Chateau Nuzun and the Karasıs You Don’t Know
Even before my obsession enthusiasm for Turkish wine began, I knew the name Chateau Nuzun. I knew it as the closest winery to Istanbul and that it made wine with organic grapes. Neither of those things have changed. However, I now know a little bit more about the winery and the phenomenal woman, Nazan Uzun, behind it.
Before organic viticulture reached its current level of popularity in Turkey, Nazan farmed organically. The majority of her vineyards give a home to international grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, and tiny amounts of Zinfandel and the native Öküzgözü. At few years ago, at the inaugural Kök Köken Toprak conference, Nazan proved that her role as one of (if not the) first certified organic grape farmers is not the only way she distinguishes herself.
Selvi Karası and Çatal Karası
Even a casual Turkish wine drinker will have familiarity with a few ‘something’ Karası grapes names. Names such as Kalecik Karası or Çalkarası at the very least. But Selvi Karası and Çatal Karası? Maybe not so much.
Research on these two grapes is in early stages. When Chateau Nuzun sent some Selvi Karası to Ankara for DNA, it matched nothing in the current database so they received permission to name it. Together with the local villagers, from whom the winery got their vines, they settled on “Selvi Karası,” Selvi being the old name for the village (currently Çeşmeli). Çatal Karası, while native, is not local. However, it also had found its way to the village and now into Chateau Nuzun’s vineyards.
The winery uses these in one blend, and in 2019, also added Çatal Karası to its dark rosé.
Chateau Nuzun Selvi Karası Çatal Karası, 2015
To begin, can we walk about what a fantastic label this is??
The wine spent about 12 months ageing in oak. Likely a higher percentage of French vs American oak based on what I know about the cellar at Chateau Nuzun. It poured garnet with a wide, pale rim.
Chateau Nuzun’s red wines, regardless of grape variety, all have a distinctive earthy/animal tang to the nose which was the first thing that greeted me here. Lots of dried savory and mint heaped on black cherry and fig, liberally spiced with clove and Red Hots cinnamon candy.
Sipping revealed a medium-bodied wine with bright acidity, moderate alcohol (12%), and a silky texture that caressed the tongue with savory-spicy flavors. Fresh fig from the nose turned into fig jam accompanied by spicy clove and cinnamon, a sprinkle of dried rosemary, and aged wood.
Very interesting. As far as I have found, the 2015 is the only vintage out and about. I hope to see more of this and see how the wine changes as Chateau Nuzun gets a better idea of what these grapes are capable of producing.
Not easy to find! But Rind in Moda is the best place to look.