A Window into Midin’s 2020 Vintage
Several months ago, Midin Şarapçılık sent me a selection of wines from their new 2020 vintage. A friend introduced me to Midin last year. Since then, I visited them in May of 2021, got try try most of their 2019 wines, and wrote about them for last summer’s Jancis Robinson writing competition.
The winery is only on its second commercial vintage but, comparing the new wines they sent me to my 2019 notes, I can already see an improvement. Now I look forward to 2021 which they predict will be their best year yet. They admit they’ve made a few mistakes and stumbles along the way, but who doesn’t when starting a new venture? I’ve enjoyed seeing their progression thus far and look forward to their continued development.
In case you haven’t clicked above to see my previous reviews and articles about Midin…let me provide a brief overview. The winery is located in Turkey’s far southeast in the Şırnak province where high temperatures and drought are the norm. The vines, gnarled bushes that range from 30 to 100+ years old often stand as tall a man. Grapes are indigenous, organic, and ferment on native yeasts.
Midin Cehennem Derisi Bilbizeki, 2020
Bilbikezki is a fascinating grapes and I wish I knew more about it. This grape gives two harvests, roughly six weeks apart!
The wine poured a warm lemon and released notes of pear, orchard fruits, and blossoms. This year, unintentionally, Midin ended up with a small amount of residual sugar in the wine due to a late harvest. Not enough residual sugar to take the wine into off-dry territory, but enough to add a broadness and slight viscosity to the palate. And it’s a good thing they left a little sugar as, not even fully dry, the wine hit 14% abv.
Despite the late harvest, there was still more than enough acidity left in these grapes. The palate attack was just that, an aggressively acidic attack. For me, not a wine to drink on its own but it pairs well with food. Medium intense flavors of pear tart, blossom, and a splash of citrus were pleasant and uncomplicated making it a decent foil for a wide range of dishes.
Midin Baluto Karkuş, 2020
The Karkuş grape is an unusual white grape in that it has highly pigmented skins. Even direct press wines like Midin makes have a medium amber tone. The wines also tend to have some tannin and texture to them.
Baluto means ‘oak’ in Aramaic and Midin’s Baluto line usually indicates that they’ve oak-aged the wine. However, in the case of Karkuş, Midin bottles both an oak-aged and an unoaked wine under the same label. The bottle they sent me was of the unoaked variety.
Perhaps it was the almost toffee color of the wine but for me the wine smelled of all things nutty and caramelized. Toasted nut, brown sugar topped crème brûlée, quince, and freshly chopped wood of all things. The palate was quite tannic with flavors of Easter lily, burnt orange rind, orchard fruit, and vanilla.
This is a wine that benefits greatly from decanting/breathing.
Midin Miras, 2019 & 2020
Midin previously sent me the 2019 Midin Miras blend which, I’m embarrassed to say, got lost in my wine room. But we’ll pretend I did that on purpose so I could try it side-by-side with the 2020 blend they sent!
The 2019 contained a majority Boğazkere, and Öküzgözü with small amounts of the local grapes Gavdoni and Midin Karası. It aged for eight months in oak and had a whopping 15% abv.
Opaque, purple-black on the pour with intense aromas of bramble fruits, baking spice, and vanilla. Brawny tannins hit the palate immediately followed by juicy raspberry and black cherry flavors ending with a chocolatey, medium finish.
The 2020 blend was a little different than the ’19. Also majority Boğazkere and Öküzgözü (roughly 60% and 30% respectively) with less than 10% together of local grapes. Gavdoni made an appearance here as well but this vintage swapped Midin Karası for Raşe Gurnık. This also spent eight months in oak but had a far more reasonable 13.5% alcohol level.
If you like raspberries…this is your wine! This ruby colored wine shouted raspberries in the nose and on the palate. Soft and round in the mouth, the mix of raspberry, sweet spices, vanilla, and walnut reminded me very much of the raspberry torte my mom used to make.
Midin Baluto, 2020
Midin’s Baluto line also includes an oak aged red blend. For the 2020, the blend was similar to that of the 2020 Miras with a small amount of local Gavdoni and Raşe Gurnık. But the Baluto blend flipped the Öküzgözü Boğazkere ratio, favoring the latter more. Sixteen months in oak and a final alcohol level of 13.5%.
Brilliant pomegranate color with aromas of red berries, cinnamon, dill, vanilla, and chocolate. Medium-bodied with juicy acidity, rich caramel and vanilla, and red berry flavors.
Midin Haylo, 2020
The Haylo, a blend of Boğazkere, Öküzgözü, and Raşe Gurnık is a semi-sweet red. The 2020 aged for 15 months in oak. Aromas reflected the very deep color showing the darker side of these grapes with purple plum and black mulberry, brown spices and biter chocolate.
Noticeably sweet and full-bodied, palate flavors were every bit as intense as the aromas and reflected what I found on the nose, but with a jammier fruit profile and the addition of black licorice.
They also very kindly gave me a bottle of their new, limited release Sekizli…but I’m under strict instructions to not open that for at least 10 years!
(Samples provided by Midin but all opinions are my own)