Chamlija Cabernet & Cabernet
The first time I saw a Chamlija wine at Sensus there were only two or three of them. Now they are everywhere and I need to try them all!! Luckily Solera, La Cave, and Carrefour are getting into the game so I’m pretty well guaranteed to find a bottle of Chamlija where ever I go.
This 2013 Chamlija Cabernet & Cabernet I picked up at Carrefour for…I don’t remember how much. 40-something TL? 60-something? Not a vast fortune in any case. It’s 45% each Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% of the dreaded Merlot; but since it’s just 10% we’ll forgive its inclusion.
In the glass it’s more purple than red. The nose is berries, black raspberry, currant, cocoa, a little coffee, and leather. Initially I was blown
away by the palate. Lots of leather up front, that was coming at me even before the fruits. This was a big, complex wine. Black fruits, black pepper, green bell pepper, and eucalyptus with medium tannins and medium acid. The fruit flavors drop off pretty quickly but the undertones hang out for a little while, especially the leather.
Before I sign off with the glowing recommendation I like to give to Chamlija I will say that after the Chamlija Cabernet & Cabernet opened up I liked it less. It tasted hot and syrupy, not two of my favorite things in a wine. This does not in any way mean that I’m not going to enthusiastically open the other three-four bottles of Chamlija I have though!