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Pendore: Kavaklıdere's Aegean estate

Where Pendore is, who makes its wines, the grapes it grows and why the Aegean hinterland near ancient Sardis matters to Turkish wine.

Alper Billik · Advanced Sommelier

Updated October 2026 · 3 min read · Edited with AI

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Pendore in one minute
Why the inner Aegean
The grapes to know
Next door to Lydia
How to serve Pendore's reds
Questions people ask

The short answer: Pendore is the Aegean estate of Kavaklıdere, Türkiye's oldest private wine company. It lies inland from İzmir, near Manisa, where a Mediterranean climate meets continental influences. It grows Turkish grapes such as Öküzgözü alongside French varieties, and its wines are some of the clearest ways to taste what the inner Aegean can do.

Pendore in one minute

Owner: Kavaklıdere, founded in Ankara in 1929 by the And family and named after the Ankara district where it began.
Where: the inner Aegean, inland from İzmir, in Manisa province, around the village of Kemaliye.
Climate: a meeting point. Mediterranean warmth from the coast, continental swings from inner Anatolia.
Grapes: Öküzgözü and Boğazkere from Türkiye; French varieties for the estate's Harmonie blend.
Advice: the Bordeaux consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt works with Kavaklıdere on the vineyards and the winemaking.

Why the inner Aegean

The Aegean is Türkiye's most important wine region. Close to the sea, at Urla, the vineyards feel the breeze; further inland, around Manisa, summers are hotter and nights cooler. That swing between day and night helps the grapes ripen fully while keeping their freshness. It is the reason a red grape from the east, Öküzgözü, can show bright cherry fruit here rather than jammy weight.

For the coastal side of the story, read Urla, Türkiye: an ancient Aegean wine coast.

The grapes to know

Grape	Colour	What it tastes like	Pronounce it
Öküzgözü	Red	Soft tannins, fresh acidity, red cherry and plum	uh-kooz-guh-ZOO
Boğazkere	Red	Firm tannins, dark fruit, a dry, gripping finish	boh-AHZ-keh-reh
French varieties	Red	Used for the Harmonie blend, in a Bordeaux-like frame	-

Öküzgözü: ColourRed; What it tastes likeSoft tannins, fresh acidity, red cherry and plum; Pronounce ituh-kooz-guh-ZOO

Boğazkere: ColourRed; What it tastes likeFirm tannins, dark fruit, a dry, gripping finish; Pronounce itboh-AHZ-keh-reh

French varieties: ColourRed; What it tastes likeUsed for the Harmonie blend, in a Bordeaux-like frame; Pronounce it-

Öküzgözü means "ox eye", after its large, dark berries. Boğazkere roughly means "throat burner", a fair name for its tannin. The two are Türkiye's classic blending pair: Öküzgözü brings the fruit and freshness, Boğazkere the structure. Pendore bottles them on their own too, which makes it a good place to learn each grape's voice.

Next door to Lydia

Manisa province holds the ruins of Sardis, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia. It stood at the foot of Mount Tmolus, today's Bozdağ, above the Hermus valley, and was the western end of the Persian Royal Road. Its most famous king was Croesus, whose name still means great wealth. Wine was made in Anatolia long before any of this; Pendore farms a landscape with a very long memory.

How to serve Pendore's reds

Temperature: slightly cool, around 16 °C, so the fruit stays lifted.
Glass: a universal glass works well. See the best wine glasses.
Food: Öküzgözü with grilled lamb chops, köfte or aubergine dishes; a Boğazkere blend with richer kebabs and slow-cooked meat.
On a wine list: offer it to the guest who loves Merlot or a Rhône red and wants something new. Sell the feeling: a red from the country where wine is very old, made for today's table.

Want a pairing for a Turkish red you have at home? Ask SOMM DIGI AI.

Ask SOMM DIGI AI Emir, Türkiye's white grape

Questions people ask

Who owns Pendore?

Kavaklıdere, the wine company founded in Ankara in 1929 by the And family.

Where is Pendore?

In Türkiye's inner Aegean, inland from İzmir, in Manisa province.

What is Öküzgözü?

A Turkish red grape from eastern Anatolia. Its name means "ox eye". It makes fresh, fruity, softly tannic reds and is often blended with Boğazkere.

Is Turkish wine good?

Türkiye has a long history of vines and a growing number of serious producers. Start with its native grapes, Öküzgözü, Boğazkere and Kalecik Karası for red, Emir and Narince for white.

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