Is summer over yet? Please?? I know I complained about that weird cold and rainy early July we had
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Really, what is the obsession some of the upper Thracian wineries seem to have with making blanc de noir wines with Papazkarası? Sure, some of them are pretty nice. My personal favorites being those from Chamlija and Arcadia. And yes, it's great to see experimentation with the native grapes. Especially as this seems to be the only Thracian native grape going. Why do I have such a viscerally negative reaction, then, when I see a new blanc de noir Papazkarası? Even I can't answer that. I like to see a new blanc de noir Çal Karası. Maybe it's because I feel sure that there must be a native white
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Holy cats July was miserable! Horrible, hot weather including the hottest day Istanbul has had in years. During which, no less, my precious wines and I were without power for almost 48 hours! That was not in my horoscope. Here's to hoping that August will be a little milder. I don't know about you, but all I want to do these days is crush some nice, light white wine. Let's see if the future has any of that in store for us! Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) Strap on your seatbelt and be prepared this month to steer your life into a new direction - emotionally speaking. You'll come to
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Well we had a nice three-day spring before summer dropped on us like a ton of bricks. Hopefully none of us have anything serious or strenuous that we need to deal with this month because it's going to be hot! Hot weather calls for some nice, bright wines to cool us all down. I have a few ideas of what I want to drink this month, what about you? Need inspiration from the universe to decide? Read on to find out what it recommends for you! Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) July will offer you time to address your mental health journey and progression toward self-betterment. Remember also that not
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Hello spring! You have finally graced us with your presence. Huzzah! This month I say Happy Birthday to several very good Gemini and Cancer friends, hopefully the Universe grants them a great wine! What will they - and you! - be drinking this month? Read on to find out! Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) You may be feeling unsure these days of what will make you happy. Don't fall into a black hole and shut yourself away from people while you figure it out. Now is not the time to shy away from the love and affection people are trying to give you. It's okay if you don't know right this
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Well April was kind of miserable, wasn't it? Hopefully it's true about April showers bringing May flowers. Given the amount of rain we got, if it is true, we're going to be drowning in flowers! But, temperatures do seem to finally be on the rise and soon we'll be reveling in the warmer temperatures and sunshine. The promise of such nice weather deserves some good wine to go with it! What will I - and more importantly you! - be drinking this month? Read on to find out! Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) Be on the look out for major changes unfolding in your life this May. Achieving new heights
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Of all the Turkish wineries producing wine with French grapes, Barbare has distinguished itself by leaning not towards Bordeaux, but the Rhône. Rather than featuring Cabernet and Merlot*, Barbare's main wines include varietal Grenache and Mourvèdre, as well as the classic GSM - or Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre blend. Recently, the winery released a new wine inspired by a different French valley: The Loire. Turkey does light and medium-bodied red wines really well. The majority of native black grapes here make wines that naturally fall into the light to medium-bodied and medium to high acidity category. Given that, it's probably not a surprise that Pinot Noir does really well here.
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It's been some time since Chamlija debuted its Teruar Serisi with rare white grapes Ten Göynek, Ak Üzüm, Hüyük Ak Üzüm, and Kuyucak Ak Üzüm. I reached out to Chamlija to clarify some questions I had about these. Ak Üzüm on its own is a little confusing. What little we know about Ak Üzüm comes from Mediterranean wineries Selefkia and Tasheli. A thin-skinned grape prone to disease, Ak Üzüm tends to prefer limestone soils where they grow as bush-trained vines, many of which are quite old. However, Ak Üzüm really just means "white grape". As it turns out, there are several "Ak Üzüms" floating around the Mediterranean. This reminds me
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How many times have I said that I'm not a pink fan? I think for five times I say that, at least two wines semi reverse my opinion! Despite not being a huge fan of it, I do have a rather large collection of rosé in the wine room. Partially because I do attempt to try all the new wines (if not new vintages) that come out here. And also, because I have learned, that as long as the wine isn't electric pink, there's a fair chance that it will be nice. When Akın Gürbüz released his new blush last year, I happily snapped up a bottle. Because a)
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Well March was all miserable and depressing weather. Here's to hoping April remembers that it is an entirely spring month. A few showers here and there perhaps we can tolerate, but we could all use a little more warmth and sun to tackle what we have ahead of us. What will I - and more importantly you! - be drinking this month? Read on to find out! Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) The freshness of spring (not that we've seen any of that weather) will give you a new perspective this month and help you take risks. One big risk to tackle - speak up for yourself and others, even if
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