Beneath the otherworldly landscape of Cappadocia — where fairy chimneys pierce the sky and volcanic rock stretches as far as the eye can see — lies a world that most visitors never fully appreciate. Carved deep into the soft tuff stone, the region's famous underground cities were not simply hiding places or refuges from invaders. For thousands of years, they were also the quiet, temperature-controlled heart of one of the ancient world's most celebrated wine industries.
A Winemaking Tradition as Old as Civilization
Cappadocia's relationship with the grape vine stretches back at least 4,000 years, to the era of the Hittites. Ancient clay tablets found throughout the region record elaborate rituals involving wine, and the fertile volcanic soil of the Göreme valley proved ideal for viticulture. The Hittites recognized early on that the land around what is now Ürgüp and Avanos produced grapes of exceptional quality, with high sugar content and complex mineral flavors drawn straight from the volcanic earth.
The Hittites wrote about Cappadocian wine on clay tablets more than 3,500 years ago. This is not a new industry — it is one of humanity's oldest living wine traditions.
When the Byzantine Empire extended its reach over Anatolia, Christian monks settled across Cappadocia in large numbers, cutting churches and monasteries directly into the rock. These communities both expanded the existing underground network and deepened the region's winemaking culture. Wine was, of course, central to Christian liturgy, and the monks needed reliable, high-quality production year after year.
How Underground Tunnels Became the World's First Wine Cellars
The genius of Cappadocia's ancient winemakers was not just in the grapes they chose — it was in where they stored the finished product. The underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli, both just a short drive from the main tourist hubs, descend up to eight levels below the surface. At those depths, the temperature remains a remarkably constant 13–15°C (55–59°F) regardless of the season above ground.
This natural refrigeration was invaluable. Before the age of modern climate control, finding a consistently cool, dark, and humidity-stable environment for wine storage was enormously difficult. Cappadocia's subterranean chambers provided exactly that, and the communities who lived and worked in and around these tunnels took full advantage. Large ceramic amphorae filled with fermenting and aging wine were a permanent fixture of the underground city's lower levels.
- Derinkuyu descends 85 meters underground across eight levels, maintaining a steady 13°C throughout the year.
- Kaymakli is estimated to have housed up to 5,000 people along with their livestock, food stores, and wine supplies.
- Fermentation chambers have been identified by archaeologists in several underground city sites.
- The round stone doors used to seal off sections of tunnels also protected wine stores from outside contamination.
- Some tunnels ran between villages specifically to allow the safe transport of wine jars during times of conflict.
The Byzantine Legacy and the Grape Varieties That Survived
The Byzantines were extraordinarily methodical in their viticulture. Monks documented grape varieties, pruning techniques, and harvest calendars with care. One of the most important legacies of this era was the preservation of indigenous Anatolian grape varieties that exist virtually nowhere else on earth. Varieties such as Emir, a crisp white grape native to the Ürgüp plateau, and Öküzgözü, a robust red grown across central Anatolia, survived centuries of political upheaval largely because of the isolated and self-sufficient nature of Cappadocia's monastic communities.
Modern Wineries in Ürgüp and Avanos
Today, Cappadocia's wine industry has been reborn as a sophisticated and internationally recognized sector of Turkish agriculture. The Ürgüp and Avanos districts are home to several boutique wineries that have invested in modern production facilities while honoring the ancient heritage of the land.
- Kocabağ Winery (Ürgüp): One of Cappadocia's oldest modern producers, Kocabağ specializes in Emir whites and full-bodied reds aged in cellars cut directly into volcanic rock.
- Turasan Winery (Ürgüp): A family estate with over a century of history, offering guided tours, tastings, and a panoramic terrace overlooking the valleys.
- Güre Winery (Avanos): A smaller artisan producer focusing on natural, low-intervention wines made from indigenous varieties.
- Argos in Cappadocia (Uçhisar): A luxury cave hotel with its own label, producing elegant small-batch wines for guests and visitors.
- Seki Winery (Mustafapaşa): Set in the historic village of Sinasos, this winery occupies a converted Greek-era stone mansion.
Planning Your Winery Route with Cappadocia Taxi
Getting between wineries, underground cities, and other attractions in Cappadocia is far easier and more comfortable with a dedicated taxi transfer than with public transport. The region's main winery cluster around Ürgüp is approximately 15 kilometers from Göreme, a comfortable 20-minute ride.
- Göreme to Ürgüp wineries: approximately 20 minutes by taxi.
- Ürgüp to Avanos: approximately 30 minutes by taxi.
- Göreme to Derinkuyu underground city: approximately 35 minutes by taxi.
- Half-day winery circuit (2–3 wineries): best handled with a dedicated driver who can navigate the rural roads.
- Airport transfers to Nevşehir or Kayseri available for early-morning post-tasting departures.
