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Macabeo in Turkey? Asmadan Says Why Not?

Several years ago, when I interviewed people from Asmadan winery for the book, they mentioned they were growing Macabeo. But then there was nothing, and still nothing so I thought maybe I heard wrong. Last fall I learned that I had not heard wrong! Asmadan brought a new wine to one of GustoBar’s big tasting events, Vals Macabeo Narince.

We know that my whole raison d’être is native grapes. But that doesn’t mean I still don’t get excited when a new, weird international grape shows up here. And with this wine, I get the best of both worlds!

Macabeo (aka Viura) comes from the Pyrenees in north and east Spain and in the south of France. most of us who know this grape know it largely as one of the Cava grapes which makes sense as it is a great grape for sparkling wine production. Not especially aromatic, its profile depends a lot on when it’s picked showing more citrussy and floral aromas with early picking or honeyed nutty aromas with later harvests and/or oak ageing. Because of its relatively neutral profile though, it does well as a blending grape as it was used here. 

Asmadan Vals Macabeo Narince, 2021

I asked but didn’t get an answer about what percent of this is Macabeo and what is Narince. Both grapes come from Köprübaşı, Manisa in the inner Aegean where the winery has one of the country’s largest single vineyards (160 hectares).

A pretty pale lemon with platinum highlights in the glass with fruity floral aromas. Asian pear, splashes of grapefruit, and honeysuckle delighted the nose. On the palate it displayed roundness but with a pleasant and vibrant acidity and medium alcohol (13.8%). White fruit flavors joined the floral notes sensed on the nose along with a citrus streak along a lingering finish. 

A very pretty wine, delightful on its own and with cheese but I can see this pairing with so many things.