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Red Wine

HomeRed Wine (Page 31)

  Despite a winemaking history that some scholars say extends back even further in history than the Republic of Georgia's (renown for claiming to have 8,000 vintages of history), modern day Turkey has little to no domestic wine culture. Under Ottoman rule, Muslims were prohibited from making and drinking of wine. Combine that with the loss of the Greek and Armenian populations (i.e. those who could make and drink wine) in the early Twentieth Century, it's no surprise that today's Turks are just at the beginning of their wine discovery. While a small handful of wineries have operated here since the 40s, the winemaking boom only really began around the turn

  Şen Vineyards is a little-known winery tucked away in Balıkesir in Turkey's Marmara region. Better known for its harbor Bandırma (second only to Istanbul in commercial importance), than it is its wine, Balıkesir nonetheless has a long history of viticulture. So when Feyzi Şen decided to establish a vineyard he felt drawn to the inland village of Ilica in Balıkesir. The winery here produces three wines. Its top tier Hiera Germa, a series of varietal reds called Assuva, and its entry wine, a red blend called Kybele. Şen Vineyards cultivates only international varieties Cabernet Sauvingon, Merlot, and Syrah. While each level wine features one or a combination of these

  A negociant wine company started by friends Avto Kobakhidze, Givi Apakidze, and Zaza Asatiani, Wine Thieves claims to be “The finest quality Georgian wine ‘stolen’ exclusively for you". Of course not actually stolen, the trio purchase wine from small, family winemaker and market it under their own label. Beyond selling quality wine to the thirst fans, their goal is to help these small family wineries market and sell wine on their own. The families they work with all grow grapes organically and age their wine in the traditional qvevri (large clay amphora). Contracts with the individual families never last long so in a way all of Wine Thieves' wines

  For something like 15 years I worked in DC and abroad on international development programs. My specialty was media development. While I focused the longest on the Balkans, shifts in funding priorities also had me working around the Middle East, Afghanistan, Cuba, and elsewhere. While I no longer do that work, it's because of it that I landed in Turkey. Where, after a fair few years of adulthood, I finally figured out what I want to be when I grown up. Hint: it's about wine. People haven't cornered the market on self reinvention. While it requires human intervention to do so, wine also goes through transformative periods. Take

  One of the magical things about living in Turkey is how one seems to stumble across history everyone one goes. Sometimes its obvious. In Istanbul the Haghia Sofia and Sultanahmet Camii (the Blue Mosque) dominate the skyline. Every time I fly into Izmir I remember that it used to be called Smyrna. In Cappadocia I've explored cave churches that belonged to early Christians. And never have I been more aware of the history here than since I began researching Turkish wine. Its history goes back at least to the Hittites who ruled Anatolia from 1650 BC.  Take a step back in time The ancient region of Cappadocia remains one of

  Duty Free has long been my friend while living in Turkey. Often shopping in duty free is the only place I can find (non Turkish) wines at a fair price. After five and a half years of stopping for my allotted bottles on the way back into Turkey I've pretty much gone through their limited collection of Italian and Spanish wines. The Bodegas Montecillo DOC Gran Reserva 2008 was one of those I picked up. The Rioja Classifications I love Spanish wine. Rioja might be the most famous region but it's really not my favorite. However in the limited market here beggars can't be choosers! If I am going to be

  When I first started seriously drinking Turkish wine my strategy was simple. Start at the bottom shelf at my local Carrefour and drink my way up. That strategy worked pretty well for me. Not the least because as I made my way towards the pricier bottles the Turkish Lira began its downwards trajectory; making those upper shelf wines less expensive than when I started. I soon discovered the downside to my plan. I had begun ignoring all the new wines that came into the middle of the shelf. Whether subconsciously or due to a snobby belief that mid range Turkish wine had nothing more to offer me, I don't

  My first introduction to raw wine happened before I even know what raw wine was. Georgia. Long before it became a Top 10 travel destinations, my colleagues in the international development world were traveling to and raving about the country. And bringing back wine for the office. Since moving to Turkey I have taken full advantage of being only a short flight away and have made several trips. One was in May 2017 for the back-to-back Zero Compromise natural wine and New Wine festivals. It was at Zero Compromise where I met Udo Hirsch. Wine crosses all nationalities, borders, and cultures No, you’re not wrong. Udo is not a Turkish

  Having friends who travel frequently is a great boon to my wine collection. In particular, one friend of mine seems to travel constantly. Thankfully, she’s very generous and usually picks up a bottle or two of wine for me if she’s been to a wine country. To my delight, she’s visited Argentina several times. One of those trips netted me a bottle of Animal Malbec. For all that Argentina rightfully claims responsibility for Malbec’s rise to international attention and glory, even this lauded wine country produces some wines that are table quality at best. Since my friend usually chooses wine in Duty Free as she’s running for a flight

  O! learn to read what silent love hath writ: To hear with eyes belongs to love’s fine wit. Wine as Poetry In 2003 Can and Serpil Şener and Eda Aylın Genç abandoned city life and careers in favor of wine. They chose the Urla district of Izmir for their project. With its long history of wine production and favorable climate, they knew they would find favorable conditions here for their vines. Set in the village of Kuşçular, USCA’s vineyards feel both the west and north winds of the Aegean’s surrounding gulfs. Part of a growing trend in Turkey, USCA farms all its grapes organically in an effort to begin as they mean