Paşaeli White Blend at Metro
Metro (think Costco) has a … weird selection of wine. Local wineries you’ve never heard of (because they’re bulk and not quality) fill the lower sections of the shelves. Wineries that are otherwise difficult to source (like Shiluh, Gordias, Büyülübağ, etc) are often on the shelves. International wines from across Europe (the only place you can get Greek wine in Turkey), South America, Australia, etc. Although do examine the imported wines carefully. I am not convinced that they’re all legit.
Despite the ofttimes dodginess of the import wines, you can sometimes you can find great buys. For both local and international wines. Some wineries also make wine that gets sold only at Metro. Paşaeli, for example. They made an Öküzgözü Cabernet Franc blend for Metro and a wile back I found a white blend there that I have seen nowhere else.
Paşaeli White Blend, 2021
For this wine, Paşaeli blended together three of the native grapes they work with: Sultaniye, Sıdalan, and Yapıncak. Nothing fancy on the winemaking side. Maybe a few months on the lees (three months seems to be their sweet spot).
Brilliant lemon in the glass with aromas of delicate citrus and jasmine. Peach and apricot join the jasmine on the palate with a surprisingly rich lemon curd swirl backed by friendly acidity. Medium-bodied with moderate alcohol (13%). Will this wine change your world? No. But it will make it a nice place to live in while you’re sipping!
At the time I bought this, (admittedly some many months ago) it was well under 200 TL. Proving that decent wine doesn’t have to cost a fortune. These days with a number of wineries taking advantage of the excuse of inflation to artificially inflate their own prices, we’re all looking not only for wines we can afford, but wineries we want to support. Paşaeli is one of a relatively small handful of wineries not outrageously pushing up its prices.
Please Help Turkey and Syria!
Turkey and Syria are still in desperate need of help after the horrific earthquakes that have decimated large areas of Turkey’s south east and northern Syria, please consider donating to one of the relief efforts if you are able:
- Animal rights organization Haytap is helping animals affected by the earthquake, and displaced people who need a place to stay with their pets. Other animal-focused groups such as Dört Ayaklı Şehir (Four-Legged City) and Work Animals Rescue Foundation, are also helping farm animals, street animals, and pets.
- Donate to civil society groups working on the ground to provide immediate relief and medium- to long-term recovery to survivors via UK-based Turkey Mozaik Foundation or US-based Turkish Philanthropy Funds.
- Donate to the volunteer response being carried out in Turkey by the trusted, independent NGOs İhtiyaç Haritası (Needs Map) or Ahbap.
- Hayata Destek (Support to Life), is a Turkish NGO experienced in providing humanitarian relief and working with underserved communities.
- World Central Kitchen provides funds and food to those still living in tents in the affected areas.
- To support rescue efforts in Syria, donate to White Helmets and SAMS.
- Field Ready Türkiye (Sahaya Hazır İnovasyon Derneği) is a team of engineers working in Gaziantep, Turkey, and northwest Syria who make cheap, low-tech airbags for search and rescue from buildings which have collapsed. “If we move fast they can make more,” a good friend who previously worked with the team writes. “The workshops in Syria also have vast experience of fixing essential medical equipment, and making insulated shelters – both greatly needed right now”