We have a six hour drive ahead of us. We are up early and on the road with the sunrise.
In the early morning sun, Hüseyinfaki is about as postcard Turkish village as you will find.
We follow the coast down and as lunch draws near Shell has found us a place.
Lucien Arkas Baglari is the largest organic vineyard and winery in Turkey. We ordered some cheese and shared a tasting flight of seven wines, all were sound, well-made wines without being noteworthy. We were shown around the winery and the barrel room. It was nice to see some huge botti in amongst the French oak.
We took a bottle of Montepulciano and Öküzgözü for later tonight.
We wind our way up into the mountains, well over 1000m above sea level. Ancient olives are on every slope, somehow growing in the steep basalt slopes. It is a beautiful landscape.
Our host is Dogacan. He inherited the property from his grandmother. A few hundred olive trees, a dozen or so goats, four dairy cows, many chickens and ducks, and a turkey. Two cats who let themselves into our room and a pair of imposing Anatolian Shepherds that care for the goats.
“In a dead white field an untethered goat gave them sardonic greeting.”
Anthony Burgess
There are 7000 wolves in Turkey, brown bears, and three varieties of big cats, dogs are not just companions in these parts.
I agree to help Dogocan milk the cows the next morning.
We have dinner in a nearby village, winding our way down to the ocean. We are sitting on pontoons out over the water, drinking beer and eating fried fish, squid and octopus. It doesn’t matter that the octopus is like rubber.
Another good night’s sleep, although the weather is still mild and the room holds its warmth. It is hot despite being 6 degrees outside.
The bathroom is outside. I wake up at 2:00 am and need to go to the toilet. It is too dark to find my clothes. As I walk to the toilet I can hear the low growl of the Shepherds. A flash of panic as I imagine myself being chased down, naked, and mauled.
We are up early. Another big drive ahead of us.
Dogacan will milk the cows alone.