Who are we?

The Story of Çal

Our story begins centuries ago, when our nomadic Yörük ancestors settled in the lands of Çal, located 65 km northeast of Denizli. Known in antiquity as Mosyna and as Çal since the 18th century, this unique plateau lies at an altitude of 850–1100 meters, at the foothills of Mount Çökelez, through which flows the Büyük Menderes River, named after the ancient River God Meandros.

In Chagatai Turkish, “Çal” refers to “high land,” “calcareous soil,” and “stony hill.” For thousands of years, this land has been shaped by a single passion: viticulture. Çal topraklarına yerleşmesiyle başlar. Antik adıyla Mosyna, 18. yüzyıldan bu yana ise Çal olarak anılan bölgemiz; 850-1100 metre rakımda bulunan, Nehir Tanrısı Meandros’tan adını alan Büyük Menderes’in süzüldüğü, Çökelez dağının eteğinde eşsiz bir platodur. Çağatay Türkçesi’nde “yüksek yer”, “kireçli toprak” ve “taşlık tepe” anlamlarına gelen Çal, binlerce yıldır tek bir tutku etrafında şekillenmiştir: Bağcılık.

In the Footsteps of Dionysus

According to mythology, Dionysus, the god who discovered wine, founded Dionysopolis in the Menderes Basin to celebrate this miracle, ensuring that some of the ancient world’s most valuable grapes would flourish on this high plateau.

As noted by esteemed archaeologist Prof. Dr. Celal Şimşek, the creation of this mythology is no coincidence. These lands served for thousands of years as a major wine source and export hub for ancient cities stretching from Hierapolis to Aphrodisias. Surrounded by monumental ancient settlements—many still waiting to be uncovered—the Çal region continues to preserve its historical and geographical significance. Dionysopolis’i kurmuş ve antik dünyanın en değerli üzümlerinin bu yüksek platoda yetişmesini sağlamıştır. Değerli arkeolog Prof. Dr. Celal Şimşek’in de belirttiği gibi; antik dönem insanının bu mitolojiyi yaratması tesadüf değildir. Bu topraklar, binlerce yıl boyunca Hierapolis’ten Afrodisias’a kadar uzanan devasa antik kentlerin şarap kaynağı ve en önemli ihracat merkezi olmuştur. Çevresinde devasa antik kentleri barındıran ve arkeolojik olarak hala ortaya çıkarılmamış birçok cevheri barındıran Çal bölgesi hem tarihi açıdan hem de coğrafi olarak değerini korumakta.

Kuzubağ: A Family Legacy

Driven by the desire to properly represent, share, and celebrate the unique qualities of this land, Salih Kuzu—together with his daughters Aslı Kuzu and Gülin Kuzu—planted their first vineyards in Çal in 2007.

After 15 years of patiently nurturing the vines, the winemaking journey began with the construction of a winery at the very heart of the vineyards. Built on a 3,000 m² area, the winery is fully integrated into the landscape with an ecological design made entirely of exposed concrete and constructed underground. The decision to build an underground structure was intentional: to emphasize that the vineyard is the true essence of great wine, and to ensure that the winery does not overshadow the natural beauty of the vines. At the same time, this design provides significant energy efficiency benefits during production.

Completed in just ten months, the winery processed its first harvest in 2021. Today, Kuzubağ continues to produce high-quality wines from 550 decares of organically certified vineyards located entirely within the Çal region. Our motivation goes beyond making wine. We aim to give back to the land that gives to us and to share Çal’s potential with Türkiye and the world by striving to produce better wines with every vintage. With a deep sense of responsibility as natives of the region, we combine modern techniques with thousands of years of tradition, reflecting both our family signature and Çal’s character in every bottle. Let us raise a glass together to celebrate this ancient heritage.