Likya Boğazkere Proving Its Ageability
Based in Elmalı, Antalya, Likya is one of Turkey’s few Mediterranean wineries. Run by brothers Burak and Doruk Özkan, Likya’s vineyards sit at an average of 1,100 meters giving the grapes cooling relief from the otherwise hot climate of Antalya.
The Özkan family cultivates a wide variety of grapes including both domestic and international varieties. Likya is currently one of the country’s leaders in resurrecting lost grape varieties like Acıkara, Fersun, and Merzifon Karası. These aren’t the only native varieties the winery cultivates though. Likya’s Narince has been one of my favorite wines from this grape. Boğazkere, Kalecik Karası, and Öküzgözü can also be found in their vineyards.
Today, we’re talking about Likya’s Boğazkere.
Likya Boğazkere 2016 Tasting Notes
The 2016, the younger of the two vintages I’ve had, glowed a lovely jewel-toned purple ruby in the glass. Spicy and fruity, aromas of blue plums, bramble fruit, clove, pepper, and roasted meat rose from the glass. The palate was structured with slightly angular tannins, high acid and bursts of black mulberry and spice flavors.
Full-bodied with 14% abv, this was a wine that could age well for several years.
Likya Boğazkere 2014 Tasting Notes
Aging makes a huge difference with Boğazkere as proven by the difference between the 2016 and the 2014. While I enjoyed both, the 2014 showed off how Boğazkere can develop in the bottle.
Already leaning a little more garnet than ruby, the 2014 still displayed a lot of fruit in the nose but in a richer style. Hints of vanilla highlighted blackberries, currants, fresh and dried sour cherries sprinkled with mahlep and clove surrounded by wafts of saddle leather and puffs of sweet tobacco.
Slightly higher in alcohol (14.1% abv), the couple years in the bottle helped smooth out Boğazkere’s aggressive tannins into a full-bodied but silky wine. Juicy cherries and berry fruits made spicy by cinnamon and clove lingered nicely for a medium and flavorful finish.