Nif Vineyards Bornova Misketi
Nif Vineyards outside Izmir is owned an operated by the Özcan family. The powerhouse behind the winery is Gaye Özcan who spearheaded the winery’s start up while still in her early 20’s. When Gaye started planning the winery, the good old boys’ club of the Turkish wine industry told her she had to plant Cabernet and Merlot. Without a Bordeaux-blend she could not achieve success. Her response: she planted Sangiovese.
Gaye’s approach to Bornova Misketi has been similar. Bornova Misketi belongs to the Muscat family. It’s origin is the district of Bornova,
near Izmir (hence its name). With its inherit rose garden floral aromas and the high levels of sugar the grapes develop under the hot Aegean sun, this grape was born to make sweet wine. But not at Nif Vineyards. Over the last few years, dry wine made with Bornova Misketi has gained popularity and Nif has been at the forefront.
Nif Vineyards Bornova Misketi 2016 Tasting Notes
So a dry Muscat? What’s that like? In this case aromatic and clean with perfume and power. Like its sweet cousins it unfolds aromas of rose, lime leaf, candied orange rind, and ripe summer peaches. With 14% abv (I did say it’s hot and sunny in this region!) the wine has a full body with a slightly oily feeling offset by racy acid. Citrus, juicy peach, roses, and orange blossom flavors linger long but a slightly metallic finish lets you down a little at the end.
One of the things I really like about dry Bornova Misket is how food-friendly it is. This pairs beautifully with some of Turkey’s artisanal hard goat cheeses, spicy Thai food, and tropical fruits. I drank this with chicken breast baked in a passion fruit-pineapple sauce.