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November 2019

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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,

By 0European Wines, Red Wine, Rest of the World, Wine Reviews

  Since I am back in Athens, I thought it a good time to dig out some old notes on Greek wines I've drunk. Because I'm lucky enough to be a 90 flight from the city where my two best friends live (free accommodation!), I get a lot of opportunity to explore Greek wine. While I nearly sweepingly love the white grapes native to Greece, finding my red wine has not been as easy. Both my friend M and I prefer more powerful, muscular, tannic red wines. Which means Agiorgitiko hasn't been our favorite. However, with that profile as a goal, Greece's "sour black" Xinomavro is a sure bet. The most

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Each time I begin to explore a country's wine; there has been one wine that sticks in my mind as the one that made me think: okay, this country makes good wine! For Turkey that was Prodom's flagship blend and Vino Dessera's 190. For Greece it was a Seméli Moschofilero. Six-seven years ago during my first trip to Greece I drank whatever wine got plunked down on the table. It was not awesome. But at least it was better than the "dog killer" wines I was able to access in my conservative outer Istanbul neighborhood. Since then I've been to Greece several times during which I've attended small

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Merlot. That grape that, for good or bad, everyone knows. I have largely avoided Merlot for years. Not because Sideways turned me off of it. More because I'd never been "on" it. The New World style made from late(r) harvested grapes resulting in high alcohol, plummy fruit, and fruitcake flavors has never been my jam.  But not even in Turkey can one avoid this grape. It might not achieve the same amount of plantings as the more popular international varieties of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon; but that is not to say it's hard to find. Quite the opposite. It is, oddly enough perhaps, Turkish Merlots that have started to

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  I am slowly coming around to Merlot. Not my favorite (long before that wine movie that's not about wine), it always seemed to strike me as being flat and characterless. Apparently I was drinking bad Merlot. Happily I have since learned the difference between the two. Even more happily, Turkey has a number of producers making good (or at least decent!) Merlot. One of those is Urla-based producer, and member of the Urla Bağ Yolu, MMG is one such producer. This family-run winery in the hills above Urla produces several wines with Merlot, a varietal and several blends. I've previously written about MMG's white and rosé wines. In this

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Prodom winery based in Aydın (eastern Aegean) produces several wine series. The Tellus line represents the winery's mid-range wines. They are widely available and usually cost around 70 TL (less than $10). Not only do these wines come with a reasonable price tag, but the value for money is outstanding. The wines unfailingly boast a high quality level and are some of my go-to red wines! Prodom's Tellus series includes several red blends. The Syrah Petit Verdot first turned me onto this series and the Öküzgözü Syrah continued my love affair with this label.  Prodom Tellus Öküzgözü Syrah 2015 The wines spent an average of 10 months in a combination of

By 2Red Wine, Rose Wine, Sparkling Wine, Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  I have chosen to tackle the Trakya Bağ Rotası (Thrace Wine Route) last because I find it the most frustrating. [caption id="attachment_11330" align="alignleft" width="267"] Please note the map is old; couldn't find an updated version[/caption] The Trakya Bağ Rotası was the first of all the established wine routes in Turkey. Membership includes wineries Like Arda in upper Thrace in Edirne (near the Bulgarian/Greek borders) all the way to Suvla at the tippy tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula. Technically, all these wineries are indeed in Thrace. Geographically anyway. And yet. Edirne and neighboring districts Kırklareli and Tekirdağ are significantly more northerly, colder, and snowier. While Tekirdağ based wineries (such as Chateau