Kayraklı Şarapçılık Asarcık Roussanne Marsanne
This is the first review I’ve done for this winery. And while I’ve now had a couple few of their wines, I still don’t know what to call the winery. Is it Kayraklı Şarapçılık (as indicated by the URL)? Asarcık Şarap or Asarcık Bağları (both of which are on the website)? No idea, so I’m throwing them all up here.
Whatever its name is, the winery is based in the Muğla district of the Aegean. Founder Orhan Kayraklı planted his organically farmed vines in the Asarcık valley between the Bozdurun and Selimiye villages. The vines, completely surrounded by mountainous terrain, grow at 250 meters. Continuous winds cool the valley making it 4-5 Celsius degrees cooler than the areas around it and contribute to significant diurnal temperature swings. Slate and gravel overlay layers of limestone and clay and the vines grow without irrigation.
The wines have been available in regional wine shops for a year or more but only recently have migrated to Istanbul. And they’re expensive. Kayraklı Şarapçılık is part of the club of new wineries that have no history or reputation behind them, but charges ridiculous prices. Their wines average 250 TL each which is why I haven’t ever bought them before. I managed to get a couple bottles at a discounted rate. Of the two white wines available, a Chardonnay and Roussanne Marsanne blend, I went with the latter.
Kayraklı Şarapçılık Asarcık Roussanne Marsanne Reserve, 2019
The blend, 55% Roussanne, 45% Marsanne, aged in French oak for about eight months.
Intense lemony yellow in the glass and initially very fruity. Anjou pears and golden apples with vanilla and white rose petals. A little swirling released rich honeysuckle and honeycomb aromas. Broad on the palate with sneaky, mouthwatering acidity. Medium-bodied with 13.7% abv. Medium intense flavors that reflected the nose pretty well. Very floral with roses, pear, and bruised apple peel.
Was it nice? Sure. Not my cup of tea as I thought the oak was a little overt, but objectively nice. My main complaint was how over priced it was for what it was.