An Interview with Işıl Bulutsuz of Uçmakdere Winery
Uçmakdere Winery, based in the village of the same name along the Sea of Marmara, is one of the most exciting wineries for me right now. Entirely because of the winemaker, Işıl Bulutsuz.
Işıl Bulutsuz is not only the daughter of one of Firuze’s founding families, she is also the winemaker. Prior to becoming Firuze’s winemaker Işıl studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris where she received a diploma in Wine and Management and graduated from the Professional Culinary Arts Program from Turkey’s Mutfak Sanatları Akademisi (MSA) Culinary Arts Academy. She sat down with me (virtually of course!) this week to talk about her work in wine.
Don’t forget to also check out my reviews (below the video) of Uçmakdere’s 2018 Firuze wines, Işıl’s first solo vintage!
Firuze Chardonnay, 2018
I don’t exactly remember when I first had Işıl’s Chardonnay. Had I ordered it? Did I try it at a wine event before I ordered it? I don’t remember. What I do remember was my hesitation because I knew the wine had aged in oak (eight months) and Chardonnay + oak = a generally unhappy Andrea. But I like Uçmakdere’s wines and I like to give all the wine here a go so I opened the bottle and braced myself.
What I should have braced myself for was how GOOD this was!
Medium lemon on the pour, smoky goodness jumped out of the glass. Baked yellow apple and dewy honeysuckle followed aromatic fennel and a thread of smoke. On the palate the wine displayed a similar medium intensity and showcased many of the same flavors as sensed on the nose. Wet stone and smoked almonds joined the yellow apple and honeysuckle flavors along with some fresh dill on the finish. Juicy acidity combined with a little fatness on the palate and moderate (13.7% abv) alcohol added to the wine’s complexity.
Firuze Cabernet Sauvignon, 2018
How rich do you like your Cab? Because if the answer is, “a lot” then I have the wine for you!! Aged only eight months French and American oak, the Uçmakdere 2018 Firuze Cabernet Sauvignon has a depth and richness matched by its intense ruby color.
Spicy on the nose with purple flowers, leather, boysenberry, so much clove, cinnamon, and cedar. Işıl mentioned during our interview that she doesn’t like a lot of oak on her wine and generally I agree with her. But this right here was done so well. For me this is Goldilocks finding all of Baby Bear’s things “just right.” The palate felt a little showy at first but then it was just a big, plush blanket that I settled into. Silk and spice with rich fruits and hints of vanilla caramel. Big a plushy in the mouth, 13.5% abv, and enough acid to carry it all off through a medium plush finish.
I went right out and bought another…which I promptly drank so now I again need another!
Firuze Merlot, 2018
The 2018 Merlot was also raised in a combination of French and American oak for eight months. Clear, medium garnet-ruby on the pour with aromas of cherry, cranberry, mint, tobacco, and rich chocolate. On the palate, big and round with a mouth-filling silky texture. Mouthwatering medium-plus acidity with crunchy cherry and red fruit flavors accompanied by chocolate and a dash of vanilla. Medium-bodied with 13.8% abv.
Firuze Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot, 2018
The Cabernet Merlot is a 50/50 blend of the two that spent eight months ageing in a combination of new French and American oak. The resulting wine poured a ruby medium intense in color with a pale rim. The nose was rich and deep with blue fruits, plum, purple flowers, tobacco, chocolate, and a sense of spice from cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper.
Medium in body and alcohol (13.5% abv) with round tannins in the mouth. Palate flavors largely reflected the aromas sensed on the nose (if not with quite as much intensity) along with some dried date.