Before 1881
Tokat is a city well known with its viniculture during past centuries. After Fatih
Sultan Mehmet conquered Istanbul, he had the gardeners brought from Tokat to establish
fruit gardens and vineyards in Istanbul, Beykoz.
1881
The most beautiful vineyards of Tokat that are still available have been formed
by school teachers upon establishment of Cizvit school in Tokat. In these vineyards
built in the form of terracing, mostly Narince grape has been started to be grown.
Narince is a type of table grape for molasses and wine that is durable for transport,
thick peeled, in firewood color, with high fermented grape juice performance.
1940-1943
Mustafa Vasfi Diren who was born in Tokat which is well-known with its vineyards
started to be interested in winemaking when he was attending to Bursa Agricultural
Vocational School in between 1940-1943. His belief that overall development of the
country was depending on agriculture and the fact that Central Anatolia was the
motherland of grape caused winemaking to be his personal concern.
1958
Following a preparation for 18 years, he produced 15 tons wine in the factory he
established in the house in the first year.
1963-64
The fact that Diren Wines became the winner with the highest grade in the first
Turkish Winemaking Competition organized in Manisa in 1963 increased interest of
M. Vasfi Diren in the matter. Needing more information and technology for a better
production, M. Vasfi Diren entered in a close cooperation with Ankara Faculty of
Agriculture and Istanbul Directorate of Monopoly Institutes. He examined wine facilities
in Ren and Mosel valleys in his travel to Germany which was one of the countries
having advanced technology in winemaking in 1963 and prepared the project targeting
a capacity of 1.5 million liters and implemented import of the machines in 1964
by placing orders for new machines to modernize existing facilities.
1970s
He decided to direct his children to have education in Türkiye and abroad with his
belief that wine might be produced passionately, might arrive to higher levels with
transfer of information and knowledge during generations. His older son Orhan Ziya
Diren studied in Dijon University Faculty of Science Oenology (Viniculture Engineering)
in France between 1968-1973.
1980s
M. Vasfi Diren continued working to take Diren Wines to higher levels with his children
after other son Ali Riza Diren went to Germany for professional education, Nihal
Diren studied in Türkiye and became a food engineer, his younger son Erol Diren
completed department of mechanical engineering.
1990 - 2000s
Diren Wines won many certificates and medals in the national and international competitions
up to now, put Tokat and Türkiye on the map and achieved Diren name to be written
in the world’s wine literature. Wines produced from Narince grape of the region
are mostly marketed abroad. The labels are renewed in 2006. Diren Wines which featured
its DYREN signature for 48 years and grape origins on its new wine labels in a corporate
integrity became signal of nice pleasure, nobility and elegance in the Turkish Winemaking
with its studies in style of leaf and embossing used in its designs as well as the
simplicity they created on its labels. Thus, its feature of quality wine has reflected
to outer appearance of wines. Diren Wines including Karmen Selection, Dörtnal Selection,
Karmen, Dörtnal, Kalecik, Vadi, Lökal and Mahlep which got full point from degustators
with its color, aroma and bouquet for long years attracted admiration of wine lovers
with its renewed labels.
