Ergenekon Regius Cabernet Syrah
Wine writer turned winery owner Şeyla Ergenekon and winemaker husband Çağatay cultivate organic grapes on the Gallipoli Peninsula. There they concentrate on French varieties including two of the most popular and widely planted grapes in Turkey: Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.
Ergenekon produces varietal wines of each of these grapes under the label Singularis. The Regius brings together these two grapes for the winery’s trifecta of premium labels.
Ergenekon Regius 2013 Tasting Notes
For the Regius, Çağatay aged his Cabernet and Syrah in a combination of French and American oak for 16 months. In Turkey, where the temptation to use lots and lots of new oak has prevailed for years, Çağatay’s deftness with oak serves to support, round, and highlight the fruit rather than drown it. Thanks to the proximity to several large bodies of water and the effect of constant coastal breezes; Ergenekon also manages moderate alcohol levels (13.5% abv for this one) despite the heat on the peninsula.
Deep aromas of chocolate, cocoa powder, earthy mushroom, cooked and dried fruits, and spices swirled around in the glass. Sipping revealed structured tannins and a firm acidity. Drinking the Ergenekon Regius brought back so many memories from my childhood of walking through the woods after a fall rain. Damp, earthy, freshly picked morel mushrooms, and coming home to hot cocoa made with bitter Dutch cocoa powder.