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My Favorite Turkish Wines of 2017

2017 was a crazy year. It began with a last minute trip to Iceland where wine is even more expensive than it is in Turkey. Spring was full of whirlwind wine trips to Israel, Georgia, and Greece. This summer after a two-year lapse I went back to the States to see my family in Michigan and Vegas. In the fall I went to Elmali, Turkey to visit a great winery and in December I visited Graz, Austria for the Krampuslauf, Christmas markets, and wine shopping.

In addition to the travel I attended or led a couple dozen wine tastings. Including one on a private yacht on the Bosphorus where I was so sea sick I gave all my notes while gazing at the horizon trying to not hurl.

Some of my travel didn’t work out. I’ve been gearing up for a year to move to Italy to complete my wine education and spend a few years exploring all of Italy’s wine regions. And then I couldn’t get the visa! In the end I’m happy to stay in Turkey. I have a good life here, a lot of wine still to try, and a new

project I’m really excited about.

I tasted a lot of Turkish wine in 2017. They ran the entire gamut from DNPIM to ‘where has this been all my life’?! Below is a list of my favorite Turkish wines that I tried this year (in no particular order). Unfortunately my typing is a lot slower than my drinking so I haven’t posted reviews of all of them. Hardly any if I’m being really honest. If I’ve reviewed it there should be a link to the page but if I hadn’t and you’re curious drop me a line!

Favorite Reds:

1. 7Bilgiler Solon Attica
2. Barbare Ambiance
3. Likya Pinot Meunier
4. Chateau Nuzun 2011
5. Barbare Libra
6. Karnas Zinfandel
7. Gelveri Kalecik Karasi
8. Pasaeli Papazkarasi
9. Trajan Rezerv Kalecik Karası

Favorite Whites:

1. VinAida Grenache Blanc de Noirs
2. Chamlija Blanc de Noirs Fume
3. Vinolus Narince
4. Saranta Chateau Murou Chardonnay
5. Vinkara Hasandede
6. Vino Dessera Kalecik Karası Blanc de Noirs
7. Arda Rezerv Narince
8. Porta Caeli Pacem Sauvignon Blanc
9. Urla Hypnose

Favorite Rosés:

1. Porta Caeli Felici
2. Chateau Nuzun Rose
   

   

Favorite Sweet:

1. Arcadia 333

Favorite Sparking:

1. Suvla Kinali Yapincak
2. Kayra Cameo

I can’t wait to see what there will be to taste in 2018!