Grape Guide
Öküzgözü
RedÖküzgözü is a black-skinned Turkish variety from the Euphrates uplands of eastern Anatolia, and the country's most important red alongside Boğazkere. It makes medium-bodied, juicy reds with bright acidity, soft tannins and moderate alcohol, and is often blended with the firmer Boğazkere for structure.
Key Characteristics
- Large, compact bunches of large, fleshy, black berries
- Ripens in the second half of September, mid to late season
- Good general resistance to disease
- Suited to dry conditions and clay-loam soils
- Naturally high sugar potential with fresh acidity and soft tannins
Typical Flavors
Major Regions
Elazığ · Malatya · Tunceli · Thrace · Cappadocia · Manisa · Aegean coast
Also Known As
Kara Erik (Sivas · Erzincan · Malatya; identity with Öküzgözü reported by DNA profiling but now questioned)
Overview
Öküzgözü is an indigenous red grape of eastern Turkey, grown for both the table and the cellar. Its Turkish name means ox eye, a reference to the large, round, nearly black berries. In the glass it is typically pale to medium in colour, medium in body and juicy, with fresh acidity, moderate alcohol and tannins that are soft by the standards of Turkish reds. Because it lacks grip, it is frequently paired with Boğazkere, a later-ripening, more tannic and less acidic variety from the same part of the country; the two are sometimes described as Turkey's Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon respectively. Varietal bottlings have improved steadily since the 1980s, when Kavaklidere led the way. They are usually best young and with little or very restrained oak, though fruit from the highest Elazığ sites can carry more weight and some ageing potential.
Origins & History
Öküzgözü most probably originated in Elazığ province in eastern Anatolia, the same area that gave rise to Boğazkere, and it remains concentrated there and in nearby Malatya. Nothing is known of its parentage, and it has never been recorded in use in Europe or anywhere else; this is a truly local variety whose reputation has been built almost entirely within Turkey. DNA profiling in the 2000s showed that a vine called Kara Erik (literally black plum), found around Erzincan, Malatya and Sivas, matched Öküzgözü, which suggested a local synonym. That result has since been qualified: more recent ampelographic observation indicates that the Kara Erik sample used in the comparison may not have been true to type, so the connection is treated cautiously, and the name is better regarded as a probable synonym than a settled one. The modern commercial story begins in the second half of the twentieth century, when private Turkish wineries started making varietal wines from native grapes rather than depending solely on international varieties. Öküzgözü grew in standing from the 1980s onwards, and by 2010 it covered about 1,656 ha, making it one of the most widely planted wine varieties in the country.
Viticultural Characteristics
Öküzgözü produces large, compact bunches of large, fleshy black berries. It buds and ripens in the middle to later part of the season, with harvest typically in the second half of September in its home territory. General disease resistance is good, but the tight bunches call for attention to canopy management and airflow in wetter seasons. Sugar accumulation can be generous, so picking date is the main tool for controlling alcohol and keeping the acidity that defines the style. The variety is best matched to dry conditions and clay-loam soils. In eastern Anatolia the vineyards sit at roughly 850 to 1,100 m, on sandy clay over limestone, red clay and decomposed granite. Winters are severe and summers hot and dry, but the climate is moderated to a degree by the Euphrates and the reservoirs of the Keban and Karakaya dams, and large day to night temperature swings help preserve freshness.
Wine Styles & Characteristics
The usual expression is a bright, medium-bodied red showing red and black cherry fruit, with relatively soft tannins, lively acidity and moderate alcohol. Colour tends to be light to medium, and most wines are made to be drunk within a few years, with little or subtle oak so the fruit is not masked. Grapes from the best Elazığ vineyards, picked ripe and given more extraction, can yield fuller, more structured wines that keep for several years in bottle. Blending with Boğazkere is common and produces a more complete wine: Öküzgözü supplies juiciness and acidity, while Boğazkere contributes tannin and depth. Buzbağ from Kayra, made at the producer's winery in Elazığ, is a well-known blend of Öküzgözü and Boğazkere. Rosé and lighter, early-drinking styles also exist, and the variety is grown for the table as well. Kavaklidere, Diren, Doluca, Kayra and Melen all make varietal wines.