From Ancient Nymphaion to Nif Bağları
I was lucky enough to recently be invited to a tasting of Nif Bağları wines at Foxy Nişantaşı. As my focus tends to land on the wineries that work more vigorously with native grapes, some wineries, like Nif, often fall to the fringes of my drinking and writing. I therefore especially enjoyed this opportunity of returning to Nif’s wines.
It was somehow only at this tasting that I learned why the winery is called Nif. I certainly have wondered (!) and cannot believe I never thought to ask. The winery is located in Kemalpaşa, İzmir. But, as with many cities in Turkey, the area has a much older name. During Hellenistic and medieval times, the city went by Nymphaion (Νύμφαιον). A winter palace (apparently there are some well-preserved ruins) became a favorite residence of Nicaean emperors during the 13th century which caused the city to rise to prominence during the late Byzantine times. Through this association with the Nicaean court, Nymphaion evolved into a center of both politics and religion, becoming an archbishopric. It was also a stronghold against the advancing Turks. Not, apparently, a very good stronghold though as it fell to the Turkish Bey of Saruhan in 1315. Under Turkish rule, the town’s name changed to Nif and then more recently to its current Kemalpaşa, in honor of Mustafa Kemal Paşa. 
Geographically, Kemalpaşa, and by extension Nif Bağları, sits about 45 kilometers east (and ever so slightly north) of İzmir on a fertile plain between the Nif Mountains and the Manisa Mountains. While the Nif Mountains peak out at 1510 meters, the winery’s vineyards lay at around 250-300 meters elevation. The municipality has a largely homogenous clayey-calcareous soil makeup with a largely typical Mediterranean climate and average rainfall of 1050 mm.
Nif Bağları’s labels have undergone a fantastic redesign over the last few years. One by one, the single varietal wine labels have changed to feature various characters. These nymphs (for which Nymphaion was named) represent both the beauty of nature and its spirituality. Protectors of forests, rivers, mountains, trees, and so forth, they also symbolize respect for the powers of nature and the need to protect it.
Nif Bağları The White
I have always found Nif’s upper segment white wines to be lovely, something this tasting only confirmed.
Nif Bağları Solaris, 2024
Developed in Germany in 1975, Solaris is a hybrid grape. Now, get ready for the geeky bits. Its parents are Merzling (itself a hybrid) and the sexy sexy grape, Gm 6493, itself a crossing of a crossing of Zarya Severa and Muscat Ottonel. Solaris was created for those cold European regions where the sun doesn’t shine so much. In addition to Germany, wineries in the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, and Belgium plant it. Nif is not the only winery in Turkey working with it, but it was the first (and still the best in my opinion).
However much I have enjoyed the Nif Bağları Solaris in the past, this new 2024 vintage has blown all previous vintages right out of the water! I think what has given this harvest an edge is that the winery harvested the grape early, in the first week of July. Solaris is already an early-ripening grape and Kemalpaşa’s Mediterranean climate is a far cry from the cold climate for which this grape was intended. Picking it even earlier gave the wine an unprecedented acidity level in addition to the aromatic bergamot, quince, yellow apple, and floral notes.
Absolutely fantastic.
Nif Bağları Bornova Misketi
Nif Bağları was one of the first wineries to debut a dry Bornova Misketi, and remains one of the wineries doing it the best. Like its sweet cousins it unfolds flavors of rose, lime leaf, candied orange rind, and ripe summer peaches, underpinned by a vibrant acidity that is best appreciated on the back palate along with a citrus and orange blossom finish.
Nif Bağları Aegean Beyaz
The Aegean Beyaz blends together three grapes: Viognier, Narince, and Solaris. Ripe pear and rich tropical-melon fruit complimented by splashes of pink grapefruit and a bouquet of white flowers and fresh mint sprang from the glass. On the palate, more citrusy than the nose with dashes of grated lime zest and juice. Overall less rich and intense than the nose would want you to believe but still with all those fruit and floral flavors. A touch of weight from the Viognier and Narince nicely balanced by a kiss of citrusy acidity.
Nif Bağları The Rosés
While I have had pretty much all Nif wines at one point or another, I’ve never tried any of the rosés. We know how I feel about rosé! But I really appreciated this opportunity to try two of them.
Nif Bağları Aegean Blush
Nif’s Aegean series has three wines, all blends. The previous white, this rosé, and a red (see below). The Aegean Blush is a 50/50 blend of Sangiovese and Kalecik Karası. One whiff and I knew there must be some Kalecik Karası in here, even before we heard about the wine. Clear cotton candy notes. Following the cotton candy came red fruits and wild strawberry with a sense of olive on the finish. Medium-bodied and a little fat up front with the acidity making itself known more on the back palate.
Nif Bağları Rosé
Like all of the…shall we call them face labels? Personality labels? Which are fantastic, I think. The rosé is a varietal wine, 100% Montepulciano. Italian grapes have not caught on in Turkey as much as have French grapes, but Nif is one of the few leaning pretty hard into them with both Sangiovese and Montepulciano.
Expressive with red fruits, raspberry, cherry, and citrus. Candied on the palate. Lively acidity and structure on the palate. I didn’t catch what we were told about maceration time. It cannot have been long given the relatively pale color of the wine, but with something as tannic as Montepulciano, I think even a direct press would be slightly tannic.
Nif Bağları The Reds
The combination of my general preference for white wines, coupled with the aforementioned focus on native grapes means that I don’t drink a lot of red from Nif. Again, fantastic opportunity to have a look at this selection of upper selection wines from them.
Nif Bağları Aegean Kırmızı
I’ve really only ever had the Nif Bağları Aegean beyaz, so it was particularly fun to taste the entire Aegean line. As with the white and rosé, the red is a blend. In this case Shiraz (50%), Sangiovese (I think 30%), and Montepulciano. 
Rich chocolatey notes gave way to red fruits, vanilla, and a little smokiness. Rich and round on the palate. There’s no subtlety happening here. It’s a perfectly fine, if obvious red wine. However, like all the wines in this line, the price/performance balance is really quite decent.
Nif Bağları Sangiovese
This 100% Sangiovese was crafted from vineyards originally established by the winery founder’s grandfather, Ahmet bey. If I understood correctly, the “nymph” on this label is a representation of Ahmet bey, which is just charming.
The wine aged for nine months in new French oak. The newness of which was quite apparent on the nose with heavy aromas of chocolate-covered red fruits, potpourri, and a hint of olive. Dry with dusty tannins, firm acidity, and much lighter on the palate than the 14% alcohol would indicate. Juicy black cherry, black tea, vanilla rounded out the palate with more chocolate on the finish.
Nif is one of the very few wineries working with Sangiovese. Perhaps their biggest competition comes from Urla-based winery Mozaik. Other examples here of Sangiovese have been far less successful.
Nif Bağları Shiraz
Shiraz the most planted grape in Nif’s vineyards, followed apparently by Solaris.
Nif’s 100% Shiraz spent eight months in (likely new) oak. Deeply colored with aromas of dried plum, blackberry, blackberry, spice, and vanilla. Sipping revealed additional flavors of black olive and notes of eucalyptus. Some decent tannin on the palate with juicy acidity.
I got a lot of olive from their rosés and reds. Consequence of the number of olive groves scattered across the Aegean province?
Nif Bağları Reserve Montepulciano
After looking back through my old posts about Nif, I realized that I hadn’t had their Montepulciano since the 2013 vintage! Partially again because I prefer whites/native grapes and partially because, over the last few years, the cost of this particular wine has risen to rather remarkable heights. Nif doesn’t make its reserve Montepulciano every year apparently, only in particularly good harvest years and even then, at very low quantities. This 2019 resulted in a mere (+/-) 500 bottles.
Aged 20 months in (French) oak with some additional bottle ageing prior to release, the wine poured a deep, dark purple-ruby. Lots of vanilla and chocolate-enrobed fruit, especially blackberry and plum. Big tannins, just this side of chewy. If that’s your speed (I do love a chewy tannin myself) drink this now but it could wait a few more years. Bright, lively acidity on the palate keeping the black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors fresh and juicy.
Overall, I find the upper segment whites from Nif are always successful. The rosés are not to my taste but they’re decently made. The reds would be better, in my opinion, if there were less (or no) new oak.
Interested in Nif Bağları? Check out all my previous posts about the winery!
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