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Büyülübağ: Love Travels on the Meltemi

 

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My adventures with Turkish wine importer, Fine Turkish Wine, continue! Well at least the writing of them does, the adventures themselves ended in November. And it’s taking ever so much longer to write about these visits than it took to make them! After two days in Trakya (aka Thrace), visiting first Arcadia, then Arda, and Gürbüz Winery. We next headed for the Aegean where our first stop was Kuzubağ,  next to Heraki, then Kastro Tireli for a multi-winery tasting, and finally Akberg.  

Things weren’t over just because we returned to Istanbul. We snagged a meeting with Alp Törüner, founder of Büyülübağ. Alp generously opened so many wines for us and I will get to them all at some point. First, I want to talk about the new Meltemi series.  

Meltemi Is a Love Story

I’ve seen this line around and previously posted about one of Büyülübağ’s Meltemi wines. At the time, I assumed the line was named after the meltemi, the strong winds that sweep the Aegean. In fact, this isn’t the case. Alp named the series for his wife, whose name is Meltemi. 

Not only was the line inspired by a woman, the labels were also designed by one. Alp commissioned the labels from Ayça Kiliçoğlu, a California-based Turkish designer. Her brand Mür by Ayça concentrates largely on textiles, illustrated silks and cotton.

Inspired by one woman, beautifully illustrated by another, and combined with the talents of the winemaker, this is the Büyülübağ Meltemi series.

Meltemi Beyaz

Let’s kick this off with an introduction to the white wine you’ll want to drink for the rest of this hot, hot summer. The Meltemi Beyaz (white) is a Sultaniye-dominant blend with 5% Sauvignon Blanc. An aromatic wine, its deliciously fruity perfume draws you in for the first sip, then a second and a third. Tart apples and green plums jumble together with green almonds and wild Aegean herbs. While a lovely wine for sipping on the balcony or beach, its juicy acidity makes it great for pairing with light summery fare, too.

Meltemi Rosé

Whole bunch direct pressed to help mitigate some of the grape’s tannic nature, the Büyülübağ Meltemi Adakarası rosé offers red fruits like cranberry, currant, and tart rhubarb brushed with wild thyme and rolled in salt. A textured palate with lots of juicy, mouthwatering acidity, savory-fruity notes, and splashes of lemon. Medium-bodied with 13.1% ABV, it’s a charming wine to sip on its own, but will pair well with a variety of foods. I was quite surprised by how well it paired with a spicy curry I made that included hot wiri wiri peppers!

Meltemi Öküzgözü – Boğazkere

According to Alp, the Meltemi blend is easier to drink than the (other) Büyülübağ Öküzgözü – Boğazkere blend. Where the grapes come from has a lot to do with that. Büyülübağ sources the Öküzgözü – Boğazkere grapes from the Denizli region, which produces softer versions of these grapes than do Elazığ and Diyarbakır.

“They are born in order to be mixed together…” – Alp Törüner

Whether or not you agree with Alp’s take on these two, there’s no arguing that this is an approachable and crushable version of Turkey’s signature blend. It’s red fruits and cherries with soft spices like cardamom and nutmeg. Fruity and juicy on the palate with decent structure and acidity.

 

Meltemi Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot

There’s a great deal of juiciness to go around the Meltemi line. Like the Öküzgözü – Boğazkere, the Meltemi Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot is juicy with red fruits, some savory black olive, and hints of black pepper. While a little hollow, it’s still enjoyable, easy to drink, and, importantly, good value. 

Meltemi Syrah – Merlot

The last of the Meltemi wines is a big fruity-spicy wine with Syrah’s power softened by the addition of Merlot. A mouthful of cherries and plums sprinkled with brown spices and black pepper with a dusting of Turkish coffee. Soft tannins and nice acidity lend themselves to this, another easy to drink, value wine. 

Visiting Büyülübağ

Büyülübağ is not just open to visitors, they’re really hoping you’ll go! You can tour the winery, do a wine tasting, and order wine by the glass or bottle to sip in their lovely garden. Make sure to call for a reservation first. You can reach the winery at: +90 549 370 00 17. 

Getting to and Around Avşa

Year-round boats which can accommodate cars from Tekirdağ (on the northern/European coast of the Sea of Marmara) with Marmara Ro-Ro, and Erdek (on the southern/Asian coast of the Sea of Marmara) with Gestaş. 

There are also passenger boats with IDO available during the summer directly from Istanbul. These take about 3.5 hrs each way, so this is not really a day trip kind of island.  

Once on the island, if you’ve come without your own car, you can take buses or a dolmuş from Avşa’s main square in town and travel around the island. It’s not a huge island, so you can walk…but be prepared for a good amount of walking. Make sure you have water with you as some parts of the island are quite rural and it could be miles before you come across a business or people. 

What to See and Do on Avşa

Of course number one is to visit Büyülübağ!

There is not, otherwise, a ton to do on the island, regardless of season. You could bike around, and/or go for long walks (again, don’t forget your water). Being as it is an island, there are plentiful beaches – both public and private. If you’re visiting during the intense heat of the summer, you’ll definitely want to check out a couple of those!

You can also explore the main strip of Avşa town. Don’t miss the fish market stalls by the ferry port where you can pick up the day’s fresh catch to cook on a mangal (barbeque).

My best advice is to head to Avşa with a couple books and plans to relax and unplug for a day or two with a nice bottle of wine.

Staying on the Island​

While there are ferries that run year-round, the island isn’t widely open the same amount of time. During high-season (i.e. summer) hotels are plentiful and fill up fast. But many of them close for off season. I can speak from experience when I advise you to always make your booking directly with the hotel, especially during low season. If you make your booking with a third party website, you might show up to the island to find that your hotel is closed!

Büyülübağ Wines Are in the US!

Well, soon they will be. I’m thrilled to say that after our meeting with Alp, Fine Turkish Wine decided to add a number of Büyülübağ wines, including several from the Meltemi series, to their portfolio. The wines aren’t in Texas yet, but will be available later this year.