Chamlija Thracian Red Blend
The 2013 Chamlija Thracian … where has this been all my life? This, for me, is hands down one of the top wines being produced in Turkey right now and is one of my two absolute favorites here. I’m so overwhelmed by this one that I’m a little at loss for even where to start with this.
Over the summer I visited Chamlija’s tasting restaurant where we had the privilege to do a tasting with founder and owner Mustafa Çamlıca. While we didn’t taste this there, we did discover that Chamlija makes many more wines than I’ve ever found in Istanbul. The best news? They ship! Which is particularly relevant to this wine as I haven’t ever seen it anywhere in the city.
I’m not going to lie-the price tag on the Chamlija Thracian is a little on the steep side; 125TL. However if you order (minimum one case) then you get a 20% discount knocking this down to 100TL. I’ve ordered from Chamlija now three times* I think including at least half a dozen of the Thracian!
The first time I had this I’d brought it out to drink with some friends. They were a little cautious and wanted to make sure that I was happy to open a special bottle with them instead of keeping it for myself. No! Of course I want to share this with friends who appreciate wine! Then I tried and immediately kicked myself for not keeping it back for me! Really though, if you want to impress your friends with an amazing wine (intentionally or not!)
Chamlija Thracian 2013 Tasting Notes
So what makes the Chamlija Thracian so incredible? Magic obviously. Seriously though this blend of 47% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7% Cabernet Franc impresses in the glass with its dark, inky red color. The nose is very complex and the more time you take with it the ore you discover; including: green bell peppers and green peppercorn, chocolate, clove, and smoke.
The palate is…wowza. Absolutely gorgeous, suede-like tannins that are just this side of being grippy. My favorite kind! A strong acidic backbone balances well with the tannins and helps carry the very long finish. This was the 2013 bottled in 2015 and it was amazing. I’m guessing it will age well for another 10 years give or take. I would love to put up a few bottles and compare them in five and then 10 years.
The flavors on the palate are similar to the nose but continue to evolve. In addition to a lot of the nose aromas there is also gun powder, fruit cake, and baking spices. This is an absolutely crazy, amazing wine and I could not more strongly recommend you figure out how to get a bottle of it!
*My goal may be to become a professional wino but I do just want to put out it out there that not all 36 bottles have been for me!