They say spring comes in like a lion or a lamb
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If you haven't checked your calendar yet, you might not have noticed that this year is a leap year! Hello, rarely seen February 29. Julius Caesar instituted leap year back in 45 BC. By adding a single day every four years, he created a more or less consistent solar calendar. Like any oddity, leap year has a number of its own traditions and superstitions, many of them related to relationships! For example, apparently not only was is considered acceptable for women to propose to men on a leap day, the men could not refuse! It's said that Queen Margaret even imposed a fine for men who would deny
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So, 2023 is now behind us. Not such a bad year, all things considered. Although there's always hope that the future will be better and brighter. Whether or not you make resolutions, take some time as we say goodbye to the year to reflect on the lessons you learned and how you might apply them and do and be better in 2024. Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) January's winter nights are cold and dark, the perfect place for shadows of the past to lurk and taunt you. Embrace the discomfort of facing them head-on. Remember that the wounds you carry are not your identity, but they way you deal
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This particular wine is another review long in coming. I opened it last winter for Open That Bottle night. I bought this when I visited Barbare to interview the owner for my book. That must have been six years ago now? Barbare wines are generally fairly easy to access, but these premiere varietal wines less so which is why I'd been holding onto it. Worth. The. Wait! Advent day 15 Barbare Premiere Mourvedre, 2012 This 100% Mourvedre aged for 36 months in French oak. Knowing that it would be tight out of the bottle, I opened it, decanted it, then went to Saturday evening Mass before coming home to make dinner and
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Since November seems to have forgot how to be autumn, we'll see what kind of weather December has in store. The seasons here can be such a rollercoaster throwing ups and downs and twists and turns at us. Much like life itself does. And as we approach this final month of 2023, many are taking stock of what happened during the year and making plans and resolutions for the year ahead. Me, I'm ignoring the future. It'll always be there tomorrow. December is all about Christmas and I cannot wait to put up the tree and dive into Christmas music and movies. So yeah, we all have a different approach
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Some months ago, I had the chance to re-taste a number of Arcadia wines with winery owner Zeynep Arca Şallıel and US importer, Sharap Imports. Among the wines was one I'd not ever tried before, the Arcadia Roze. Why hadn't I tried it? Well, we know I don't love rosé. Additionally, for better or worse, my focus remains firmly on the native grapes of Turkey. It takes something pretty extraordinary to get me to drink anything Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot (especially the latter). Folks, I am a convert! Not to all Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or rosé. But to this wine? Yes! [caption id="attachment_19421" align="alignright" width="350"] shameless self promotion![/caption] Arcadia Roze, 2021 For
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This month, I am hosting the #WinePW group's exploration of heritage and traditional grapes. I will attempt to host a chat on Threads tomorrow, Saturday, November 11 at 8am PST / 11 am EST / 7 pm Istanbul. Well, I mean, I will be hosting one. How successfully I shall do so remains to be seen! Heritage grapes in Turkey Heritage, or traditional grape varieties are those that have been grown not in their native land for a long time. Think Zinfandel in America (or really any vitis vinifera in America!), Shiraz in Australia, Pinot Noir in Germany, etc. How long is a long time? Well
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We leave behind the tricks and treats of Halloween and October for a new month. Hopefully one that is actually autumn-like. Every new month is a fresh start for us. A time to reevaluate, start something new, or just start anew. So what will I be drinking this month? I have several things planned! But more importantly, what will YOU be drinking? Read on to find out what the Universe recommends. Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) This month you'll hear a siren's song calling you to exploration. It could mean travel is in the cards for you, or perhaps expanding our current world through learning something new. This spirit of
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Autumn is officially here - on the calendar anyway. We've had such odd weather all spring and summer, here's to a properly cool and lovely autumn! It's one of my personal favorite seasons. Wearing cozy sweaters, eating heartier meals, that slight chill in the air
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Not all wine names are obvious immediately (or at all!) until you ask about the story behind them. One of my favorite Turkish wine name stories is that of the Arcadia 333. But Arda Dokuz Sekiz has a pretty great one too. Dokuz Sekiz - 9/8 The name here is actually pretty simple - dokuz sekiz means nine eight and refers to the 9/8 music time signature. Music written in 9/8 time has nine beats per measure with each beat being an eighth note. Meaning that, even if not all the notes are an eighth note, the notes in each measure will add up to nine eighth notes. Okay, that's cool.
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