Skip to main content

Why 'vintage' in this Turkish village means confectionaries, not wine

In the southeastern Anatolian village of Cirali, harvesting grapes ends with a variety of sweets to consume rather than wine.
TurkeyGrapes.jpg
Read in 

On a crisp October day, Baran Sahin and his family of 10 head to the family’s small vineyard in the village of Cirali, some 62 miles from the southeastern city of Diyarbakir.

“Vintage is not easy but it is fun,” Sahin told Al-Monitor, explaining that when he was a child, his family had 20 acres of vineyards. “The vineyard would yield some 1,400 liters [369 gallons] of grape juice. There have always been vineyards in our village, and we went harvesting together. It is a tradition.” 

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.