9-13 June, 2022

Thrace Wine Tour

Reviving the extinct grape varieties of Turkey - Part 1

You say Istanbul doesn't sound like a wine destination? Think again! How about a wine region just a few hours away from Turkey's 15 million megapolis, so close yet so different than the images of Grand Bazaar, the luxurious restaurants with Bosphorus view and the ever full with traffic bridges from Asia to Europe?

I'm inviting you on a Turkish Wine Tour dedicated to the revival of the extinct grape varieties of this ancient winemaking country. We'll discover 5 wineries on its' westernmost wine route - the Thrace wine route. Turkey and Istanbul can be very different from what you expect :)

Tour Overview

During the Thrace wine tour, we'll cover the three destinations close to Istanbul - Kırklareli for continental wines, Gelibolu at the renown Dardanelles strait and Bozcaada - the heaven of Turkish island wines. We'll stay at authentic accommodations with a local character, discover the gastronomical and cultural traditions of the region and, of course, taste wines from 5 different wineries that are united by one goal - spread the word about the native grape varieties of Turkey by reviving them from extinction and making excellent wines.

Expect lots of cultural background, sceneries,

gastronomy and outstanding wines.

Day 1

9th June 2022

Meeting point: let's meet where the continents meet :)

No matter where you come from, all our wine group meets in Istanbul at our hotel for the first night.

We'll stay overnight at a spectacular 5-star hotel in Istanbul and discuss all organizational questions regarding the tour during an unforgettable dinner.

Day 1

9th June 2022

Meeting point: our hotel in Istanbul

No matter where you come from, all our wine group meets in Istanbul at our hotel for the first night. We'll stay overnight at a spectacular 5-star hotel in Istanbul and discuss all organizational questions regarding the tour during the dinner.

Day 2

10th June 2022

After having breakfast at our hotel we will depart to Kırklareli to the first winery of this Turkish Wine Tour.

Once we arrive at our first winery we'll meet the winemaker and visit the vineyards and winery to learn more about the grape varieties, the terroir (the unique characteristics of local weather, soil, and people), and the life of a winemaker in Turkey.

We'll continue with a wine tasting and lunch - be ready for tasting wines you've never tasted before, hear of grapes you never heard before and eat food you will never ever forget.

At the end of the day, we'll check in to a traditional Thracian countryside hotel and enjoy a rustic dinner onsite.

Day 3

11th June 2022, morning

We start the day early on with breakfast and take off to our next destination - the spectacular Bozcaada island. Did you know that its' other name is Tenedos?

Halfway through we'll stop for lunch and have a wine & dine experience right in the middle of the day at a winery in Gallipoli (Gelibolu) right next to the Dardanelles Strait.

Day 3

11th June 2022, afternoon

We'll check in to our wine hotel in Bozcaada, a rustic countryside B&B surrounded by vineyards.

There's nothing better to end this day than a winemaker's dinner at the best local restaurant in Bozcaada right next to the Aegean Sea on a moonlit terrace with a tasting of local island wines introduced by the winemaker.

Day 4

12th June 2022, morning

This tour is for early birds :) As usual, we'll wake up for a countryside breakfast in the garden of our wine hotel. Perhaps, you've never eaten this fresh and this delicious.

We'll kickstart the day with learning about local grape varieties at the winery that raised the bar for all local, and Turkish in general, wineries for high-quality, fine wines.

Day 4

12th June 2022, noon

After the winery, you have 4 hours of free time - enjoy the views with a cup of Turkish coffee or tea while playing backgammon (a serious local sport here:), buy souvenirs like local designer made hats or bags, or, well, this is a wine island... you might want to hit the remaining wine bars on Bozcaada and have lunch at the local Aegean restaurants!

If you're more into adventures than pictures, rent an ATV or a motorbike and off to the wild beaches of the rocky and windy Bozcaada.

Day 4

12th June 2022, afternoon

At 3 pm we depart to our second wine destination - a boutique winery with a dedication to local island wines.

Dinner is optional but included - you might want to have some time of your own or join me at a picturesque restaurant filled with local delicacies and, of course, an accompanying wine tasting presented by a winemaker(but do let me know in advance if you'd rather not join).

Day 5

13th June 2022

Early wake up for breakfast at our wine hotel and departure to reach Istanbul by ferry.

We will of course stop once halfway for some gastronomical specialties :)

The estimated arrival in Istanbul is around 6 pm.

The drop-off point is at our centrally located 5-star hotel where we stayed the first night.

Important Details

Tour Dates: 9-13 June 2022

Cost: 1400 EUR

What's included:

accommodation, double occupancy: 4 nights
wine tastings: 5 wine tastings
transfer by VIP mini bus from our hotel in Istanbul all the way through the tour.
all breakfasts
lunches on Days: 2, 3 and 5
all dinners

What's not included:

wines or any souvenirs that you might want to purchase
additional activities that you'll decide to do
consumption at hotels' mini bars etc.

Deadline for bookings: 9th April 2022

Advance payment to secure booking: 700 EUR

The remaining amount is to be paid a maximum of one month before the tour start date.

Group: max 15 people

For the tour to be confirmed a minimum number of 10 people must book before the deadline.

P.S.: you might want to stay in Istanbul before or after our tour. And I totally understand you :) Mention this in your booking and let me know if you need recommendations on where to stay, what to do, how to get around and where to dine & wine.

Please fill out the contact form below to book this tour or request more information

Why Book your wine tour with Terroir Journey?

Hi, my name is Henrietta, I'm a WSET Certified Wine Educator, the founder of Terroir Journey and a wine travel guide. Organizing wine tours and travelling to wine regions is the most favourite of all my jobs!

I believe that every wine region must preserve the unique and native to its' land and history grape varieties. For me viticulture is first and foremost CULTURE and it is our intangible heritage that we must take care of. In the wine tours that I organize across Europe we always focus on producers that share the idea of being loyal to their history, culture and grapes. Therefore, in all my wine tours you can expect to visit wineries that are:

producing wines in a sustainable way using organic and biodynamic practices (if a winery is not certified but is on the itinerary it means that I personally ensured that their production is aligned with organic certification standards)
using grape varieties that are native to their regions (for example, not Cabernet Sauvignon from Turkey but Papaskarasi)
making wines of very good to outstanding quality, because as one wise winemaker in France told me "it's not enough to be biodynamic, you should also make good wine". And that's so true because as a wine lover you want to drink good wine not just wine that is Earth-friendly!

Some of the wineries we will visit on our wine tours are established, have impressive tasting rooms, onsite restaurants, guides etc. Others are boutique and family run, have little stuff and it will be usually the owner who'll give us the tour. We might as well end up tasting wines right next to the fermentation tanks or next to the barrels. My wine tours are for people that do want to see the real story behind the label.