Bottled Love

-
I was looking for a weekend spot to go off to. May be it's a sign this photo of boat-shaped café to understand what type of place I have been to..?


A little, mysterious island of the North Aegean was the address of my trip. The third biggest island in Turkey, and the natural beauty I went to was behind the historical Venetian fortress seen above..

Old Venetian Fortress, or today's known as Bozcaada Castle was originally built by the Phoenicians, and passed through the Athenians, the Greek, Alexander the Great, Byzantinians, Genoese, Venetians and the Ottomans. It was fully restored by the Ottomans, and they also ruled the island.


The island is also the main growing region of Cavus grapes which has a well deserved fame among consumers. It's NOT simply produced by the extraction and fermentation of the grape juice here. Behind its chemical process it stands thousands of terms: wine region, grape variety, cellar bottle, label, and even a coin which is enough to tell us its history going back to 3000 BC. Close attention to grapes and wine amphoras on the coin of Tenedos minted in 550 B.C. Known as Leukophrys in the classical age, Tenedos in Greek mythology and today Bozcaada in Turkish. Should be easy to see that old traditions on this island are viticulture and vineyards.

Oh trés chic narrow streets basicly in three colors, white-blue and green. Houses painted in white and decorated with lovely flowers and colorful pots. The Turks and the Greeks live together.. So natural, so historical preservation site, so friendly and so dynamic...


Not only are these nice to look at, making for great display pieces in the front of windows... Sparkling shells taste just much better in vintage jars. Just another way to live beautifully, yet simply (and smartly..:)


Look at this floral doorway.. Still green and flowers because it was early September when I was leading this daily excursion..


Stayed in a small house built in the vineyard style..


The terraces in front of the rooms with vineyard and sea views.. Even the bottom of balcony was a kind of artistic detail to amaze. I felt happiness as it was my room. The ambiance was enriched with many trees and flowers, I adored...


Got the taste of meals made of fresh eggs and vegetables cultivated in the house owner's garden. Vineyards at the front, pinetrees on the hills right across and the magnicifient sea view only summarized the charming view in front of my eyes..


The Church of Mother Mary. An Orthodox church. Situated in the heart of the Greek neighborhood. The date 1869 posted on its door, its first construction is believed to date back to the Venetian era.


Impressed with its four-storied bell-and watch-tower while it was darkening..


Oh baby baby my! Two sweet green eyes for the beauty in the world. I was followed by this cute darling.. A Bozcaada-born kitty gave me a heart full of love during my tour, more than anything that could give me..


Loved these kind of flowers on the island, wind roses:)


I was so happy to taking place in the step-by-step process of wine-making in the vineyards, tasting wines made from a variety of the island's famous grapes and.. enjoyed to the fullest as the history of wine in Bozcaada is as old as life on the island.

A living entity, wine.

It is born, grown and developed.

It ages and dies.

Willing to share its experiences and developments.

The more interest you show, the more it strives to present itself to you.

I accompanied wine through this journey.

Because I was willing to grow and develop more and more:)

As said by famous Greek historian Herodot; ''God created Bozcaada for those who visited there, to have a long life.''

I do not know if I'll have a long life but one certain thing is that I realized my desire visiting the most beautiful vineyard in the country -no Ads:), and to breathe my most loved wine culture being in a place really far from the maddening crowd in the City...