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Rest of the World

HomeRest of the World (Page 9)

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 0Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  My tour of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc discovery continued with Villa Maria. And what a fantastic story it has. Villa Maria started with George Fistonich and five acres of land in Auckland. Now, five decades later, Villa Maria encompasses vineyards in Auckland, Marlborough, Hawkes Bay, and Gisborne and stands as an icon of New Zealand wine. In addition to their viniculture, Villa Maria secured its icon status through its sustainable grape growing practices. A member of the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand; 30% of company owned vineyards are managed organically, and some 500 sheep graze in the Hawke’s Bay vineyards where they control grass growth and provide natural fertilizer. Villa Maria Cellar

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, 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

By 0Red Wine, Rest of the World, South American Wines, Wine Reviews

  When I lived in the US I never really understood the point of Duty Free shops; I never saw deals that were any better than the US retail prices. Then I moved to Turkey and I got it. Now I make liberal use of duty free whenever I’m abroad. Including picking up a bottle of the gorgeous 2012 Fabre Montmayou Gran Reservado Malbec. While it wouldn’t have been my first instinct to pair it this way; it turns out that this Malbec goes beautifully with roasted tomato soup. This was a case of pairing based more on what I wanted to eat and drink vs what made pairing sense.

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

  In August I went back to the States for the first time in two years. While I was there I gave a wine tasting for some family and friends. It was a strange mixed bag of wines from the US and abroad. It included two wines from Michigan; one from Leelanau Cellars. Yes. We make wine in Michigan. Every. Single. State. In America makes wine. Even Hawaii and Alaska. California may have the biggest reputation but personally I don’t think they’re even the best. For me the best American wines are coming out of Oregon, Washington, and New York.  But back to Michigan. Michigan wines are steadily, if somewhat slowly,