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Turkish Wine

HomeTurkish Wine (Page 54)

  I have written about Chamlija’s Albariño twice now and will again with every new vintage they produce. This gem though is not the Albariño, but the Alvarinho Reserve. Before we talk about the wine, lets talk about the grape. Albariño and Alvarinho are the same grape. Like Syrah and Shiraz it simply has a different name depending on location. Albariño is the Spanish name and Alvarinho the Portuguese name. Generally quite aromatic, Albariño grapes make wines that are fruity and light with lively acidity. I have yet to drink a rendition of this wine that I don’t love; especially in the heat of summer when you want a refreshing and zippy wine! Albariño is also a perfect

  It has been years since I’ve written about Chateau Gali. Granted Gali doesn’t have the output some of the other wineries here do but considering how much I enjoy both the eponymous blend and the Evreshe Bordeaux blend it is a little shameful. So let’s talk about the Chateau Gali Saros blend. Gali’s story began in 2005, when founder, Hakan Kavur, acquired 48 hectares of land in the Gallipoli Peninsula. The goal was to manufacture a single wine, ‘GALİ. They planted about 24 hectares of land with 78% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. In November 2011 they released their first wine, the Gali 2009 blend. The 24-hectare vineyard

  Father and daughter team Ozcan and Zeynep Arca established Arcadia Vineyards in 2007 to make and showcase terroir-driven wines from Northern Thrace. On their 350 hectares they grow nine different types of grape: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Sangiovese, Pinot Gris, Öküzgözü, and Narince. The name Arcadia is steeped in local history. The vineyard is located near the village of Lüleburgaz which was known as Arcadiapolis. In addition, in mythology Arcadia meant “a unique beauty garden that resembles a paradise on earth.” From planting the vines to vinifying the grapes, Arcadia insists on careful production methods and minimum intervention. This ensures that  its wines can express

  2017 was a crazy year. It began with a last minute trip to Iceland where wine is even more expensive than it is in Turkey. Spring was full of whirlwind wine trips to Israel, Georgia, and Greece. This summer after a two-year lapse I went back to the States to see my family in Michigan and Vegas. In the fall I went to Elmali, Turkey to visit a great winery and in December I visited Graz, Austria for the Krampuslauf, Christmas markets, and wine shopping. In addition to the travel I attended or led a couple dozen wine tastings. Including one on a private yacht on the Bosphorus where

  Barbare is one of Turkey’s really special wineries and the Ambiance 2012 is no exception. I cannot in down exactly what makes them stand out so much. Many other wineries here, even its neighbors in Thrace, are quality wine producers with equal dedication, skill, and passion. But there’s just something about Barbare that always excites me. Wine Is Made in the Vineyard Barbare Vineyard’s tale begins in 2000 when Can Topsakal decided to join the exciting world of winemaking after completing his university education in France. His quest to find the most suitable soil and microclimate for his vineyards took him on a journey from Çeşme in the Aegean region to

  I was unaware of the existence of Trajan wines until I saw the Trajan Rezerv Kalecik Karası at the Cihangir Suvla shop and bought it on recommendation. Now I am a Trajan fan. And who could not be with its background? Saving a Lost Species Before we get to Trajan wines though we have to start with the Kalecik Karası grape. Kalecik Karası is a native Turkish variety. Originally from the Central Anatolian district of Kalecik (Kalecik Karası literally means ‘black from Kalecik) it is now one of three most common native varieties found in Turkish wine (along with Boğazkere and Öküzgözü). However even as early as the 1950s this grape was nearly

  Doluca is one of the largest wine outfits in Turkey. In 1926 the Maison Vinikol at Galata was founded and became the base for Doluca. they began with Yapıncak and Karlahna grapes, then in 1935 brought back Cinsault, Semillon, Riesling, and Gamay from Europe. It wasn’t until the 1940s that the company premiered wines under the name Doluca but they’ve been going strong ever since. Doluca’s main operations are located in Tekirdağ, part of Turkey’s Thrace. When I said that it is one of the largest outfits in Turkey I was not exaggerating. Doluca has an annual production capacity of 14 million liters. Their production warehouse can manage 1.3 million bottles at

  I was recently lucky enough to be invited to the Galata Anemon hotel for a tasting of Yanık Ülke wines. Yanık Ülke  was established by the Akçura family on the rocky volcanic slopes of the Divlit Volcano near Izmir. The terroir in that area is volcanic and similar to that of Mount Etna in Italy. They have 150 hectares (60 under vine) located at 924 meters above sea level. Their site boasts not only vineyards planted with an interesting variety of grapes but also a hotel and onsite restaurant. Yanık Ülke plants only old favorites such as Muscat, Chardonnay, Viognier, Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Boğazkere, and Öküzgözü. They are also the only

  Porta Caeli is one of my favorite new wineries here in Turkey and its Ament Bordeaux is as hefty as the bottle is. But more on that later. Recreating Bordeaux in Gallipoli Porta Caeli is a relatively new winery. Based in Eceabat on the Gallipoli peninsula, it has only recently released its first vintage (2013). The idea for Porta Caeli came from a wine loving family. Knowing that Turkey is capable of producing wines to rival those from anywhere in the world they established their winery in 2002. After traveling across Turkey and testing soils in various regions they settled in Ecebat where they have 170 hectares. They implement Good Agricultural Practices and GLOBALGAP

  It feels like it’s been neigh on forever since I’ve had a wine by Gordias. So this winter when I saw a new bottle at Solera I couldn’t resist buying the Gordias Kalecik Karası Cabernet Franc. Not only have I not had a Gordias in a while but I’d not even seen this blend anywhere before. Gordias is a boutique winery near Turkey’s capitol Ankara. It is unfortunately one of the lesser known boutique wineries and the wines are not always easy to find in shops. The Solera wine bar is my go-to place to source these wines. It is not however unknown abroad! Last year the Gordias Kalecik Karası Cabernet Franc won