Online Bornova Misketi Taste Along
A few years ago I started offering monthly wine tasting events out of my apartment. Focusing on Turkish wine, I used these not only to introduce other people to how good Turkish wine can but, but also to train myself and expand my own wine knowledge. And then in March the whole world shut its doors. My daily life didn’t change much, I already work from home. But social distancing and self isolation became standard. I canceled my scheduled tasting and retreated to my wine room with my cat.
But I missed the tastings! They’re so much work and physically exhausting. Also it’s a pain to hand wash six dozen wine glasses. But they are so much fun. Thanks to many of the sommeliers and wine enthusiasts who quickly moved to online tastings; I also learned how to run an online tasting. Of course, it’s not the same. However, it is still fun and I have far, far fewer glasses to wash at the end of the night!
I cannot arrange wine for tasters like many of the international professionals can. So I choose a broad theme, focusing now on individual Turkish grapes. I post the wines I will open for myself and “attendees” try to buy one of those or another wine made from the theme grape. It’s great really when they get a wine off my list because it gives them the chance to present their wine to the group.
My first tasting featured Bornova Misketi and below are the wines I featured.
Öküzgözü Şarapçılık Divamis, 2017
Like many Turkish grapes, Bornova Misketi’s name is inspired by its location of origin. In this case, the town of Bornova outside Izmir in Turkey’s Aegean. Cultivation of this grape has spread across the country with the highest concentration being in the Aegean province of Denizli. However, there is one winery still located close to Bornova and growing grapes there: Öküzgözü Şarapçılık.
Alcohol: 13.8% abv
Color: medium gold-straw
Nose: Highly floral and tropical with plumeria, daisies, chamomile, white fruits, pineapple, pear, and flint.
Palate: Dry with a medium body and citrussy acidity. Flavors similar to those sensed on the nose with melon and nectarine fruit ending in a medium-short finish with a musky back breath. I think this is the most exotically flavored Bornova Misketi we have and it is always a favorite with me.
Nif Bağları Bornova Misketi, 2018
Located deeper inland in the Aegean region, Nif Bağları was one of the first wineries to debut and defend the decision to make a dry Bornova Misketi. Related to Muscat Blanc á Petits Grains, this grape was mostly used to make semi-sweet wines until just a few years ago. I give ‘Intro to Turkish Wine’ tastings for a boutique travel agency here in Istanbul and this is usually the Bornova Misketi I choose. It’s a little controversial because the bouquet is like an English garden on steroids and people assume it’s going to be sweet. It is not.
Alcohol: 14% abv
Color: medium gold
Nose: Heavily perfumed with dewy white rose, citrus blossom, honeysuckle, lime leaf, candied orange rind, and ripe summer peaches
Palate: Heavily Roses, orange blossom, honeysuckle, bergamot, peach, grapefruit and mint framed by a viscous/mouth-coating and a pleasing acidity along the sides of the tongue. Fruit and grapefruit pith bitterness linger on the finish.
Kayra Leona Bloom, 2019
Kayra’s Leona Bloom has always been a go-to wine for me. It’s a classic example of a semi-sweet Bornova Misketi and is so food friendly. Particularly in the summer when it’s hot and I’m lazy, one of my default meals is Turkish spicy çiğ köfte with this wine. And I was so excited when I picked up a bottle for this tasting to discover that it’s now a screw cap!!!
Alcohol: 11.5% abv
Color: pale pale gold
Nose: A sweet garden of orange blossom, white roses, and honeysuckle, mint, and tropical fruit.
Palate: Semi-sweet on the palate with flavors taken directly from the nose. Added to that flavors of bergamot jam. The light sweetness is balanced by evident but non aggressive acidity. Light plus body, medium sweet finish. Very pretty. Very drinkable.
Sevilen Late Harvest, 2013
Sevilen, one of Turkey’s largest wineries, makes some of the country’s most recognizable labels with 20 different labels across five quality categories. The Late Harvest wine belongs to the winery’s Ultra Premium series. Fermented in French oak barrels then aged sur lie in barrels for eight months before bottling. The end wine contains 90 grams/liter of sugar.
Alcohol: 14% abv
Color: deep, burnished gold
Nose: Apricot jam, orange peel, preserved bergamot peel, walnut skins, and ginger with fresh citrus detail
Palate: Luxurious mouthfeel balanced by racing acidity heightened flavors as goldenly sweet as the wine. Really a beautiful, beautiful wine.
Kayra Cameo, 2018
Sadly no one in Turkey is yet making a Moscato d’Asti style sparkling wine with Bornova Misketi. However, Kayra does make a charmat-style bubbly that blends Bornova Misketi with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Kind of an odd blend, no? But it works pretty well.
Alcohol: 13% abv
Color: very pale lemon with persistent bubbles
Nose: Pear and peach fruit highlighted by almond blossom petals and raw almonds.
Palate: Dry on the palate with tight bubbles and lively acidity. Flavors are not especially complex and mostly reflect the nose adding a non unpleasant grapefruit pity bitterness on a medium finish.