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  I'm so excited that my first piece for Food Wine Travel Magazine was published today!  Discover Turkey's Unexplored Mediterranean Wine Region Beneath my feet lies an ancient wine press, carved deep into the mountain’s limestone bedrock countless centuries ago. Around me, gnarled bush vines twist out of the rocky soil, some 80 or more years old. From this high plateau, more than 5,000 feet above sea level, the air feels fresher. The sky stretches endlessly overhead, a burning blue. Not far to the south, the bright turquoise of the Mediterranean echoes the sky. While I could be in the vineyards of Priorat, Cinque Terre, or Provence, I’m not. I’m in a

  Cooler temperatures and grey skies mean that it is time to get cozy with warm sweaters and big wines! I used to like really full-bodied, tannic reds with lush fruit flavors when I wanted something for cold weather days. These days, though, I find these wines over-blown and too "in your face". I vastly prefer a medium-bodied red with more moderate tannins and a savory-earthy forward flavor profile. All our tastes change throughout the years. While I used to love Cabernet Sauvignon, I'd be happy to never again see another bottle of it.  What's your go-to comfort wine? Will the universe bring you something this month that will challenge

  Iranian food meets Turkish wine? How often does this happen? Hopefully more and more often now if this Bitter & Sweet pairing inspires anyone! My friend Lorraine introduced me to The Caspian Chef some time ago. She tangentially knows him through a cousin and thought I would appreciate his style. I immediately fell in love with his recipes and way of cooking. So, when his cookbook, Bitter & Sweet came out, she got it for me. Apparently, The Caspian Chef - otherwise known as Omid Roustaei - and Lorraine's cousin 'do enjoy a wine of an evening' (imagine you're hearing this delivered in my friend's plummy British accent). So,

  Hello autumn! We passed the autumnal equinox last month, and it seems that the weather is responding appropriately with lower temps. Huzzah! I don't know about you all, but I am seriously looking forward to sweater weather.  Let's hope October has more good things than just cool weather in store for all of us. I, for one, could really use a good break. Find out what kind of month the universe has in store for you below.  Aries (March 21 - April 19) October is your month to shake things up, Aries! That project you’ve been dragging your feet on? Time to tackle it head-on and make it happen. You’ll be

  If August's beautiful weather was anything to go by, we're headed for a cooling down as autumn approaches in September. I even opened a red wine the other night! While September technically still (mostly) belongs to the season of summer, there is something of the promise of the changing season about it that is delightful.  Changing seasons, and hopefully the accompanying cooler weather, also add a sense of energy to the world. Energy brings both good and bad vibes though. Fingers crossed we're all in for good vibes - and good wines! - this month. Read on to find out what is in store for you. As always, "the universe"

  This year the Jancis Robinson summer writing competition theme was "my favorite grape". Both an easy and yet incredibly difficult topic! My entry was not short-listed but I wanted to share it anyway.  My favorite grape: Çal Karası. Falling for Çal Karası What is a ‘favorite’ grape, anyway? Is it the one you prefer to drink? The one that challenges you? Or the one that you connect with emotionally? For many, each of those questions could be answered by a different grape. I believe that wine lovers drink wine for reasons beyond its pleasant taste. We’re the people who, while our friends roll their eyes, wax poetic about agriculture, argue about the

  Mother of Zeus it is HOT. Why is it so hot? Once again, I do not understand summer people.  It's so hot that I cannot think of a cute way to open this month's horoscope. I offer only a wish that you're all surviving, hydrating, and have working refrigerators for your wine! Aries (March 21 - April 19) Ok Aries, here comes August—aka the month where your main hobby becomes fighting the sun with your bare hands and pretending you're not tired of everyone's vacation photos. Spoiler: you are. This month, your natural go-getter energy is peaking. Translation: you’ll start 12 new projects, abandon 9, finish 2, and forget 1 existed until

  Hello, heatwave! July has cannonballed into the pool of your life with flip-flops, sunscreen, and power outages due to everyone turning on their air conditioning. Whether you're road-tripping with your ride-or-dies, firing up the mangal, or just trying to keep your houseplants alive, this month promises surprises that are as spicy as a sidewalk taco stand. I don't understand summer people. Although, to be fair, I don't understand winter  people either. It's just too hot. If only the universe had air conditioning in store for me. Let's see what wine it has in store! Aries (March 21 - April 19) Today in overly bold decisions and caffeine-fueled confidence

  There's so much advice, so many opinions and stories about pairing wine and chocolate floating around. The dos and don'ts of pairing the two can be a little complicated. On the one hand, even dark chocolate is sweet which makes pairing it with dry wine tricky. On the other hand, milk or dark chocolate are really wrong with sweet (white) wines. If you want to be on the safe side, chocolate with sweet red wine is usually a winner. But why limit yourself? A few years ago, an Instagram algorithm introduced me to a local chocolate maker and I felt inspired to pair wine with her chocolates. The pairing

  Congratulations, you’ve made it to June — the halfway point of the year, where to-do lists meet beach days, and productivity wrestles with balcony lounging. This is the season of long evenings, spontaneous road trips, and discovering that yes, sunscreen should have been applied 20 minutes ago. June is that magical time when the mangal is always hot, your calendar is suddenly full, and everyone starts pretending they’ve always liked rosé Whether you’re chasing big dreams, weekend naps, or just the ice cream truck, this month brings the perfect blend of chaos and charm. So grab your wine glasses and get ready — June’s here, and it has some new wine recommendations