Should I decide to do a homemade Advent wine calendar next year I'm going to rethink a couple few things. One
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My homemade Advent wine calendar consists of two case-sized boxes. About two months ago I pull 26 wines from my collection and put them in these boxes. Every day I plan to pull out one wine in the morning (in case it's white and requires chilling!) and at some point during the day drink, write, and post about it! I visited Datça Bağcılık ve Şarapçılık
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Every year I'm envious of friends in the States who get wine Advent calendars. When I was a kid I found those little chocolate Advent calendars absolutely delightful. Occasionally I still send them to my siblings for the nostalgia. As an adult - and a wine lover! - a wine Advent calendar speaks to every part of me! But clearly we don't have those in Turkey. So I made my own! Well to be totally honest, two months ago I selected 26 bottles and moved them to a different part of my wine room. Some I covered in hopes that I might be able to make a blind tasting
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Turasan winery, based in Turkey's iconic Cappadocia, holds the spot as not only the largest winery in Cappadocia, but one of Turkey's most recognizable brands. Operating since the early 1940s, Turasan has built a reputation for consistent quality. Sometimes the quality is quite good. Other times
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I am so excited to begin collaborating with The Vintner Project as a contributor to their fantastic site. It's an honor to have something published alongside these knowledgeable, dedicated, and enthusiastic wine experts! And not only did I get a piece published, but one that features the amazing maps and infopgraphics made by the talented Empathia Creative! Turkish Wine 101 The most common question I get about Turkish wine is an incredulous “Turkey makes wine?” Yes, it does! Unintentionally, Turkish wine remains a well-kept secret; but one well worth discovering. To help you do so, I offer a little primer on wine in Turkey. Modern Turkey is the product of thousands
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Hailing from some of Turkey's most easterly vineyards in Elazığ, Öküzgözü is the number one planted wine grape in Turkey. As demonstrated in my online Öküzgözü taste along, there is no shortage to wines made with this grape. Commonly found as a varietal wine but blends are also popular. Öküzgözü traditional blending partner has been the ultra tannic Boğazkere. However, we're seeing more and more blends that include more than Boğazkere or that don't include it at all. Öküzgözü's naturally high acidity makes it a great foil for any number of grapes, both domestic and international. Diren Öküzgözü Boğazkere, 2017 Diren, the only Black Sea region winery in Turkey, sources its Öküzgözü
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I generally try to bring attention to wineries in Turkey that champion native grapes. However, some of the wineries here that focus on international varieties are too good to ignore. One of my favorites is Chateau Nuzun. Not only does the winery turn out well-crafted and delicious wines; it does so with sustainable practices and utter charm. [caption id="attachment_11576" align="alignright" width="501"] Chateau Nuzun vineyards-protecting Öküzgözü grapes from bees[/caption] Owner Nazan Uzun lends not only her name to the winery (N. + Uzun = Nuzun) but also her humor and strength of character. I love meeting with Nazan. She always has a huge smile and her energy and presence make her
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I continued my online wine tasting series last Friday with one of my favorite Turkish grapes, Öküzgözü. Öküzgözü wasn't always a favorite of mine. In fact for a long time I avoided it; finding it too insipid for my preferences. This is Turkey's most widely planted native black variety. Which means the chances for encountering crap wines is pretty high; and I've drunk a lot of those. However, a couple years ago I came across a boutique producer, Eskibağlar. That one wine changed my whole view about Öküzgözü and I began actively seeking out examples from around the country. This grape originates in the Eastern Anatolia province of Elazığ. Vineyards abound
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I don't usually celebrate Rosé Day, pink wine not being a favorite of mine. However, this year the intermittent bright spring weather in Istanbul has gifted me with a fresh outlook on pink. So, I decided to dive into Rosé Day with a celebration of four wines from three of the wine countries I know the best: Turkey, Austria, and Greece. Rosé Day in Turkey Rosé, or blush wine has gained popularity in Turkey over the last few years. Most wineries have added at least one to their roster (although a few have done it reluctantly). Some wineries make a distinction between the two terms. Particularly if they make more
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Last summer, Istanbites and I visited Garova Vineyards and I wrote about a couple of the red wines the winery produces. Now it's time to tackle the Garova Öküzgözü blush. Nestled in a bowl-like cradle in mountainous Bodrum and nearly lost in the riotous greenery of the surrounding agriculture grow vines of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Shiraz, and Zinfandel. This is Garova Vineyards. While winery owner Mehmet Vuran grows the four aforementioned grapes onsite; he brings in Öküzgözü from the Denizli district of Izmir. He believes the more moderate climate there a better for Öküzgözü than the heat of Bodrum. I very much enjoy the Bodrum-grown Öküzgözü wines I've had.
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