interest in wine. Cagatay was among the founders of the Turkish Friends of the Wine Association, and Seyla was the first wine author in Turkey. In 2000, they decided to establish a vineyard in the Gallipoli Peninsula, near Eceabat, at the heart of the Historical National Park, where the famous Battles of Canakkale took place in 1915. The region has hosted vineyards for centuries and has an ideal climate for growing grapes with warm and dry seasons and continuous winds. They lived and worked in Istanbul while spending almost all the weekends and holidays in Canakkale. In 2001, their son Emir joined the crew. In time, they bought two new parcels. The total vineyard area became 12 hectares and farming went organic biodynamic. Apart from Cabernet Sauvignon, they also planted Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, and Sauvignon Blanc. In 2005, they harvested the first grapes and sold them to other wineries. This continued until 2012 when they decided to make their wine. The first wines were produced in a 40 m 2 building converted from a barn. The following year, they purchased the adjacent building and new equipment, mainly stainless steel fermentors, tanks, a pneumatic press, and a cooling system with a 50% subsidy from the EU funds. They are among the smallest wine producers in Turkey, with an annual production of 50.000 bottles.
Their flagship brand is Bona Dea. The wine is named after the Roman goddess of fertility and healing, who is believed to hold secret rituals which only women could attend and drink wine. Bona Dea Rouge is a vineyard blend. Bona Dea 2013 won a silver medal in the International Wine Challenge Competition held in London in 2016, and Bona Dea 2016 was the first Turkish wine to be awarded a gold medal in the Korean Wine Challenge 2022. Ergenekons also produce barrel-aged premium varietal wines labeled Singularis. The winery recently released a Cab-shiraz blend named Regius and an unoaked Merlot under the label Carpe Diem. In the meantime, Emir Ergenekon is about to graduate from the International Wine Business Program of the University of Geisenheim in Germany and next year he will be studying Viticulture and Oenology at the University of Montpelier, France.
Contact: ergenekons@superonline.com (532) 660 83 60
Visitor Acceptance: Yes (by appointment only)
Accommodation: No
Dining: No
