To kick off the 2021 #WinePW calendar, Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is hosting our discussion about Saké and other pairings for Asian foods. You can read her initial invitation here and join us on Twitter January 9 at 11am EST to follow along! I don't drink saké or bai jui
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Now one of the most widely known grapes in Turkey, Kalecik Karası was nearly lost to history. This grape was nearly extinct until the 1970s when it was reborn. While studying for his Ph.D. in agriculture at Ankara University, Prof. Dr. Y. Sabit Ağaoğlu elected to form his thesis around clonal studies of dried Kalecik Karası vines. He finished his thesis and wound up with not only his doctorate but also a small vineyard. Rather than abandon it, and the grape he revived, he and wife decided to continue to work the vineyard and make wine. Sadly, his wife has since passed but the godfather of Kalecik Karası continues
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My journey to rosé progresses slowly. I still approach most pink wines with trepidation and distrust. However, last summer during a visit to Amadeus MMX winery on Bozcaada, owner Oliver Gareis introduced me to his Dark Rosé made with Zinfandel. And I was hooked. Unfortunately for me, Gareis hadn't bottled the wine yet so I couldn't buy any. Luckily though, I live pretty close to a wine shop that often carries the full range of his wines. Well, carries them until they sell out! I managed to find a bottle of Amadeus MMX Dark Rosé Zinfandel there. In fact, I think I got one of the last bottles! So was
Read MoreAs summer heats up Istanbul I remember with some fondness the bone chilling cold when I visited Graz a few years ago. I try to go somewhere in Europe every year for the Christmas markets. Sadly, this year I probably won't be able to go anywhere. Which makes me feel even more nostalgic for past trips such as this. Before this trip I'd never been to Graz. Austria, yes. Several times. But never Graz. I chose Graz for this trip entirely based on one event the city holds during its Christmas market: the Krampus Lauf. Never heard of it? Not surprised. It's a pretty Austrian/Bavarian tradition. Krampus is the
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Certainly we live in strange times now. I was one of those naive people who thought, or at least hoped, we'd achieve normalcy by summer. That's definitely not happening; especially not here in Turkey. Turkey never did a proper quarantine. We had half-assed weekend lock downs for a few weeks before grumbling about the failing economy had even those lifted. Masks are now mandatory at all times. Less than half of people wear them properly or at all. Whatever social distancing people obeyed in the beginning is merely a memory. Weekend boats to the Princes Islands are as beyond capacity packed as ever. We have between 7,000 and
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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
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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
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I don't usually celebrate Rosé Day, pink wine not being a favorite of mine. However, this year the intermittent bright spring weather in Istanbul has gifted me with a fresh outlook on pink. So, I decided to dive into Rosé Day with a celebration of four wines from three of the wine countries I know the best: Turkey, Austria, and Greece. Rosé Day in Turkey Rosé, or blush wine has gained popularity in Turkey over the last few years. Most wineries have added at least one to their roster (although a few have done it reluctantly). Some wineries make a distinction between the two terms. Particularly if they make more
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Last summer, Istanbites and I visited Garova Vineyards and I wrote about a couple of the red wines the winery produces. Now it's time to tackle the Garova Öküzgözü blush. Nestled in a bowl-like cradle in mountainous Bodrum and nearly lost in the riotous greenery of the surrounding agriculture grow vines of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Shiraz, and Zinfandel. This is Garova Vineyards. While winery owner Mehmet Vuran grows the four aforementioned grapes onsite; he brings in Öküzgözü from the Denizli district of Izmir. He believes the more moderate climate there a better for Öküzgözü than the heat of Bodrum. I very much enjoy the Bodrum-grown Öküzgözü wines I've had.
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Last year, Kırklareli-based winery Vino Dessera debuted a new line of wines. The Vino Dessera Entrika line up includes three wines: a red, rosé, and a white. Following the winery's principal that wine should be an "affordable luxury," none of the wines are pricey. Prices range from around 50 to 75 TL ($8-12). Also true to form for Vino Dessera, some very nice wines lie under the modest sticker price. Vino Dessera Entrika Red 2017 Tasting Notes During a previous visit to the winery I learned that Doğan Dönmez, in charge of the family winery, was experimenting with the Italian grape, Barbera. If his experiments proved successful, he would be
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