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Wine Reviews

HomeWine Reviews (Page 60)

By 0Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Nearby the famous ruins of Greco-Roman city Ephesus sits the southern Aegean winery Yedi Bilgeler. It was almost fated that owner Bilge Yamen, who hails from the northeastern city Kars, should establish his winery mere kilometers from this ancient city. Kars and Selçuk, where Ephesus can be found today, are separated by more than just distance (1,689 kilometers to be exact). Kars is located in the very northeastern corner of Turkey’s Anatolia very near the border with Armenia. Kars has a humid continental climate with significant differences between summer and winter temperatures. High elevation, long, cold winters buried under snow, and brief mild summers are not conducive to grape

By 0Amber Wine, European Wines, Orange Wine, Rest of the World, Wine Reviews

  I first encountered Our Wine at the 2017 Zero Compromises wine festival in Tbilisi. The No Compromises festival features wines that are organic, biodynamic, and/or fall into that loosely defined “natural” category. As one of the first biodynamic producers in Georgia, it was no surprise to see Our Wine there. Our Wine Our Wine (initially called the Prince Makashvili Cellar) is a family run winery established in 2003 and led by winemaker Soliko Tsaishvili. Tsaishvili produces high quality natural wines using old Georgian viticulture and winemaking methods with the fermentation, maceration, and maturation taking place in qvevri (large clay amphora that are buried). As a result, his white wines have had a lot of skin

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

  I firmly believe that sparkling wines should not be drunk only on special occasions. However, they are still my first choice for celebrations! Happily here in Turkey there is a wide range of locally produced sparkling wine. Made with a variety of grapes and methods there’s one for everyone’s taste and pocketbook* preference! Pamukkale Sava Premium Yarı Köpüren Region: Aegean Grape(s): Sultaniye Style: Blanc de blanc Vintage: 2017 ABV: 12.5% Price: 29 TRY Method: CO2 This falls more in line with frizzante-style wine that has a lower pressure and therefore fewer and softer bubbles. Nose is fruity full of peaches and mango. The palate is frothy with a slight chemical bitterness and medium finish. Very fruity, lots of

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Chamlija Winery is a huge pioneer in Turkey. They experiment not only with various winemaking methods but also grape varieties. Chamlija is responsible for us having Turkish Riesling, Alvarino, Mavrud, and soon Assyrtiko. However, the winery does not ignore indigenous grape varieties. Öküzgözü and Boğazkere are two of Turkey’s most common black vinis vitifera grapes. They are more at home in their native areas of Turkey, Elazığ and Diyarbakır respectively. Very few wineries in Thrace make wine with these grapes at all. Even fewer actually grow the grapes themselves. Chamlija Öküzgözü Boğazkere 2015 Tasting Notes: Amongst Turkish varietals, Öküzgözü and Boğazkere are natural blending partners. Boğazkere, which translates as “throat burner” is an aptly named

By 0Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Gülor Winery, founded in 1993 by Güler Sabancı, has the distinction of being one of Turkey’s first boutique wineries. It has grown a lot since the vineyards were planted in 1996. The winery now produces some 200,000 liters annually. While perhaps no longer boutique in size, Gülor remains boutique at heart. The winery has worked with several expert French winemakers since its inception. Since 2012 it has been in the hands of Antoine Bastide d’Izard. He has said of Gülor:  “Gülor is one of the rare boutique wineries in Turkey offering original and high-quality blends of both international and local grapes,” Gülor’s winery sits on an estate of 100 hectares located in the Thracian subregion Tekirdağ on

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  In Eastern Anatolia sits the city of Elazığ. Quite small by Turkey standards, the city is home to about 350,000 people with only about another 50,000 living outside the city but within the district. Like almost every other city or village in Turkey though, it is ancient, having been established as far back as 2000 BC. Elazığ is also home to one of Turkey’s most widely-known vitis vinifera grape varieties: Öküzgözü. [caption id="attachment_3711" align="alignleft" width="349"] map from World Atlas.com[/caption] Elazığ Province is situated at the northwestern corner of a 30-mile-long valley, Uluova (literally the Great Valley). It is surrounded by the Euphrates in the north and borders Tunceli to the North, Erzincan in the North-West, Bingöl to

By 0Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Yes, Turkey makes wine! In fact, together with Georgia and Armenia, Turkey has one of the longest histories of winemaking. As far back as 1600 BC when the Hitites made wine for their religious ceremonies people have made wine in Turkey. Assyrians and later Christians also made wine for both religious and every day drinking purposes. In the late Ottoman period it was illegal for Muslims to imbibe or even make wine. Instead, many Muslims cultivated grapes they then sold to Greek and Armenian winemakers. However that all came to and end in the 1920s during the population exchange and many vineyards were abandoned. Paradoxically, despite its long history

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Öküzgözü Şarapçılık's name creates a bit of confusion. It is the only winery in Turkey named not after a family name or a vineyard but after a grape. Quite often when I see a wine with Öküzgözü written in big, bold letters across the label I can’t tell for a minute if it’s a new wine by Öküzgözü Winery or if another producer is just really excited about the grape variety. Öküzgözü Winery does produce Öküzgözü. In fact its flagship wine is a 100% Öküzgözü. However, the winery is also pioneering the return of another indigenous variety: Foça Karası. Rıfat Şekerdil, owner and winemaker of Öküzgözü Winery, has been a fixture in central

By 0Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Central Anatolia is famous for being the home of Cappadocia. Even if you’ve never been to Turkey you’ve probably seen pictures of the “fairy chimneys”, cave churches, and sunrise hot air balloons. But have you heard of the wine? Vinolus is a boutique producer in Kayseri, near Cappadocia, making unique wines from organically grown grapes. Oluş Molu, Vinolus’s charming proprietor, and her brother Aziz took over the family farm in the early aughts to create the first ecological farm in Turkey. Included in this project are the 50 acres (20 ha) planted to the native Kalecik Karası and Narince grapes as well as international varieties: Chardonnay, Roussanne, Shiraz, and Tempranillo

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

  Nestled in the Şarköy district of Tekirdağ (southern Thrace) is a small village called Uçmakdere. Prior to the population exchange of the 1920s this village, like many in district, was heavy populated by Greeks. It was the Greeks who established vineyards and winemaking in Turkey. With their departure villages like Uçmakdere went into decline. Without them most of the agricultural businesses, including wine, failed and villages died. Fast forward to 2012. Attracted to the history of winemaking in the region, the wine loving Bulutsuz and Gülbay families purchased a previously closed winery in Uçmakdere and modernize and revamp the facilities. Revitalizing Uçmakdere Firuze Winery does not boast any of its own vineyards. Consequently, they source grapes from local