The five criteria our head sommelier uses when choosing a pairing.
The most frequent question when booking a tasting menu is: should I take the wine pairing or the non-alcoholic one? Both can be a good choice; what matters is knowing which will add more to your evening. Here are the five criteria head sommelier Ceren Arıtürk uses.
1. The pace of your evening
Over seven or eleven courses, seven glasses of wine add up to about a bottle in total. If you have a journey after dinner or an early start the next morning, the non-alcoholic pairing is the more comfortable choice.
2. Your interest in wine
If you want to get to know Anatolian vines, the pairing is the quickest way. Each glass introduces a different region and grape: Narince from Tokat, Emir from Nevşehir, Boğazkere from Elazığ. If you are not curious, the fermented quince, kombucha and cold-brew teas in the non-alcoholic pairing may feel more interesting.
3. The structure of the menu
On seafood-led menus sparkling and high-acidity whites shine. With game, full-bodied reds come forward. On the vegetarian menu orange wines work surprisingly well. The best way is to chat with the sommelier once you have chosen your menu.
4. Variety at the table
At a table for two one of you can take the wine pairing and the other the non-alcoholic one; service is simultaneous. Our team is used to mixed tables and plans each of you as a separate experience.
5. Budget
On the Seasonal Tasting Menu the wine pairing is 2,250 TRY and the non-alcoholic pairing 1,350 TRY. If you want fewer glasses a “half pairing” (4 glasses) can also be prepared. Service charge is added separately.
Can it be the wrong choice?
No. After the first two courses you can change the pairing, from wine to non-alcoholic or the reverse. What matters to us is that you taste the food without being tired by a drink.
To choose a pairing, a short preference in the reservation note is enough; the sommelier settles the rest at the table that evening.
A sommelier's short advice
If you cannot decide, start with a “half pairing”: wine for the first four courses, a non-alcoholic drink afterwards. That way you taste a few Anatolian wines and stay comfortable in the second half of the evening. For pregnant guests, those on medication or anyone driving, the non-alcoholic pairing is designed as an experience no lesser than the rest; our fermented drinks are prepared in the house kitchen specially for each course.
Ingredients used in the non-alcoholic pairing include quince kombucha, warm dried-apple tea, cold-brew white tea and freshly pressed pomegranate juice.
How to state it when booking
In the note field of the form simply write “wine”, “non-alcoholic”, “half pairing” or “mixed”. You can change your choice that evening after the first course; the pairing fee is recalculated by the number of glasses and appears line by line on your bill.