Is summer over yet? Please?? I know I complained about that weird cold and rainy early July we had
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Of all the grapes in Turkey, Boğazkere remains one of (if not the) most tannic and full-bodied varieties. So why am I talked about this wine, literally called "throat scratcher" in summer?? Because Heraki has pulled off a much lighter style that you can enjoy even in this hot, summer weather. I've been crushing hard on Heraki, as you can tell from my posts about their Akuarela Sultaniye and Akuarela Çal Karası. This wine only makes me love them more! Even when I started drinking Turkish wine 10 years ago, finding a decent Boğazkere was difficult. When made clumsily, the wine presents harsh, tannic, bitter or goes the other
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Jennifer from Vino Travels has invited the #ItalianFWT group to discover the wines of Emilia Romagna and/or Liguria this August! I've been waiting for this one since I saw the year's event calendar because I LOVE Lambrusco!! My very fist sip of Lambrusco happened over 20 years ago but I still remember it. I can picture the restaurant so clearly in my head. It was 2000 and I was in Tübingen for the summer to study German (incidentally, the stupidest place to send German language students). There was an Italian restaurant across bridge over the Neckar and immediately to the left along the Neckarfront. I was not legal drinking
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My first introduction to Oenops was a few years ago at Athens' Oenorama. My friend, Anna Maria of Unravelling Wine and Chania Wine Tours (who knows everyone in Greek wine) told me that, while not Cretan, Oenops makes the best Vidiano. Nikos Karatzas founded Oenops Wines in 2015. While his winery sits in Drama in the eastern part of Macedonia, his grapes come from everywhere. Karatzas tours Greece looking for high-quality, native grapes like Xinomavro, Limniona, Malagousia, Assyrtiko, Roditis, and of course, Vidiano. Once he's found a grower, he works almost like a micro-négociant creating partnerships with growers who share his ideals. In the winery, Karatzas strives to make low
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It's been absolutely ages since I did a wine bar review! A few months ago, a friend brought 316 Meze & Wine to my attention and we finally got around to checking it out. So, here we are again with a new wine bar review! Tucked away in Nişantaşı, around the corner from the American Hospital (possibly a strange but utterly unmissable landmark), is the new-ish 316 Meze & Wine. They're making great use of the small space they have here with high tables and stools that aren't nearly as uncomfortable as they look. The shiny, modern tables and stools echo all the shiny metals in the sparkling clean
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This June, Camilla from Culinary Cam has invited the #WinePW crew to explore wine and cheese pairings. Any cheese, any wine, any region our hearts desire! You can read her invitation post here. If you're reading this in time, join us for our Twitter chat on Saturday, June 10 at 11 AM EST and tell us about your favorite wine and cheese pairings! I love cheese. And when I say I love cheese, I mean that I LOVE cheese. If the choice came down to chocolate or cheese, cheese all the way. I also have an entire auxiliary freezer for cheese (and pork because, you know, I live in
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Hello spring! You have finally graced us with your presence. Huzzah! This month I say Happy Birthday to several very good Gemini and Cancer friends, hopefully the Universe grants them a great wine! What will they - and you! - be drinking this month? Read on to find out! Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) You may be feeling unsure these days of what will make you happy. Don't fall into a black hole and shut yourself away from people while you figure it out. Now is not the time to shy away from the love and affection people are trying to give you. It's okay if you don't know right this
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Well April was kind of miserable, wasn't it? Hopefully it's true about April showers bringing May flowers. Given the amount of rain we got, if it is true, we're going to be drowning in flowers! But, temperatures do seem to finally be on the rise and soon we'll be reveling in the warmer temperatures and sunshine. The promise of such nice weather deserves some good wine to go with it! What will I - and more importantly you! - be drinking this month? Read on to find out! Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) Be on the look out for major changes unfolding in your life this May. Achieving new heights
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Of all the Turkish wineries producing wine with French grapes, Barbare has distinguished itself by leaning not towards Bordeaux, but the Rhône. Rather than featuring Cabernet and Merlot*, Barbare's main wines include varietal Grenache and Mourvèdre, as well as the classic GSM - or Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre blend. Recently, the winery released a new wine inspired by a different French valley: The Loire. Turkey does light and medium-bodied red wines really well. The majority of native black grapes here make wines that naturally fall into the light to medium-bodied and medium to high acidity category. Given that, it's probably not a surprise that Pinot Noir does really well here.
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Well March was all miserable and depressing weather. Here's to hoping April remembers that it is an entirely spring month. A few showers here and there perhaps we can tolerate, but we could all use a little more warmth and sun to tackle what we have ahead of us. What will I - and more importantly you! - be drinking this month? Read on to find out! Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) The freshness of spring (not that we've seen any of that weather) will give you a new perspective this month and help you take risks. One big risk to tackle - speak up for yourself and others, even if
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