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December 2019

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By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  I do not count driving among my core skills. If I'm being honest, it's barely a peripheral skill. Essentially, the best one can say about my driving is that I haven't killed anyone. And that car that I totaled that one time we argued the dealership into fixing instead of scrapping. Good thing for me, my skill level (or lack thereof) actually makes me an average driver in Turkey. Which is great because I've had to spend the last two years driving around the country in pursuit of wine. [caption id="attachment_13671" align="alignleft" width="225"] Gal pals on the edge[/caption] Google Maps has failed us a few times on these trips, getting

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Rıfat Şekerdil, owner and winemaker of Öküzgözü Şarapçılık, has been a fixture in central Izmir since his father opened a small winery in the Bornova area of Izmir when Şekerdil was a child. It was while making wine in Bornova that he became curious about the little-known Foça Karası grape. Foça Karası, which literally means “black from Foça” is from the nearby town of the same name. He started with just a few rows of the grape planted alongside Cabernet Sauvignon. When Şekerdil began experimenting with it, no one else was using it to make wine* so he had no idea what to expect. He soon realized that this medium small,

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  What Ali and Melis Emin intended as a future retirement project turned into full-blown careers. Located on the same grounds as the Emins's vast horse breeding operation, Mozaik turns out some 60-70,000 bottles annually. Greatly influenced by a love of Italian wine, the winery offers wines made from several Italian varieties. Including the Mahrem Petit Verdot Rebo. We have a surprising amount of Petit Verdot in Turkey. For years winemakers used it only in blends but more 100% Petit Verdot wines pop up every year. For the case of Mozaik's Mahrem label though, we're back to blend territory. Interestingly enough, this is the only blend Mozaik produces. So while

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  In the next coming weeks I'm moving apartments. I'm really hoping to be in the new place before Christmas. The tree and decorations will be the first things I move into and set up! As part of the move I need to pack up all my wine. This is one of those times I'm not jealous of people who have larger wine collections than I do; but packing up 200 some bottles is still not a picnic. Nor will be carrying them down from my third floor apartment up to my new third floor apartment. Although happily that's why moving companies exist. As I begin packing, I'm also separating

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  I used to feel rather agnostic about Cabernet Franc. Wines left me with a feeling of “meh.” Over the last few years grape has grown in popularity in Turkey. With increased popularity has also come increased quality. Now I hunt down all the variety Cabernet Franc wines I can find. So in honor of #CabFrancDay I thought I'd dig out notes on a few recent finds. Cabernet Franc can be found in vineyards across Turkey. However, it is especially prevalent in Thrace, Central Anatolia, and various areas of the Aegean. So today for #CabFranc day we're looking at a couple wines from each of these regions. Pamukkale Anfora Cabernet Franc

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  An embarrassingly long time ago, I received two vintages of the Büyülübağ Shah from Turkey's Oenotrian Wine Club. The bottles belonged to a collection of wines from three wineries. Two bottles of different vintages of the same wine to see how well (or not!) Turkish wine ages. Interestingly enough, this has emerged as a relatively new consideration in the Turkish wine world. Only recently (maybe the last 10-12) have wineries really invested in keeping a library of their own wines. As a result, the largest collection of aged Turkish wines is in the hands of a private collector.  Büyülübağ, located on the island of Avşa in the Sea of

By 1Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  One of Turkey's most widely available native grapes is Bornova Misketi. It is, however, not the only type of Muscat grape to be found in Turkey. Muscats of Hamberg and Alexandria, Muscat Giallo/Gelber Muskateller, and Golden Muscat also pop up here and there. Aside from Amadeus' Gelber Muskateller, the majority of these get used in blends. Until now. This year Vino Dessera released a 100% Muscat of Alexandria wine. And it's a winner. Vino Dessera Alexandria Muscat 2018 Tasting Notes: Star bright, pale lemon in the glass, the wine was practically and English garden in the nose. Highly perfumed aromas of roses, orange blossom, bergamont jam, melon, honeydew, and honeycomb rose

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Early in the twentieth century Turkish winemakers looked to Europe for pretty much everything. Not only were machines, corks, barrels, and even bottles coming from Europe, but so were the vines. Especially for those who had no previous experience with winemaking, Europe was where they could visit established vineyards to learn and taste. So as the Turkish wine industry began to dust itself off from Ottoman imposed dormancy, many (if not most) winemakers emulated European wines. French grapes and wines remain the most popular. One winery owner here told me that, while he himself had no interest in making Bordeaux-style wine, he knew making one was the best way

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Professor Dr. Y. Sabit Ağaoğlu entered the world of wine through his study (and eventual resurrection) of the Kalecik Karası grape. However, that is not the only grape he works with in his Central Anatolian vineyards. He also cultivates the Eastern Anatolian grape Boğazkere for his Tomurcukbağ Trajan Boğazkere and Kalecik Karası Boğazkere blend wines.  Like his Trajan Rezerv, Ağaoğlu's Boğazkere and Kalecik Karası Boğazkere blend are made naturally with spontaneous fermentation, no filtration, and no oak ageing. Tomurcukbağ Trajan Boğazkere 2012 Tasting Notes Boğazkere, widely though of as Turkey's most tannic and full-bodied grape, often results in wines that are anywhere from assertive to aggressive. Honestly there's not a lot

By 0Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  I drink a heck of a lot of wine on a pretty regular basis. A few years I started keeping a spreadsheet to track what I've had and what I have on hand. This helps me avoid double buying something I've already tasted. There are moments when I think that my tongue has become numb to certain flavors and grapes here. However, sometimes a wine comes along that leaves such an indelible impression that I could never forget it. For me, one such wine has been the Vinolus Roussanne. Roussanne is uncommon in Turkey. I know only two producers working with it: Suvla which makes a traditional blend with Marsanne,