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Karasakız Taking Center Stage in Turkey

 

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While neither new nor lost, Karasakız has long been underappreciated. For a long time, there was only Suvla (which still explores the most expressions of the grape, Paşaeli, and the producers on Bozcaada making wine under the grape’s alternate name, Kuntra. Recently, something seems to have changed and love for Karasakız fills the air. 

Also called ‘Kuntra’ the Karasakız (kar-ah-sah-kiz) grape is the oldest grape variety grown on the island of Bozcaada. Records show it growing here for at least 500 years. It likes a warmer climate and, in addition to Bozcaada, also grows on the southern part of the Gallipoli Peninsula, in the Bayramiç District of the Çanakkale Province in Anatolia, and the Sea of Marmara island, Avşa. On Bozcaada, the grape is known exclusively as Kuntra. Here, where high winds can severely damage grapes and grape leaves, vines grow in head-trained, goblet bushes to protect the grapes. New plantings on the the Gallipoli Peninsula are trellis-trained, but in Bayramiç, most plantings are old, 30 years and more, and also grow in bushes.

The medium-sized, round berries achieve a deep, purple-blue color when fully ripe. They grow in heavy, multi-lobed bunches. Karasakız grapes generally produce earthy and spicy medium-bodied wines with low tannins and medium acidity. Black pepper is often the dominant flavor along with red fruits like cherry and strawberry, dried fruits, purple flowers, earth, and resinous herbs like thyme.

In order to explore all that Karasakız has to offer, you really have to come to Turkey. Very limited amounts of this are exported (but I have hope that will change soon). If you’re already here, where do you start? 

Heraki Akuarela Karasakız, 2022

Part of Heraki’s Akuarela series, Fulya and Jose source their Karasakız from 35 year-old, dry farmed bush vines in the sandy loam soils of Bayramıç. Grapes macerate for 15-16 days, ferment in stainless steel, and age in plastic egg-shaped tanks. 

This and the Yaban Kolektif (also made by Jose) are the palest of the Karasakız wines. Practically transparent but with the inner glow of a good ruby gem. A silky wine with an earthy character, with notes of red fruits like raspberry, red currants, and young cherries liberally sprinkled with spicy black pepper. Low tannins but well-structured with firm acidity and 13.5% alcohol.

Yaban Kolektif Karasakız, 2021

The grapes for this wine came from 35 year old vines from Çavuşlu Köyü in the Bayramiç district of Çanakkale. They fermented in 500 liter amphora and aged therein seven months before bottling. (Mainland) Karasakız never produces a particularly opaque or darkly colored wine, but this was possibly the palest I have seen. Brilliant, clear ruby that you can see right through. 

The color pay have been pale but that was the only thing about this wine that was! Just wow. A snout full of freshly cracked black pepper hit right at the top of the glass followed by red fruits and earth. More fruit evident on the palate with pomegranate and red currants wrapped like silk around a strong acidic backbone, decorated with pepper, savory herbs, and earthy goodness. 

Paşaeli 6N Karasakız, 2019

Overtly aromatic. Floral aromas of lilac and violet leap out of the glass followed by waves of plum and blackberry, nutmeg, bay leaf, and black pepper. On the palate it’s medium-bodied and silky with vibrant acidity. Juicy fruit flavors of tart red currants and sour cherry accented by hints of the flowers sensed in the nose and kissed with a dash of black pepper.

The Old Vines 6N Karasakız is a limited bottling. If you cannot find this one anywhere, you might have better luck with the other 6N wine from Paşaeli. Immediately distinguishable from this one by having a blue slash (rather than gold) across the 6N, it blends Karasakız with a small amount of Merlot. You can read my review of that here.

Limitedly available in the US.

7Bilgeler Vindemia Rüzgar Karasakız, 2022

For years, 7Bilgeler focused entirely on international grapes. Over the last handful of years, the winery has slowly added native grapes with Karasakız being the most recent addition. Like most wineries, rather than growing the grapes where the winery sits (Selçuk), 7Bilgeler brings in the grapes from Bayramıç. The plot they work with contains 35 year-old bush vines growing in sandy loam with pockets of clay. 

The wine poured a pale ruby (but not as pale as the previous three) with aromas of dried poppy, red cherry,  raspberry, olive, and stable all mixed with what I imagine an herbal would smell like (as in the place where plants and flowers are dried vs herbs on their own). 7Bilgeler’s label makes no mention of oak, but I found a layer on the palate that took my mind in that direction. Cherry and wild raspberry with black pepper and spicy cinnamon, but also sweet baking spices and a lushness to the texture that suggested oak or possibly even overripe fruit.

Asmadan Bağban Karasakız, 2020

The grapes for this wine come from “old” goblet vines-miş. The label doesn’t give any actual information aside from that claim. However, given the area where these grapes grow, the fact that they are bush vines (which new plantings usually are not), there’s a good chance that they vines are at least 30 years old.

The wine spent 10 months in French oak and, having retasted this since my original review, I have reversed my opinion about the amount of oak on the wine. For me, I think it’s too much and, while it does not go so far as to overwhelm the grape, it adds too much of its own character. The aromas veer from earth and fruit with woody herbs, red fruit, sour cherry, pomegranate leaf, and damp forest earth. The palate of the translucent garnet-red wine offered everything the nose promised and more. Sour cherry and black tea with earthy detail, notes of nutmeg, other sweet spices, a dash of vanilla, and a faint dusting of black pepper. Delicate tannins hit at the back of the palate while moderate alcohol (13%) and medium acidity contributed to the wine’s overall medium body.

Suvla Blush Karasakız, 2022

As far as I know, this is the only rosé made with Karasakız. While I don’t love all of Suvla’s wines (not even all the Karasakız wines), I appreciate the way they’ve flexed this grape to see what it can do.

Ballet slipper pink with aromas of thyme, lemon, grapefruit, cranberry, and currant. Nice bright acidity is the first thing to greet the palate. Medium-bodied with 13% abv and a mid and back palate weight. Flavors start out with lemony-grapefruit citrus before transitioning to red fruits with a connecting thread of white pepper. Decent linger. 

These are by no means the only wines make with Karasakız! As I mention, Suvla does a huge range including the rosé, a red, a reserve, a grand reserve, three traditional method sparkling wines, and a sweet. Paşaeli experimented with making a red pét-nat, and there are a few emerging wineries also working with it.