Is summer over yet? Please?? I know I complained about that weird cold and rainy early July we had
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If you love Kalecik Karası then you may know the name Prof. Dr. Sabit Ağaoğlu. If you don't know his name, I'm willing to bet you know Tomurcukbağ. While preparing his agriculture PhD thesis, Prof. Dr. Ağaoğlu literally brought back to life what is now the second most popular black grape. When his research finished he had both a PhD and a vineyard. He and his wife decided they may as well use it and the Tomurcukbağ Trajan label was born. While he dabbles in Boğazkere, Kalecik Karası is the winery's star. But we're not talking about Kalecik Karası today, but the Trajan Narince. When I say that he dabbles
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Nearly extinct until the 1970s, Kalecik Karası has become of of Turkey's most popular and widely planted grapes. While red wines remain the most common, the grape shows great flexibility and makes blanc de noir, rosé, and traditional method sparkling wines. Below are my picks for top Turkish Kalecik Karası wines (well the red ones anyway!). It originates in the Central Anatolian region, near Ankara, in Kalecik. Fairly adaptable, the grape grows across the country now and very often gives nuances of terroir. Known for its distinctive cotton candy aroma, Kalecik Karası at its worst is a simple fresh and fruity wine without complexity but with enjoyable fruit and
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Did you participate in dry January? I surely did not! If you did though, I'll be you're really ready for a little tipple! In which case, I've got you covered. What does your horoscope say you should try drinking in February? Read on and find out! Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) When was the last time you felt entirely like yourself? Do you even remember what that feels like? Use this month to try to reconnect to that feeling. Maybe it means changing up your style, hunting down a friend you haven't seen in years, or resurrecting a childhood dream. You may also find this month that you're having difficulty finding
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It's December and Christmas is around the corner!! Is your tree up? Mine is and this year it's covered with a new selection of wine label ornaments! So far not even naughty Dr. Watson has attempted to climb it. Perhaps she'll received more than a lump of coal in her stocking this! What does your horoscope say you should try drinking in December? Read on and find out! Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) Take this month to stop and check in with yourself. How has the past year affected you? Often we blow off a lot of the external things in our life and don't pay attention to how much
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While not the most widely planted native variety, Kalecik Karası holds a firm position as one of Turkey's Big Three black grapes. However, in the early 1970s, Kalecik Karası was very nearly extinct. Enter Prof. Dr. Y. Sabit Ağaoğlu. At the time, Prof. Dr. Ağaoğlu was working on a Ph.D. in agriculture at Ankara University. For his thesis project he decided to make a clonal study of the Kalecik Karası grape. From a few dried vines he not only earned his Ph.D. but also created a vineyard. And since he already had the vineyard, he and his wife decided to go ahead and make wine. They named their winery
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After the Bornova Misketi taste along went so well I moved on to one of my favorite Turkish black grapes, Kalecik Karası. Not only is this purported to be the most age worthy grape, it's also one of the most flexible. In addition to making great reds that reflect their terroir, Kalecik Karası can also be used for blanc de noirs, rosé, and even sparkling wines. While I miss having people physically present for the tastings (if not all the dishes after!) I am really loving doing this online. Now I can reach so many more people! I had people from Athens and Belgium in the Bornova Misketi tasting
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The twenty-first century may still be fairly young but the wine world has already been rocked by a movement as big as it is controversial. Natural wine. While winemakers in several countries could argue that this is hardly new; much of the west treats it like a spanking new phenomenon. As we see natural wines popping up all over it seems to be a case of ‘better late than never.’ And now, the latest country to jump on the bandwagon is one of the oldest winemaking countries: Turkey. Where then, does Turkey enter this picture? Over the last 15 years in particular the wine industry in Turkey has leapt
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Professor Dr. Y. Sabit Ağaoğlu entered the world of wine through his study (and eventual resurrection) of the Kalecik Karası grape. However, that is not the only grape he works with in his Central Anatolian vineyards. He also cultivates the Eastern Anatolian grape Boğazkere for his Tomurcukbağ Trajan Boğazkere and Kalecik Karası Boğazkere blend wines. Like his Trajan Rezerv, Ağaoğlu's Boğazkere and Kalecik Karası Boğazkere blend are made naturally with spontaneous fermentation, no filtration, and no oak ageing. Tomurcukbağ Trajan Boğazkere 2012 Tasting Notes Boğazkere, widely though of as Turkey's most tannic and full-bodied grape, often results in wines that are anywhere from assertive to aggressive. Honestly there's not a lot
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I was unaware of the existence of Trajan wines until I saw the Trajan Rezerv Kalecik Karası at the Cihangir Suvla shop and bought it on recommendation. Now I am a Trajan fan. And who could not be with its background? Saving a Lost Species Before we get to Trajan wines though we have to start with the Kalecik Karası grape. Kalecik Karası is a native Turkish variety. Originally from the Central Anatolian district of Kalecik (Kalecik Karası literally means ‘black from Kalecik) it is now one of three most common native varieties found in Turkish wine (along with Boğazkere and Öküzgözü). However even as early as the 1950s this grape was nearly
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