Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi eu nulla vehicula, sagittis tortor id, fermentum nunc. Donec gravida mi a condimentum rutrum. Praesent aliquet pellentesque nisi.

May 2016

  Since the Arda Cabernet Sauvignon was such a hit we decided to try the Arda Şiraz, also purchased from Solera for 45 TL (65 TL shelf price). Eight months in French oak added some nice chocolatey scents which mingled well with the blackberry-blueberry fruit scents at the top of the nose. I also got what I think was some eucalyptus and mint. It probably could have used some time to breathe but I’m just not that patient. I should be though because that lack of patience gave us a wine that was a little off balance with too much acid. I really think some time breathing would mellow that out.

  Now that my neighbor has turned me on to wines made in Elazığ I’m more and more on the look out for them. Kayra, as mentioned previously, is one of the largest makers in that region and M, who really just likes to say “Öküzgözü” picked up this bottle of the 2012 Kayra Buzbağ Reserve Öküzgözü Boğazkere not too long ago. This dark, plummy red colored wine has definitely benefited from the 24 months it spent in French oak which is obvious in the clove, cardamom, and leather scents that I got from the nose. Combined with the plum, black mulberry, and dried fruit aromas the Kayra Buzbağ Reserve

  Over the summer I reviewed Sevilen’s W, a Sauvignon Blanc, which E, M, and I all really enjoyed so when I saw the Sevilen R at Carrefour I thought we had to try it. Sadly I did not like it nearly as much as I did the W. Sevilen R is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot and I wonder if part of why I didn’t like this one could be attributed to that blend. I love Petit Verdot but I do not love Merlot (which we know) and it’s a rare that I find a Cabernet Franc that I like. My tastes aside though neither E

  I have been burned by Turkish Malbec’s before so I was a little (i.e. a whole lot) trepidacious when the guys as La Cave recommended the Likya Kadyanda Malbec. Likya produces two Malbecs, a pricey reserve and the reasonably priced 2014. Since it was only going to set me back 45TL I decided to be brave and give it a try. My first thought when I got a whiff of the nose… “ooooo”.  Even though this isn’t Likya’s reserve Malbec it has a lot of reserve-style scents like black fruits, tobacco, and oak; aromas I would expect more from a reserve-style Malbec. It was softer on the palate than I