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Red Wine

HomeRed Wine (Page 25)

  I'm one of those annoying people who has to touch everything when they go through clothing and housewares stores. Although I am certainly trying to control the impulse during these days of COVID-19. But I'm a very tactile person. I learn by doing, not by seeing for example. And how things feel is critical for me. I might like the look of a dress or even a couch cover but the feel of the material is ultimately even more important than the look. For that reason, I particularly enjoy textural wines and one of the reasons why, for years Cabernet Sauvignon was among my go-to grapes. I drank a

  I, like many people, have had my spring/summer travel plans interrupted by COVID-19. In May I was going to return to Budapest. I've been to Hungary a couple few times over the years but last summer I went for the first time for a dedicated wine trip. I've been wanting to go back ever since. [caption id="attachment_14561" align="alignright" width="300"] Budapest synagogue[/caption] On my trip last summer I arranged private tours of the Tokaj and Somló/Badascony wine regions through Taste Hungary. Several days I also dedicated to Budapest itself. Nothing much traditionally touristy having both been there and done that a few times. Probably the only semi-touristy thing I did was

  It has been so long since I've been to Moldova that I don't even remember what year it was. 2009? Maybe 2010? For a brief couple years I was in Moldova, mostly Chisinau, not infrequently visiting for work. Any free time I had was spent with my local colleagues touring churches and the like. While this was long before I became involved in wine, I was even then conscious of the wine industry there.  Unfortunately, the relatively quick in and out trips and only a passing interest in wine meant that I missed huge opportunities to experience more and learn more about Moldovan wine. Enter Jeff with Food Wine

  [caption id="attachment_14489" align="alignleft" width="300"] Chreli Abano sulfur baths[/caption] Georgia is a perennial favorite destination of mine. I like to go at least once every other year or so. Past trips have been to visit wine regions like Kakheti; once to see the Pope and meet the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church; another time for a wine festival. My last trip was a whirlwind three and a half days in Tbilisi for an eating and drinking extravaganza. When I'm in Tbilisi I'm generally pretty lazy about where I go. I already have a handful of favored restaurants and wine bars (Vino Underground, g.Vino, Pastorali, Azarphesha to name a few) so I

  While I have been extremely lucky during this COVID pandemic, in that I have neither been sick and have kept my job; it is not to say that I'd not getting itchy feet. [caption id="attachment_14476" align="alignleft" width="300"] Taken inside the Bridge of Sighs, Venice[/caption] Some borders are opening back up and people are tentatively planning travel. I cannot wait to get out of Istanbul having missed planned trips to Hungary and Greece. However, I believe I'll be stuck a little while longer yet. Europe is slowly opening but restrictions on people coming from Turkey are strict. And fair enough. The government here did a crap job to control the spread

  I continued my online wine tasting series last Friday with one of my favorite Turkish grapes, Öküzgözü.  Öküzgözü wasn't always a favorite of mine. In fact for a long time I avoided it; finding it too insipid for my preferences. This is Turkey's most widely planted native black variety. Which means the chances for encountering crap wines is pretty high; and I've drunk a lot of those. However, a couple years ago I came across a boutique producer, Eskibağlar. That one wine changed my whole view about Öküzgözü and I began actively seeking out examples from around the country.  This grape originates in the Eastern Anatolia province of Elazığ. Vineyards abound

  My foray so far into Slovenian wine has been limited but highly rewarding. I first visited Ljubljana with a dual purpose in mind: Christmas market and, of course, wine. Accompanied by Istanbites, we met up with friends E&M to spend a few days shivering in a proper winter environment while delighting in the Christmas atmosphere and museums, and imbibing to my heart's content.  We found Ljubljana to be utterly charming. A city made easy for walking, we wandered from cafe to church to castle to museum to wine bar. We didn't make it out of the city on this trip but I hope to do so on a future

  After the Bornova Misketi taste along went so well I moved on to one of my favorite Turkish black grapes, Kalecik Karası. Not only is this purported to be the most age worthy grape, it's also one of the most flexible. In addition to making great reds that reflect their terroir, Kalecik Karası can also be used for blanc de noirs, rosé, and even sparkling wines. While I miss having people physically present for the tastings (if not all the dishes after!) I am really loving doing this online. Now I can reach so many more people! I had people from Athens and Belgium in the Bornova Misketi tasting

  The Boğazkere grape comes from Diyarbakır in Turkey's farthest east vineyards. Commercial wineries do not exist in Diyarbakır. Wineries around the country either own or contract with growers there and have the grapes shipped in. However, like many other grapes, Boğazkere has migrated to different parts of the country.  One place the grape has found a new home is in the vineyards of Urla Şarapçılık. Located in the same-named sub region along the Aegean and south of Izmir; So what does a Boğazkere from the Aegean region taste like? Let's find out! Urla Şarapçılık Boğazkere 2013 Tasting Notes To start, Boğazkere can often be a tricky grape to make into a varietal

  From one of the most recognizable names in Turkish wine comes the Turasan Seneler Cabernet Merlot Syrah blend. The Turasan Seneler line includes many of the winery's top wines, all of which, red and white, have seem some time in oak. In fact it's right there in the name! "Seneler" means "years" in Turkish and these are Turasan's aged wines. For this wine, Turasan sourced its grapes from several vineyards around Turkey. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot came from the winery's vineyards in Central Anatolia. The Syrah came from Aegean vineyards in Denizli (670 kilometers away). Prior to blending, the wines aged an average of 12 months in French