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European Wines

HomeEuropean Wines (Page 17)

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Italy is one of the few countries whose wines I nearly universally like. While the country is I think more well known for its red wines Italy does make a wide range of whites. I don’t have a lot of experience with Gavi but since it is located in one of my favorite regions (Piemonte) I had to give the Il Pozzo Gavi a try. In 1998 Gavi won a classification upgrade from DOC (denominazione de origine) to DOCG (denominazione de origine contollata), the highest classification in Italy. Because of its DOCG classification, Gavi production is carefully controlled. Wines may not be blended; they are made with 100% Cortese

By 0European Wines, Sweet Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  I am lucky enough to have friends living in Athens who always have a couch for me to sleep on. For so many reasons, we do not have access to Greek wine in Istanbul. Which means that if I want Greek wine, this Domaine Foivos Asfothelos, it’s off to Greece for me. At least Athens is only about an hour’s flight away! The Rebirth of Mantzavino Domaine Foivos has a much longer history than its 1999 foundation would lead you to expect. Before it became Domain Foivos it was Mantzavino, one of the oldest wineries in Greece. As Mantzavino, the winery produced some of the finest Greek wines that gained fame all over the world,

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  I’ve been to Greece a couple times now but it wasn’t until my second visit (last May) that I discovered Greek wine. The very first one was the Thalassitis Assyrtiko from Gaia (pronounced ghye) Wines. Now, a year later and another visit to Greece in, I got to visit one of Gaia’s wineries. While the Thalassitis is from Gaia’s Santorini winery, not the one in Nemea I visited, I got to taste their Assyrtikos all the same.  Leon Karatsalos and Yiannis Paraskevopoulos founded Gaia on Santorini in 1994. Located in Monolithos on the east coast of the island, the winery is a repurposed tomato processing plant, a remnant of

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  The Telavi Marani Rkatsiteli was another great find at Rind. I’m seeing Georgian wine in more and more shops here in Istanbul. However Rind (Kadıköy) has by far the best prices. For this bottle I paid only 39 TL; an unheard of low price for an import! Rkatsi-what? Rkatsiteli is the most ubiquitous of white Georgian grapes. It also has the scariest name for foreigners. Vintners use it to make all styles of wine: steel tank, oaked, or as an amber wine made in qvevri. It can also be made into sweet or fortified wines but I’ve not run across any of those. Native to Imereti, Rkatsiteli is grown widely across

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Schloss Johannisberg in Germany’s Rheingau is more than just home to some brilliant Riesling wines. It is also the home to some of the Riesling grape’s most important history. Wine culture here has survived for over a thousand years despite political upheaval and wars that waged around it. 817 AD: The first documented mention of the vineyards by Louis the Pious 1720 AD: Benedictine monks plant the entire domain with Riesling consequently making it the first vineyard in the world planted exclusively with Riesling 1775 AD: The benefits of a Spätlese (late harvest) are first recognized at Schloss Johannisberg 1858 AD: Schloss Johannisberg presses the first Eiswein 1971 AD:  Under

By 0European Wines, Red Wine, Wine Reviews

  Piemontese wines are among my favorites. I’m currently reading Barolo and Barbaresco: The King and Queen of Italian Wine by Kerin O’Keefe. It’s really fascinating look at the history and current state of wine making in the Langhe’s famous Barolo and Barbaresco DOCGs. She also includes tasting notes for many wines which simultaneously makes me salivate and envious. Of course I couldn’t resist opening the one Barbaresco I have; the Marchesi di Barolo Barbaresco della Tradizione 2013. While I would love to get my hands on some of the wines she described I suspect that the limitations of my pocketbook would make it prohibitive even more than Turkey’s limited importing.

By 0European Wines, Red Wine, Rest of the World, Wine Reviews

  My Greek wine education began with my friends E&M. E’s family is Greek and her frequent trips to the country the last few years have netted many opportunities to sample wine that she brings back to Istanbul. One of the wines she brought home last year was this Ktima Palivou Nemea Agiorgitiko 2014. Palivou Estate Ktima Palivou (Palivou Estate) is one of the two largest wineries in Greece’s Nemea PDO (protected designation of origin). Its main effort is with the Agiorgitiko grape variety but the estate also cultivates  Rodites, Malagousia, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. In order to take advantage of the various microclimates and soils the estate has vineyards in various

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  I have long been an anti-Chardonnay person. It wasn’t really until my introduction to wines from Chablis that I realized why I dislike Chardonnay…and why I love it. But before we get into the Laroche Chablis or my complicated relationship with Chardonnay, what is Chablis exactly? Chablis is an appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) from the northernmost wine district of the Burgundy region in France. The only allowable grape grown in Chablis (in order to be classified in the AOC) is Chardonnay. Wines in Chablis are nearly always vinified without oak, instead fermented and aged in stainless steel or other neutral containers. They are known for their purity of aroma and taste and

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  When I first started my adventures into wine here in Turkey I refused to buy imported wines like this Delibori Lugana. Because alcohol taxes here aren’t high enough; the Turkish Government also levies very high import taxes. So a wine that might cost five Euros in Europe will cost three-four times that here. However my attitude towards imported wines has slowly changed. They’re still outrageously over priced; don’t get me wrong! But with the falling value of the Turkish Lira and given the high prices I pay for many Turkish wines I find that I’m more willing to buy imports these days. This Delibori Lugana I found at the Metro

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, Sweet Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  I don’t know why but there’s a fever among the expat population in Istanbul for all things Georgian. Both Pop-Up Istanbul and Popist Supper Club have held Georgian nights. I served as the tamada at the latter (but that’s a different story). I, like several friends, have two kilos of khinkhali in my freezer. And we’re mad for Georgian wine (although really who can blame us?). So when my friend K came home from London with a couple bottles of wine from Badagoni I was thrilled to share the Pirosmani White with her. Badagoni is a fairly new winery in Georgia all things considered. While established in only 2002 it has quickly become one of Georgia’s largest wine