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Wine Reviews

HomeWine Reviews (Page 66)

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  Chateau Kalpak is the love child of Bülent Kalpaklıoğlu who began developing the vineyard in 2003. It was not until 2010 that he released his first vintage. His goal for Chateau Kalpak is to create a single chateau-style wine from a single vineyard. In order to achieve this, he picked the best root-stocks and clones of the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot to match the vineyard terrior. Only two blends are released annually: Chateau Kalpak and BBK. They harvest, ferment, and age (30-36 months) each parcel (about 1 hectar) separately. At Chateau Kalpak they use Hungarian oak barriques made out of wood selected for their balance, bouquet, and character. This

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

  My Greek wine education began with my friends E&M. E’s family is Greek and her frequent trips to the country the last few years have netted many opportunities to sample wine that she brings back to Istanbul. One of the wines she brought home last year was this Ktima Palivou Nemea Agiorgitiko 2014. Palivou Estate Ktima Palivou (Palivou Estate) is one of the two largest wineries in Greece’s Nemea PDO (protected designation of origin). Its main effort is with the Agiorgitiko grape variety but the estate also cultivates  Rodites, Malagousia, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. In order to take advantage of the various microclimates and soils the estate has vineyards in various

By 0Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  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

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  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

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  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

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

  I have long been an anti-Chardonnay person. It wasn’t really until my introduction to wines from Chablis that I realized why I dislike Chardonnay…and why I love it. But before we get into the Laroche Chablis or my complicated relationship with Chardonnay, what is Chablis exactly? Chablis is an appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) from the northernmost wine district of the Burgundy region in France. The only allowable grape grown in Chablis (in order to be classified in the AOC) is Chardonnay. Wines in Chablis are nearly always vinified without oak, instead fermented and aged in stainless steel or other neutral containers. They are known for their purity of aroma and taste and

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

  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

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  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

By 0Red Wine, Turkish Wine, Wine Reviews

  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

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

  When I first started my adventures into wine here in Turkey I refused to buy imported wines like this Delibori Lugana. Because alcohol taxes here aren’t high enough; the Turkish Government also levies very high import taxes. So a wine that might cost five Euros in Europe will cost three-four times that here. However my attitude towards imported wines has slowly changed. They’re still outrageously over priced; don’t get me wrong! But with the falling value of the Turkish Lira and given the high prices I pay for many Turkish wines I find that I’m more willing to buy imports these days. This Delibori Lugana I found at the Metro