Stéphane Toutoundji, 41, has found an immense and original "playground" in Turkey. "Our profession has one major drawback", explains this oenologist from Bordeaux, "A vine can only produce one harvest per year!"
Turkey is the sixth largest producer of grapes in the world, but this production is mainly for dried raisins and table grapes. However, wine production which up until now was a marginal activity, is on the increase.
Hasan Turasan is one of several wine producers who wish to speed up this process. His property is based in Urgup, in the heart of the touristic region of Cappadoce, between Ankara and Kayseri.
"Our winery was founded in 1943...We produce table wines but I believe the future is in higher quality wine", explains Hasan. "I needed qualified consultants," and so he turned to France and, in 2006 through a cooper contact, found Stéphane Toutoundji, who became wine consultant for Turasan wines in 2007.
Stéphane manages a wine analysis laboratory in Libourne, together with Gilles Pauquet and is a consultant for some 60 properties in the Gironde region. Like many of his colleagues, Stéphane has similar responsibilities abroad.
"I travel to Urgup four times a year for the important stages : harvest or blending times. But we needed someone on the spot on a permanent basis", says Stéphane, and that is how Edouard Guérin, agronomy engineer and oenologist aged 25, landed his first job in Turkey. "After extensive studies and on the spot training in the Champagne and Bordeaux regions, I was offered poorly paid (1200 euros per month) and un-challenging jobs in France," explains Edouard, "Here in Turkey I have a house, a car and responsibilities I couldn't hope to find in France" says this native of Orange (Vaucluse region).
The work is certainly challenging in Anatolia, where the continental climate produces temperatures of around 35° C in Summer and -20°C in Winter." explains Edouard, "The vineyard is situated at an altitude of 1000 metres so we protect the vine stock against the cold with a blanket of earth. Last year we didn't have a drop of rain from May to Septemer so the drip irrigation system is essential."
Hasan Turasan possesses two vineyards of 20 and 30 hectares, but he also buys grapes from all over the country and uses not only local varieties but also the more internationally known Cabernets and Sauvignon.
"I am investing 2 million euros between 2007 - 2012 in a project to produce the best wines in Turkey with a view to exporting them," resumes Hasan, who already commercialises 1 million bottles per year. He also believes in a bright future for the domestic market : "Ours is a secular country and despite heavy taxes on wines, there is a market for good wine".
For an average of 20 euros a bottle (red or white), consumers looking for new, original wines can already appreciate the excellent results of the first vintage 2007 of this new Franco-Turkish venture.
César Compadre S.O. 24/06/08
Translated by Maxine Colas.
doc@sudouest.com