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Wine Reviews

HomeWine Reviews (Page 42)

By 1Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Mersin, along Turkey's southern Mediterranean coast, brings to mind beaches and resorts. Not so much wine. And to be fair, only a very few commercial wineries operate in this area. One, Selefkia Wines, has long been more of a nebulous idea in my mind rather than a reality. However, just this summer, the winery began selling its wines in Istanbul and they are the hot new thing for a lot of wine lovers here. My interest in Selefkia stems from its work with two underappreciated Turkish grapes: Patkara and Ak Üzüm. Ak Üzüm doesn't pop up in a lot of wines here. The first time I heard about it was

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Continuing my COVID quarantine virtual traveling down memory lane with Austria. I've already (re)visited Austria with my post about Steiermark. This time around I'm focusing not on a region but on a grape: Grüner Veltliner. The closest I've come to Grüner Veltliner territory, or Gru-Ve (as it briefly became known) have been a few flying trips to Vienna. I first visited Vienna while I was in university. I'd just completed a German language summer program in Tübingen, Germany and was doing a two week, whirlwind tour of the "rest" of Europe. My second trip was eight years later. At that time I was a far more seasoned traveler although my

By 0Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Located in the northern reaches of Turkey's Aegean region, Selendi Şarapları prides itself on its many red wines. I, however, vastly prefer their whites. The vast expanses of dry land in Akhısar where the winery is located don't look look like they should produce lushly flavored wines. And yet both Selendi and neighboring winery Kastro Tireli do just that. Selendi's Moralı Narince remains one of my favorite Narince wines. You have to really want this wine though to find it. Luckily, Selendi makes more than just the one white wine. I've had two others from this winery, both blends, that are more easily available. Selendi Sarnıç Chardonnay Viognier, 2017 Pale straw

By 1Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Kösetevek is a "new" grape; or more accurately, newly reinvigorated.  The grape comes from Elazığ in the east of Turkey where it has been largely overshadowed by the popular Öküzgözü.  Kuzeybağ Şarapçılık, which went from grower to producer just a short few years ago, discovered Kösetevek mixed in with its Öküzgözü vines. The grapes and leaves look very similar. As a result, for a number of years the winery unknowingly blended the two grapes. After they realized what in fact they had, the winery brought in Vine Projects to consult and help create the first 100% Kösetevek wine.  Kösetevek grows in Kuzeybağ Şarapçılık's organic vineyards in Koruk Köyü, located on

By 0Rose Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  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

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  This month the #winophiles are embarking on a no holds barred exploration of the Loire Valley. Lead by Jill at L'Accasion, whose original invitation you can view here, the world is our oyster. As long as the world is the Loire Valley and the oyster is any one of the wines produced there! Usually I don't get to participate in the #winophiles discussions. Decent French wine imports in Turkey are kind of outrageously overpriced. However, one small good thing that has come out of the COVID pandemic for me is that I was able to take the WSET L2 certification course and exam online. In fact I just took

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

  About an hour's drive outside Izmir, arriving at Nif Bağları gives you the feeling of having found a desert oasis. Located off an unmarked, dirt road turnoff from the main highway, visitors navigate the narrow, dirt road, sometimes pulling off to the shoulder to allow large trucks and tractors to pass. Just when you think you've made the wrong turn, the winery appears. From the front parking area it looks not especially remarkable. But follow the signs around the back to entrance to find one of Turkey's sleekest wineries. A giant wall of gleaming glass separates the vineyards from the production area letting you see everything at once.

By 1Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Despite the ever growing number of native white grape varieties in Turkey, Chardonnay along with Sauvignon Blanc remain very popular. Chardonnay here went through quite a journey. For many years the wines displayed excessive oak influence that drowned out any possible fruit or freshness. However, the last few years have seen the rise of Chardonnay wines that express fruit and vibrancy as well as those with complexity from responsible oak ageing. Over the last few months I have enjoyed a number of Chardonnays from the young and fresh all the way to sparkling. Sevilen İsa Bey Chardonnay, 2019 One of Sevilen's most successful lines, the İsa Bey series includes varietal

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Just because the weather has turned hot and summery does not mean red wine lovers should despair of not comfortably drinking red wines! Many light-bodied red wines do well with a little chilling. Often, these are brilliant wines to pair with grilled foods, barbecue sauces, and general outdoor summer revelry! Turkey offers several light-bodied red wines appropriate for both chilling and grilling. A perfect opportunity to try out a few of these came up recently when Istanbites suggested a cook out at her place on the largest of Istanbul's Princes Islands: Büyükada. A weekend with the girls poolside with wine and burgers? Yes please! Empathia Creative and I packed

By 0Amber Wine, Amphora, Orange Wine, Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  The Turkish wine industry remains largely isolated. I still spend a lot of time saying "Yes, Turkey makes wine. Turkey has been making wine since the Hittites ruled Anatolia." This isolation is not of the industry's making or desire but has been imposed on it. Bans against advertising mean most wineries don't have websites. Wine tourism remains very much on the down low. Winemakers have difficulty exporting. The tax burden on alcohol (to both producer and consumer) increases every year. And the climate the current government has created does no favors for the industry. And yet; Turkish wineries and winemakers are paying attention. Trends may arrive here a