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Wine Reviews

HomeWine Reviews (Page 5)

By 0Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  I write about Bornova Misketi a lot; about 25 times so far, in fact! And yet, I realized some time ago, that I somehow had neglected posting about my very favorite one. So, here is my rectifying that! Misket, the Turkish name for Muscat, not only makes some of best sweet wines in Turkey but is increasingly known for quality dry wines. Most likely a child of Muscat Blanc á Petit Grains, Bornova Misketi has its own genetic characteristics and is a Turkish grape. Although more common as a practice for black grapes, like many Turkish grapes it takes its name from its place of origin. Bornova Misketi, which means "muscat of

By 0European Wines, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Several years ago, I went on my first wine tour in Hungary. I've been a Hungarian wine lover for years, but before this tour, had never heard of Somló. One short visit (which you can read about here!) and I was an enthusiastic convert to this exciting region.  Somló and Kolonics Pincészet  Hungary is a smallish country so, one logically expects that its wine regions would also be small in size (if not production or quality!). However, the miniscule size of the Somló region still takes one by surprise. It is a single, free-standing (as in not part of a series or foothills etc) hill. You can see the entirety if

By 0European Wines, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  The Vatistas Ioannis Winery was born in the 1990s when Ioannis Vatistas decided to turn his love of wine into a winery. He created his vineyards in one of the most viticulturally advantageous areas of Monemvasia; setting them on the plain of Voion and on the slopes of Pantanassa. Over the years, the vineyards have expanded considerably. The Vatistas family now has over 400 acres of Greek and international varieties.  While many of us know and love some of the grapes in the Vatistas vineyards, like Kydonitsa, Mavroudi, Monemvasia, Roditis, Mantilaria, Assyrtiko, Aidani , Athiri, Agiorgitiko, and Malagouzia; others are significantly less familiar. Since they first started bottling in

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

  While neither new nor lost, Karasakız has long been underappreciated. For a long time, there was only Suvla (which still explores the most expressions of the grape, Paşaeli, and the producers on Bozcaada making wine under the grape's alternate name, Kuntra. Recently, something seems to have changed and love for Karasakız fills the air.  Also called 'Kuntra' the Karasakız (kar-ah-sah-kiz) grape is the oldest grape variety grown on the island of Bozcaada. Records show it growing here for at least 500 years. It likes a warmer climate and, in addition to Bozcaada, also grows on the southern part of the Gallipoli Peninsula, in the Bayramiç District of the Çanakkale

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

  I've mentioned my friend S. a few times here and there in my blog. A teacher here in Istanbul, she drives home to Austria every summer and returns with a car full of goodies. Tis not a short drive from Istanbul to Austria, nor do we share a border. As such, her trips take her through a number of other countries and she usually stops for a few days here and there (especially to sleep!) along the way.  Last year, her winding journey took her through the southern part of Romania where she stopped at several wineries. And because she is awesome, bought wine for me at all of

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  It's World Malbec Day! This French grape is a global people pleaser.  While mostly known for the wines produced in Argentina, its popularity knows no bounds. According to Wine-Searcher.com, people happily grow Malbec Argentina and France of course, but also Chile, the US, Australia, South Africa, and "other".  I guess Turkey falls in "other". [easy-image-collage id=20154] Malbec has become very popular here over recent years and I've written about it any number of times, most recently, I think, in this piece. It appears in blends and varietals in quite a few regions including Thrace, Marmara, the Aegean, and the Mediterranean. But this Malbec World Day, it's all about the Marmara regions'

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Nihat Kutman, founder of Doluca Winery, was one of the first in Turkey to revive vineyards and winemaking after phylloxera destroyed many of the country's vineyards. Thanks in large part to that epidemic, many of Turkey's native grapes were lost. As a result, nascent wineries in Turkey's new Republic relied on grapes from Europe to restart vineyards and wine production. In the mid 1930s, Nihat bey returned from Europe with several grapes that would go on to become, if not wide-spread in the country, heritage grapes with which a small handful of wineries still work. One of those varieties was Cinsault. We don't see a lot of Cinsault here

By 0European Wines, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  I've been to the Peloponnese a couple times now, but have yet to make it as far north as Patras. Although I would really like to do so; particularly enjoying the wines from Achaia as I do. If I manage to make it, one winery I am sure to visit is Sant'Or. Located only 30 km from Patras in the historic village Santameri, Sant'or sits at 600 meters in the foothills of the Scolis mountain. The winery takes its name from the ruins of Saint Or castle built by the Franks-Flemish in 1273 which dominate the mountain. Here the family behind Sant'Or organically farms Roditis, Agiorgitiko, Mavrodafni, and the