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LA Wines Passito

 

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To those for whom it’s a surprise that wine is made in Turkey, it will come as an even bigger surprise to learn that all styles of wine are made here. We have all the colors (including amber), dry, off-dry, fully sweet, sparkling, and even fortified. Being a lover of sweet wines myself I’m always on the lookout for a new quality dessert wine. One day I noticed that my wine shop had two different vintages of LA Wine’s Passito on the shelf and though it would be fun to try them side by side.

But first, what is passito wine?

The answer lies in the name. In Italian, “passito” means raisin. As the name suggests, the wine is made from raisins. Grapes, harvested at the height of ripeness, are left to dry for several days to a week until raisined. How they dry often depends on country and producer. Traditionally grapes were laid out on straw mats and left to dry under the sun leading this wine style to also be called ‘straw wine’. Grapes may also be dried on racks or in indoors in humidity-controlled rooms with good air circulation. 

Possibly the most famous versions of passito-method wine come from Italy’s Tuscany and Greece’s Santorini. While different grapes go into the wines, in both places it is known as Vin Santo. These may be the two most well-known versions but are by no means the only. Passito wine is also made in Piemonte and the Veneto in Italy, across Greece and Cyprus, in Australia, Austria, Germany, Croatia, Slovakia, the US, Denmark, France, Spain, South Africa, and the Czech Republic.

In Turkey LA Wines just outside Izmir in Turkey’s Aegean region makes a passito-style wine (obviously!) as does Corvus winery based on the island Bozcaada.

LA Wines Passito 2016 Tasting Notes

LA Wines’ Passito is made from 100% Bornova Misketi. At 15.5% abv, this wine hovers right at the legal limit for wine in Turkey. It began with medium intense aromas of honey, citrus, orange blossom, and rose. Sipping revealed a tangy acidity that was the perfect foil to the sweetness. Flavors echoed the nose with the addition of honey-soaked nuts and citrus pith.

This vintage shows why age is so important to some sweet wines. While still completely lovely, the Passito 2016 didn’t have a lot more flavor than a late harvest Bornova Misketi wine.

LA Wines Passito 2012 Tasting Notes

The 2012 was an entirely different world. Slightly lower alcohol (14%), several shades darker in color, and far more intense. Deep aromas of aged honey, citrus blossom, perfumed flowers, and toasted nuts intoxicated the nose. Citrussy acid complimented an opulent mouthfeel and flavors of orange peel, toast, nuts, and honey.

One of my favorite things to do with sweet wine is to pair with with spicy foods. Generally my go-to is Cajun blackened salmon but for this wine I went with a citrus and Sriracha-based sauce. Just lovely.