Chamlija Müteşekkir Line Up
Müteşekkir is a new line from Chamlija, featuring a Pinot Noir, a red blend, and a white blend. Despite being an entry level wine (where I find many wineries slack off a bit) these show Chamlija’s dedication to quality. Priced at about 55-60 TL (right around $10) this line offers a decent quality/price balance and a kicky little label. “Müteşekkir” means “thankful or grateful” in Turkish. Which I suppose we are that for decent wines at a decent price! That is something of a unicorn in Turkey.
Chamlija Müteşekkir Blend 2015 Tasting Notes
The Müteşekkir red blend combined Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot aged for 12 months in French barrique. Bright jewel garnet with a thin, watery rim this wine wants some breathing time. The initial hit of alcohol fumes (15% abv) just about knocked me over. Happily that dissipated fairly quickly allowing red fruit aromas of cherry, raspberry, and strawberry tinged with a spicy, woody/earthy undertone to come through.
Very spicy on the palate with lots of black pepper. More savory than fruity. Soft tannins, medium plus acidity, medium-ish finish…generally overall medium on the body. Nothing earth shattering here but nice.
Chamlija Müteşekkir Pinot Noir 2015 Tasting Notes
Chamlija has several Pinot Noir wines including the Köpek Gülderen, Pinot Noir, the Müteşekkir (of which I failed to take a picture), and the Felix Culpa. I’ve been talking about this one with another Chamlija enthusiast friend. This was not his favorite but I really enjoyed it. Also I was feeling mildly homesick when I opened this so I think the super earthy aromas hit home (I grew up in the middle of nowhere with lots of forest).
The wine began with aromas of moss, blackberries, and wet bark that then opened and revealed sour cherries tinged with black pepper. Elegant and easy in the mouth with 13% abv and 10 months of French oak aging that added roundness and elegance. Flavors of bramble fruit, so very much black pepper, and earth.
Chamlija Müteşekkir Blanc de Blancs 2018 Tasting Notes
My favorite of these three Müteşekkir wines was the blanc de blancs which blended together Alvarinho with Chardonnay and Narince. Star bright, pale, and lemony colored in the glass, this just breathed perfume and fruit. White-fleshed fruits, tree fruits, flint, jasmine, and honeysuckle. Rather a heady perfume for a wine that cost less than 50 TL!
Now for a little tangent…there’s this great German word, spritzig. It translates as everything from lively and zippy to effervescent, tangy, and piquant; but at the same time means all those things at once.
An important tangent because that is exactly what the Chamlija Müteşekkir blanc de blancs is…spritzig. That little tingle at the tip of your tongue when you first sip the wine. After that initial buzz the wine, while overall light-bodied, displays a mid-palate weight and roundness before lingering pleasantly. Fruity and floral with all that good tree fruit and citrus flavors, this paired really nicely with some simple fish and salad. Also not bad for solo sipping…especially if you were on your friend’s terrace with a view as I was!