The 2010 Paşaeli 6N
I found this post buried in my drafts folder. I think it’s from last winter so color me embarrassed! Regardless of my embarrassment the 2010 Paşaeli 6N is too good to not post. This Karasakız, Merlot, Petit Verdot blend is a gorgeous example of how right a blend of native Turkish and Old World grapes can go.
Before we get into the notes lets talk about the name. What’s in a name? A political statement in this case! I’ve wondered about the name of this wine since the very first time I tried it and it was only recently that I learned the story behind it. So I guess it was actually fate and not laziness that kept this from getting posted back when I originally wrote it.
Gold was found in the Kas mountains here in Turkey. Of course, with no thought to the environmental impact or the major disruptions it would cause people living there the government handed out contracts to people who quickly got to work destroying the environment. The
Turkish word for ‘gold’ is altın. The word for ‘six’ is altı so the numeral 6 followed by an ‘n’ when said together is a word play that sounds like the Turkish word for gold. That combined with the big red slash creates a wine taking a political stance: no gold.
Paşaeli 6N 2010 Tasting Notes
After only six months in French oak this Paşaeli 6N blend managed to soak up a fair amount of oaky goodness.The nose was deep and intense, full of dark fruits like black cherries and plums, dried herbs, and smoke. On the palate there were velvety tannins with well-balanced acid and a gorgeous, long finish. In the flavors I detected tart, forest fruits and chocolate to balance the smoke and herbs on the nose.
So so beautiful. In general I have liked the Paşaeli wines I’ve tried but for me, the Paşaeli 6N is by far the best. Paşaeli produces quite a few wines and yet they somehow remain rather difficult to get your hands on here in Istanbul but they’re usually worth the effort it takes to hunt them down. And sadly I haven’t seen the 6N recently at all. If anyone knows where I can get another please let me know!