Akberg wins IWSC 2025 Red Wine Producer Trophy

In the village of Gökçealan, not far from the ancient ruins of Ephesus, CEO Güney Köse and his team are rewriting the age-old story of Anatolian wine. Akberg has been awarded the IWSC's Red Wine Producer Trophy for 2025, recognition of the winery’s bold work in reviving indigenous grapes and crafting them into wines that speak of both heritage and modern precision.

The IWSC Red Wine Producer Trophy celebrates producers who demonstrate consistency, quality and imagination across their red wine portfolios. This year, Akberg stood out for both their medal-winning wines and for their unflinching commitment to elevating Turkey's native varietals – Erciş Karası, Osmanca, Papazkarası – into expressive wines capable of holding their own against the globe’s finest.

Innovation sits alongside tradition at Akberg. Their "Kabuğunda" series employs the pioneering "enrobed wine method", where white varietals such as Emir and Narince are macerated in the skins of Boğazkere and Cabernet Sauvignon, creating red wines that are light, aromatic and suited to warm climates. As climate change drives demand for fresher styles, Akberg has offered a distinctly Anatolian solution.

And with this, recognition has followed. Lethe Erciş Karası '21, an IWSC Gold medallist, became the first Turkish wine poured on the seasonal tasting menu of a Michelin-starred restaurant in Houston this year. For Köse, the accolade is part of a bigger mission: "We're taking all the risks – geopolitically, financially and sociologically – because Turkish wine deserves its place on the world stage."

That conviction is now resonating well beyond Turkey. Akberg wines are found in Michelin-starred dining rooms and curated lists from Istanbul to Texas to Asia. Our IWSC judges praised the winery for giving voice to Anatolia's unique "wine DNA" and for doing so with such clarity of style. Indeed, Akberg's win signals that Anatolia, while it may be one of wine's oldest cohorts, is certainly not to be forgotten.

Congratulations to Akberg.