Your January 2024 Turkish Wine Horoscope
January 1, 2024 6Amber Wine, Articles, Orange Wine, Red Wine, Rose Wine, Sparkling Wine, Sweet Wine, Turkish Wine, White Wine
So, 2023 is now behind us. Not such a bad year, all things considered. Although there’s always hope that the future will be better and brighter. Whether or not you make resolutions, take some time as we say goodbye to the year to reflect on the lessons you learned and how you might apply them and do and be better in 2024.
Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
January’s winter nights are cold and dark, the perfect place for shadows of the past to lurk and taunt you. Embrace the discomfort of facing them head-on. Remember that the wounds you carry are not your identity, but they way you deal with them is. Allow yourself to feel the exhilarating energy of second chances and dive into the unknown of the new year with courage. 
The wine for you …
To help counter that darkness, look for a bottle of 7Bilgeler Herekleitous to start your year. This blend of Chardonnay and Emir seems at first blush to be an unlikely partnership, but it’s clean and bright and really easy to drink.
Likely places to find this will be Casa Botti, Dekante, Grape Wine Boutique, İyi Şarap, Mensis Mahzen, etc.
Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
Your past is the canvas on which you paint your future.
Hopes and dreams that have crumbled or fallen to the wayside are not lost, merely shifting and taking on new shapes. Use the opening of the new year as a door through and cross the threshold into a new world filled with refined aspirations and a greater sense of who you are and the direction in which you want to travel.
The wine for you …
If you’re lucky enough to have visited Karnas Winery in Bodrum, you’d never guess that owner Selva İşmen has seen her own dreams crumble a time or two. Well, actually, in Selva’s case her dream didn’t crumble so much as blow up. Literally. Her first attempt at winemaking exploded all over her kitchen. Luckily, there’s little chance of any of her wines doing that now! Take inspiration from her and start your year with a bottle of Karnas Zinfandel.
Not always super easy to find but you can ask at Mensis Mahzen (Ali usually has it), Comedus, Dekante, possibly La Cave etc.
Aries (March 21 – April 19)
This month will bring you new connections. Some may become an integral part of your life while others provide passing assistance to bolster your 2024 journey. Put away any skepticism and welcome these connections with open arms. They are there for you to lean on when you don’t have all the information you need.
The wine for you …
Thanks to her willingness to lean on experts when she was beginning, Zeynep Arca Şallıel created a winery that leans into the diverse soil types left after centuries of washing off the Strandja Massif. Her Arcadia Odrysia Narince was one of the first truly Thracian Narince wines. Just try to find something no older than the 2019…
Find this at Mensis Mahzen, La Cave, Iyi Sarap, Casa Botti seems likely as does Dekante, I think larger Macro Centers will have this (and soon in Texas!!).
Taurus (April 20 – May 20)
You will greet the new year with a combination of excited energy and anticipatory jitters. Use these forces to propel yourself into the next phase along your path to achieving your life goals. Keep fast the knowledge that each day is fresh with no mistakes in it. That will be the key to allow your vibrant energy to shine every day and carry you throughout the year.
The wine for you …
You need a wine that matches your energy Taurus. Pop open a bottle of Kayra Buzbağ Rezerv Emir Narince. Vibrant acidity, a lovely melding of the fruits and flowers offered by Narince and Emir, this is a wine that may well become a go-to for your 2024!
Happily for you, it’s easy to find! Pretty widely available at places like Macro Center (probably also Migros), Carrefour, tekels, wine shops…and, as least before the new taxes, was a pretty reasonable price too!
Gemini (May 20 – June 20)
Mounting tension and inner turmoil will force you eventually into a confrontation with past losses and hurts. Don’t wait for it to erupt beyond your control but take January as the opportunity to leave behind all the bad you couldn’t rid yourself of during 2023. Usher out hopelessness because through grieving, recovery, and self-compassion, you’re forging a stronger foundation for your path forward.
The wine for you …
The last thing you need is a super complicated wine you need to worry about breathing or pairing. You just want to open the bottle and drink. Hunt down a bottle of Akberg Büyük Bağ Papazkarası. Juicy and fresh with fruit, spice, and perfume, this Aegean winery presents a different side of this native Thracian grape.
Not always easy to find but Grand Cru definitely carries Akberg’s wines, Solera has a number of them, Grape Wine Spirits Boutique has carried them in the past…
Cancer (June 21 – July 22)
If you make any resolutions this year, let it be this one: no more avoiding critical issues that lead to stagnation and resentment. Let this be your wake up call to stop burying hurts, resentments, and problems and start confronting conflicts head-on by engaging in proper conversation. 
The wine for you …
Maybe you’re not a rosé-hater but, if you are, consider exploring pink wines your bonus new year’s resolution and begin with the Doluca Signium Pinot Noir rosé. Beautifully crafted, it’s a heftier, more “serious” rosé that could change any rosé detractors mind!
This shouldn’t be overly difficult to find. Macro Center probably has it, I’ve seen it at La Cave, Casa Botti and Dekante are likely…
Leo (July 23 – August 22)
It’s time to get things in order, Leos! Streamline, declutter and organize the chaos – in whatever part of your life where that’s needed. It might be literal – maybe have a closet purge or downsize your possessions. But it could also be something you need to do internally in order to pave the way for personal transformation. Whichever it is, approach this period with purpose and intention to help yourself create a more navigable path for the year ahead.
The wine for you …
So the only thing you should not downsize is your wine collection! I mean, obviously. One you should add in January is the Saranta Chateau Murou Cabernet Franc. Saranta used to make this wine and it was one of the best Cabernet Francs in Turkey (imo). But then it disappeared. I can only assume that they winery lost access to the grapes it was using. However, the wine is back and there is rejoicing in the land!
You might try for this one at places like Mensis Mahzen and Dekante, they both often carry quite a few wines from Saranta. But Online Mahzen for sure has it. It also has the best price.
Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
The start of the year will see you filled with vibrant energy, infusing more play and pleasure into life. Engage in creative outlets to prevent work burnout—they’ll be a vital part of your healing journey. Embrace the joy of a creative practice that helps you restore and replenish. Remember that the point is to get creative, not about being good at whatever you choose to do. By integrating fun and passion into your routine, you’re nurturing your well-being and fostering a sustainable, fulfilling approach to life.
The wine for you …
Infusing more playfulness and energy into your life will be easy this month with the Tasheli Gök Orange wine. Even if you’re not a huge fan of amber wines, please give this one a try. Tasheli has come a long way since it first debuted this wine and it’s really enjoyable. Drink it closer to room temperature than not. Too cold and you won’t taste anything.
Try Casa Botti, Grape Wine Boutique, Mensis Mahzen, and Solera (for sure here) among other places for this one.
Libra (September 23 – October 22)
It’s a time for homebound activities! Begin the new year with a period of re-nesting and revamp your physical space. Once done, move onto nurturing your relationships with family and friends. While the Christmas season is, for many, very family-focused, it’s also a super hectic time and many get so caught up in doing all the things that they don’t actually have the time to connect with family. With a fresh feeling at home and the mad rush of the holiday season behind you, you can approach your relationships, and the new year, with a clean and open heart.
The wine for you …
A fresh clean wine is a great opener to a fresh clean heart! Plus if you haven’t had Asmandan’s Vals Macabeo Narince yet, you’re totally missing out. Lots of nice acidity, some zingy flavors from the Macabeo lifting Narince’s weight…this goes down well as an aperitif, with food, and on it’s own.
I still haven’t seen it in tons of places but for sure Solera and Online Mahzen (best price there) have it. I think also Casa Botti, Dekante, possibly Grape Wine Spirits Boutique…
Scorpio (October 23 – November 22)
Many look at the new year as a chance to start fresh, with the past erased. However, for you Scorpio, this year begins with nostalgia. Reconnect with the people in your local communities; rediscover old friends, get in touch with your cousins, and revisit childhood haunts. Rekindle the magic of familiar places and reanimate your daily commute. Incorporate these small joys to infuse your everyday life with a sense of delight and breathe new life into your daily routines.
The wine for you …
You need to fight past your own hard exoskeleton this month to better reconnect with people. So for you, a sweet wine to help put you in a softer frame of mind. Go out and get yourself a bottle of the Sevilen Late Harvest (Bornova Misketi). Now, if you’re hesitant about sweet wines remember, a) this will live for ages as long as you keep it corked and well refrigerated and b) pairing sweet wines is SO MUCH FUN! Desserts? Pfsht. Try spicy food, savory foods, blue cheeses…in fact, top those ginger yaprak biscuits with some blue cheese and a sip of this.
Look for it at La Cave, Mensis Mahzen, again possibly Dekante, maybe? Macro Center?
Sagittarius (November 23 – December 22)
Particularly after the crazy gift-buying spree of Christmas and New Year, it’s time for you to gain control of your finances, Sagittarius. But this year is about more than just not overspending. Gain control by improving your financial literacy. Knowledge is power. And because not many of us understand the ins and outs of financial gobbledygook, consider seeking professional guidance. By expanding your financial knowledge and leveraging expert support, you’re equipping yourself to make informed, confident choices. This journey towards financial empowerment sets the stage for a more secure and fulfilling future.
The wine for you …
Happily the Kuzeybağ Kösetevek won’t stretch your bank or brain too much. And you get the pleasure of also supporting the really cool people behind it including the adorable Hayrı amca and my friends Tina and Sinan. I recently tried one of the newer vintages and have to say that I like it better each year.
Get this from places like Mensis Mahzen, Casa Botti, Rind, Santé Wine & More, and elsewhere.
Capricorn (December 23 – January 19)
Capricorns, begin this new year by taking time in January for some internal reflection. Engage in practices that nourish your spirit—movement, arts, meditation—anything that feels like a conversation with your core sense of self. Use these tools to release any past weight to which you cling (consciously or not) and to set healthy practices for the year ahead. 
The wine for you …
This is one I actually need to try (again) for myself as I’m curious how the second vintage went. The Yaban Kolektif Sungurlu Pét-Nat is a lightly fizzy wine that will nourish your palate and your spirit!
Find this one for sure at La Cave and Mensis Mahzen (definitely less expensive at Mensis), probably also Casa Botti, Dekante, Grape Wine Spirits Boutique, and Santé Wine & More.
Please Help Turkey and Syria!
Turkey and Syria are still in desperate need of help after the horrific earthquakes that have decimated large areas of Turkey’s south east and northern Syria, please consider donating to one of the relief efforts if you are able:
- Animal rights organization Haytap is helping animals affected by the earthquake, and displaced people who need a place to stay with their pets. Other animal-focused groups such as Dört Ayaklı Şehir (Four-Legged City) and Work Animals Rescue Foundation, are also helping farm animals, street animals, and pets.
- Donate to civil society groups working on the ground to provide immediate relief and medium- to long-term recovery to survivors via UK-based Turkey Mozaik Foundation or US-based Turkish Philanthropy Funds.
- Donate to the volunteer response being carried out in Turkey by the trusted, independent NGOs İhtiyaç Haritası (Needs Map) or Ahbap.
- Hayata Destek (Support to Life), is a Turkish NGO experienced in providing humanitarian relief and working with underserved communities.
- World Central Kitchen provides funds and food to those still living in tents in the affected areas.
- To support rescue efforts in Syria, donate to White Helmets and SAMS.
- Field Ready Türkiye (Sahaya Hazır İnovasyon Derneği) is a team of engineers working in Gaziantep, Turkey, and northwest Syria who make cheap, low-tech airbags for search and rescue from buildings which have collapsed. “If we move fast they can make more,” a good friend who previously worked with the team writes. “The workshops in Syria also have vast experience of fixing essential medical equipment, and making insulated shelters – both greatly needed right now”