Varietal Wines from Öküzgözü Şarapçılık Phokaia
Öküzgözü Şarapçılık outside Izmir is one of those curious cases we see occasionally here. It is both a bulk and a boutique winery. The bulk wine generally gets shipped straight off to meyhanes and wedding halls. Rarely, if ever, can you find it commercially. Rarely, if ever, would you want to .
A few years ago winery owner Rıfat Şekerdil turned his attention towards a more quality-driven approach to winemaking. With the bulk side of the winery generating enough profit to cover all the winery’s operations, Şekerdil set aside his better vineyards to to grow better fruit. In the winery, he employed gentler methods and invested in oak barrels for aging. The result, Divamis Bornova Misketi (one of my favorite Misket wines), Öküzgözü 1970, and the Phokaia series.
The series takes its name from the area where his vineyards lay: Foça. An area which also gives its name to the native grape Foça Karası with which Öküzgözü Şarapçılık also makes wine. The Phokaia series includes also single varietal wines from international grapes and blends of native and international grapes. For this post, I want to look at the varietal wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Viognier.
I especially like the labels (and cork imprints) for this series. The design nods at both the coastal’s city’s history as well as its dedication to marine life preservation. Foça is home to one of three protected marine areas in Turkey established to preserve endangered marine animals.
Phokaia Cabernet Sauvignon, 2016
That it poured only a medium opaque ruby was my first hint that this was not going to be a typical in your face bold Cabernet. With only a limited amount of oak ageing on it, the vanilla and sweet spice influences were largely absent. The nose had much more fruit-forward character with intense forest berry and plum accompanied by herbal and earthy aromas. The palate, dry and medium-bodied with medium acidity and 14.5% abv, likewise lead with fruit. Tart fruits in this case with the taste of fresh blueberries bursting on the tongue. Fresh herbs and peppery arugula lingered on the medium finish. Quite pleasant up until then but the wine did have a bitter aftertaste.
Phokaia Merlot, 2016
The Phokaia Merlot had a similarly fruity, but wildly different profile. Bright ruby color in the glass with a watery purple rim. Here, intensely earthy aromas of raw wood, freshly turned earth, and moss laid over forest berries on the nose. Medium-bodied with 14% abv and medium plus acidity, the Merlot presented round, pillowy tannins. Forest fruits, blueberry, and plum gave way to tobacco and clove flavors.
Phokaia Viognier, 2018
The popularity of Viognier grows year by year in Turkey and Şekerdil cashed in on it in 2019 with his first release of a Viognier wine. A pretty hay color on the pour with rich aromas of peach and peach mixed with perfumed white flowers.
Similarly high in alcohol (14% abv) the palate, dry and medium-bodied nonetheless achieved a decent balance with the alcohol. Although I found the acidity to be on the aggressive side. Dry, round, and creamy, palate flavors reflected the aromas found on the nose pretty faithfully with the addition of fresh citrus on the slightly oily finish.