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Turkish Wine

HomeTurkish Wine (Page 19)

  For several years Ma'Adra's Öküzgözü rosé has been one of my go-to rosés. But I've always wondered why they don't make a red. I don't have to wonder anymore because now they do! At November's Sommeliers Selection event in Istanbul, Ma'Adra debuted its new carbonic maceration Öküzgözü.  We don't talk about carbonic maceration a lot in Turkey. While Ma'Adra may not be the first winery here to use the technique, it is the first to proudly put it on the label. But, what is it? Carbonic Maceration, the Internal Combustion of Winemaking Carbonic maceration is probably how early wine got made

  One of the newest members of the Urla Bağ Yolu, Çakır Bağcılık ve Şarapçılık prides itself on growing its vines just meters from its winery. The winery, like many in Urla, puts a heavy emphasis on Cabernet Sauvignon for both red wines and its Çakır Somnium Rosé. In addition to Cabernet, the winery cultivates Syrah, Chardonnay, and the regional Bornova Misketi.  Even if I would prefer to see more native grapes, Çakır makes a lovely addition to the wine route! Çakır Bağcılık ve Şarapçılık Çakır had to open when I made my visits to Urla to research for my book. Last summer, just before I finished writing, I took a quick

  Cab Franc day is long over but my love for the grape goes year 'round! I've had the Arcadia A Cabernet Franc before but thought it was time to revisit it. In recent years, Cabernet Franc has exploded in popularity in Turkey. Initially it started making an appearance in a few more blends here and there. Then the wineries that had those blends released single varietal Cabernet Franc. And yet a few wineries, like Kayra, Suvla, Vino Dessera, Chamlija, and Arcadia featured it right from the off. If you visit Arcadia's website, you'll even see that the winery features the grape in the "special grapes" section. Arcadia A Cabernet Franc,

  Last year, one of my most popular posts was an interview with Uçmakdere winemaker Işıl Bulutsuz. A number of people asked for more interviews. One of my goals this year is to do just that. I am getting a bit of a late start since it's already April! It did take me a while to figure out video editing (which as you'll see is still very much a work in progress). Anyway, I'm finally able to post my first interview. Tina Lino While she's not Turkish, I decided to start with Tina Lino, who, unlike many of the foreign winemakers and consultants working with wineries here, actually lives here. And,

  It's finally spring! The snow is over for real now and warmer weather is already here. I for one cannot wait to get back to gardening and sitting on my balcony. What are you excited about this spring? With warmer weather on the rise, many might be thinking it's time to switch to drinking rosés and white. But there is still room for red wine! What does your horoscope say you should try drinking in April? Read on and find out! Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) What's that saying about April showers bringing May flowers? This month will give you a fresh perspective if you take a few risks. Speak up

  Assyrian winery Midin sits farther east than any other winery in Turkey, practically at Syria’s doorstep. Located in the Şırnak province, the winery faces a number of unique hurdles. The climate is hot (so very hot) and dry. Not so friendly super conservative Muslim communities surround their small Assyrian Christian village. And they face having their village's vineyards ripped out for more profitable crops. [caption id="attachment_17458" align="alignright" width="300"] Raşe Gurnık - courtesy of Midin Wines[/caption] However, all is not bad! One excellent unique aspect of this winery is the grapes it works with. Few have ever heard of like Bilbilzeki, Gavdoni, Midin Karası, Kittil Nafs, or Raşe Gurnık. The latter

  Sultaniye (sool-tan-ee-yeh) is possibly the most commonly grown grape in Turkey. While a perfectly viable vitis vinifera variety, Sultaniye has such high sugar levels that it also works well as a table grape. Turkey stands as one of the world's leading producers of table grapes and raisins but Sultaniye grapes also are used in pekmez (molasses) and rakı production.  Despite not being a popular wine grape, wineries do use it in wine production. This mid-season ripening grape grows primarily in the Aegean region (Denizli and Manisa) and prefers hot climates and clay loam or chalky soils. Berries grow to a medium size, are round, have a bright green color,

  When Arda Bağcılık first started producing wines, it focused on international grape varieties like Cabernet and Shiraz. The family-run wine has slowly been introducing native grapes. First Narince, and now the last few years, Papazkarası. Arda seems to have found its grape in Papazkarası making not one wine with it, but four. The Papazkarası series, called Gala, takes its name from the Gala Gölü (Gala Lake), close to the Aegean and near the Turkey-Greece border. Located some 170 kilometers from the winery, this is where the winery sources its Papazkarası grapes. The series includes a blanc de noir, two rosés, and a red blend. Arda Gala Blanc de Noir Papazkarası,

  Selefkia Wine, a small, family winery has been reaching for the stars since it opened in 2008. Alaaddin Çerçi, along with his wife Sakine and daughter Ebru, made a huge life change in the late 1990s when he left behind his career as an engineer to start working with grapes. Orphaned as a child, Çerçi supported his education with revenue from his late father's vineyards in the Yenisu village in Mersin. However, years later, grape sales dropped off and the vineyards fell into disuse. Feeling like he owed a debt to the grapes, in 1998 he began to reanimate the old vineyards with a view to making wine.   Selefkia Wine’s

  Lent started last week. What are you giving up? Sweets? Coffee? TV? I can tell you what I'm NOT giving up and that's wine. I like to imagine that I'm a semi-devout Catholic but I'm not a crazy person. Well. Probably not. Family history would indicate otherwise but that's a tad off topic. Amongst all the Turkish wineries, Antioche holds a special place for me. Maybe because (while not Catholic) they're also Christian which gives me a different kind of connection with them and their wine? Maybe because I have a wee crush on the incredibly sweet owner and his family? Maybe because they have introduced us to a