2023 Çal Karası, Kuzubağ

The Denizli Ruby

This is Turkish red wine with brightness, perfume and a lovely wild-fruited charm. Made from the indigenous Çal Karası grape, it opens with fresh cherry, sour cherry, red plum and forest fruit, followed by soft spice, a little earth and a gentle savoury edge. It is pale, aromatic and medium-bodied, with freshness rather than weight at its centre.

The palate is silky, lively and beautifully drinkable, with soft red fruit, integrated tannins and a clean, fresh finish. There is a quiet rusticity here, but also real elegance, the kind of red that works brilliantly slightly chilled and makes you wonder why more people are not drinking Turkish native varieties.

For when you want something light, characterful and just a little unexpected.
Pairs with grilled lamb, roast chicken, aubergine imam bayildi, mushroom pilaf, tomato-rich pasta, charred peppers, mezze, or lightly spiced köfte.
If this wine were… a colour, it would be translucent ruby held up to the evening sun, bright at the edges and glowing with quiet warmth.

Kuzubağ Estate Winery was founded in 2007 by Salih Kuzu and Aslı Kuzu, a father and daughter team with roots in Çal, Denizli. Their work is centred on honouring the region’s long winemaking heritage and bringing native grapes such as Çal Karası to a wider audience. With high-altitude vineyards in Turkey’s inner Aegean and a focus on freshness, character and regional identity, Kuzubağ is helping show just how expressive modern Turkish wine can be.