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Wine Reviews

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By 0Red Wine, Rose Wine, Sparkling Wine, Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Since my last post had me mourning my inability to travel this spring and waxing lyrical about last year's March trip to Bologna, it seemed only fair I should also remember fondly a domestic trip from last March: Mudurnu.  Mudurnu is a deep-rooted historic town located in the western Black Sea, in the province of Bolu. A historic guild town situated on the Silk Road, it was an important center of trade, crafts, and culture in the early Ottoman period.  [easy-image-collage id=21175] Nestled in the Mudurnu Stream valley, the town stretches between the rocky and forested hills of the Abant Mountains to the northeast, the Kocaman Mountains in the southwest, and

By 0European Wines, Red Wine, Sparkling Wine, Wine Reviews

  This post contains affiliate links I am semi-recently unemployed and poor. One of my cost-saving methods (aside from no longer buying wine like it's going out of style) is to cease traveling, which is depressing. Especially since quick and easy access to Europe is a good third of the reason I put up with living in Istanbul. Nowadays though, my travel takes place mostly in memory. [easy-image-collage id=21131] This time last year, I enjoyed a few days in Modena and Bologna. If only I could be there now!  Bologna After arriving in Bologna, I did a quick little walk around the center to orient myself before heading off to complete my first mission:

By 0Red Wine, Rest of the World, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Turkey and Australia both being what they are, this will merely be the first of many Turkey vs Australia Shiraz taste offs! Shiraz (or Syrah, both names are used here) is massively popular in Turkey. Despite the preponderance of imitation Bordeaux blends, Shiraz is the most planted of any international grape. At least as of the last numbers I saw. Varietal Shiraz is the most common, but it also appears in blends. Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah blends have gained a lot of popularity here. It sneaks into what would otherwise be a Bordeaux blend. And one producer, Kayra, is even doing a traditional Côte Rôtie-style Syrah-Viognier blend. So, there's a lot of

By 0European Wines, Rose Wine, Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Disclaimer: This post includes wines received as a sample. All opinions are my own. This March, to celebrate International Women's Day, Camilla from Culinary Cam invited those of us in the Wine Pairing Weekend writers to look at women in wine. Turkey has a higher than average percent of women working in its wine industry. You can read a little bit about it, including a few featurettes of some of these women, in this piece I wrote for Vintner Project. The short story, is that more than one-third of Turkish wineries involve women in high-level positions, and almost all of them employ large numbers of women in the field.

By 0Amber Wine, Orange Wine, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Canadian wine doesn't often fall into my hands. Luckily, my partner in wine crime Emma's Baked Goods went back to Montreal for a visit this past autumn, and brought back a couple wines to share! I love traveling friends (more so than ever now that I'm grounded). Thanks to her, I got to try the La Bauge Les Beaux Jus Frontenac Blanc. Vignoble de la Bauge In 1986, Alcide and Ghislaine Naud decided to transition from dairy farming to wine production. Together with brothers Alain and Jacques Brault, they founded Vignoble de la Bauge. Their vineyard began with Seyval Blanc, followed by Chancellor vines. Fast-forward to 1997 when Alcide and Ghislaine's

By 0European Wines, White Wine, Wine Reviews

    [easy-image-collage id=21004] I was lucky enough to visit Crete a couple years ago. Unfortunately for my friends and I, we experienced one of the worst Decembers the island had seen in years. While we had a few moments of clear skies, driving rains, lower than normal temperatures, and high winds did not create an overly welcoming atmosphere in Chania. Nor did the earthquake. But there was wine! And, thanks to my friend Anna Maria of Chania Wine Tours, we got a fantastic look into Cretan wines. [easy-image-collage id=21011] Crete is really exciting place for wine lovers right now. Not only is the island home to a kind of surprising number of

By 0Red Wine, Rose Wine, Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  I was lucky enough to recently be invited to a tasting of Nif Bağları wines at Foxy Nişantaşı. As my focus tends to land on the wineries that work more vigorously with native grapes, some wineries, like Nif, often fall to the fringes of my drinking and writing. I therefore especially enjoyed this opportunity of returning to Nif's wines.  It was somehow only at this tasting that I learned why the winery is called Nif. I certainly have wondered (!) and cannot believe I never thought to ask. The winery is located in Kemalpaşa, İzmir. But, as with many cities in Turkey, the area has a much older

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Disclaimer: This post includes wines received as a sample. All opinions are my own. None of us had ever heard of the Black Sea grape Merzifon Karası before Likya debuted it as part of the winery's Arkeo line.  It seems it took another winery being successful with the grape for Diren, actually based in the Black Sea, to take notice and start making its own (far less superior imo) version. Then last year, Quinientos Dos (502) Vineyards, a new Black Winery, debuted its wines, including a varietal and a blend Merzifon Karası.  When I tried it last year (which you can read about here), I found a wild riot of

By 0Rest of the World, Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  I've oft lamented the extent of international grapes used in Turkey. And, while I will always prefer native grapes, the international varieties have their place here. Especially the heritage varieties. Since the Syrahs and Chardonnays aren't going anywhere any time soon, I might as well start having fun with them. And so, welcome to the Taste Off! In this new series, I will feature a Turkish wine made with an international grape and pit it against a wine made with the same grape from a foreign country, either the grape's country of origin, or one well-known for its production. This week, I'm looking at Semillon. A heritage variety in

By 0European Wines, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

    [easy-image-collage id=20889] This past summer, I took a trip I've been wanting to make for a few years now: Sofia. Bulgaria may not be on the top of everyone's travel wish list (although it should be, it's beautiful!) but it's been on mine for a while now. Why? Wine, naturally! I've heard great things about Bulgarian wine and two years ago, Shoyu Sugar brought back an amazing Riesling pét-nat that cemented my desire to explore the country's wine scene. I felt absolutely charmed by Sofia. It is an adorable little city, very easily navigable, with much to see. It's quite sophisticated and has a robust wine bar scene. Although I