Elazığ Boğazkere Grape is one of the native grape varieties cultivated in the Elazığ province and its surroundings, located in Turkey's Eastern Anatolia Region. It was registered on February 11, 2019, as a designation of origin (menşe adı) (Registration No: 416). This grape possesses unique physical and chemical properties thanks to the climate, soil, and cultivation conditions specific to Elazığ. The Boğazkere grape is known for the slight burning and sourish (ekşimsi) taste it leaves in the throat when eaten. In tasting, it draws attention with its herbaceous aroma and balanced astringency.

^{Boğazkere grape (Anadolu Ajansı)}

Cultivation Area and Climate Characteristics

Elazığ Boğazkere Grape is produced in the Elazığ province and the districts of Arıcak, Alacakaya, Ağın, Baskil, Karakoçan, Keban, Kovancılar, Palu, Sivrice, and Maden. The region's structure, approximately 1000 meters above sea level and surrounded by mountains, provides suitable microclimate conditions for the grape. The climate, with dry summers and cold winters, long sun exposure duration during the summer, and suitable rainfall seen in autumn, creates characteristic conditions for viticulture.

Elazığ's annual average temperature is recorded as 13.1 °C, its highest temperature as 18.9 °C, and its lowest temperature as 7.5 °C. The annual average precipitation is 409.5 mm, and the annual average number of rainy days is 95.3. The average daily sunshine duration is 6.8 hours. These climatic data are the fundamental conditions that determine the unique characteristics of the Boğazkere grape.

Physical Characteristics

The Boğazkere grape has medium-length shoots, and the shoot internodes (boğum araları) are reddish-green in color. The leaves are 5-lobed, light green in color, and hairless (tüysüz). The berries (taneler) are round or oval in shape, and their skins are thick and dark reddish. When ripe, they take on a burgundy (bordo) color. The berries contain 2-3 seeds. A cluster (salkım) can have between 106 and 300 fruits, and their weights vary between 200-1200 grams depending on growing conditions.

Chemical and Biological Characteristics

In the Boğazkere grape, the acidity ratio is between %0.5–0.6, and the dry matter ratio is between %16.5–%25. Furthermore, the ash (kül) content ratio varies between %0.30–0.90. The Brix value is at the %20–25 level. The high tannin content in the grape provides characteristic astringency and body, especially in wine production.

Production Process

Production includes the steps of soil cultivation, fertilization, vineyard maintenance, and pest control.

Soil Cultivation and Fertilization: With soil cultivation done in autumn, the storage of winter rains in the soil is ensured. The process done in spring aims to aerate the soil and control weeds, as well as to provide the nutrients needed by the vine.

Cultural Practices: Regular pruning is done after the vine development period is completed. Additionally, practices such as shoot thinning (sürgün temizliği), topping (tepe alma), and side shoot removal (koltuk alma) are applied.

Pest Control: Spraying (ilaçlama) is done before dormancy (uyumadan önce) during winter pruning, and during the summer months according to the development periods of the shoots.

Areas of Use

The Boğazkere grape is primarily used in wine production. The intense tannin ratio and aromatic properties found in the vine lend strong body, astringency, and characteristic taste to wines. Besides this, it can also be consumed as a table grape (sofralık) to a limited extent.

Inspection and Protection

Production and quality control are carried out by the inspection commission established under the coordination of the Elazığ Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry. The vineyard areas and production processes are checked at least three times a year. These inspections also cover the harvest and export periods.