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Turkey vs America Taste Off: Zinfandel

 

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It’s been an age since I’ve done one of these! Weirdly, I have a bunch of Turkish candidates for various wines (Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, Merlot, and more) but can’t source the international versions. Thanks to a recent visit to the US and a gift from my cousin, Ginger, I am finally able to pair up a Turkish Zinfandel!

Zinfandel

If Shakespeare was right about “… a rose by any other name would smell as sweet … ,” I wonder what he’s think of the many names of Zinfandel?

Often considered “America’s grape,” it clearly had to come from somewhere else since America has no native vitis vinifera. But where? After decades of discussion and disagreement – including according to Wine-Searcher, legal intervention by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms! – DNA research settled the argument. 

Carole Meredith of UC Davis carried out DNA studies during the 1990s and early 2000s. Her work finally proved that Zinfandel is identical to Primitivo – the grape of Itay’s Puglia. But that was not the end of the story. Primitivo is not originally Italian. It arrived to the country from Croatia where it’s known as both Tribidrag and Crljenak Kastelanski. How it arrived in California, whence it came, and where the heck the name Zinfandel comes from remain mysteries.

Regardless of where it grows or what it’s called, the grape can be counted on to produce medium-plus to full-bodied wines that are high in alcohol, with rich and jammy fruit flavors. 

In Turkey’s Corner: Chateau Nuzun

Chateau Nuzun, founded in 2004 by Nazan and Necdet Uzun, sits just 90 minutes from Istanbul yet feels worlds away, tucked into the quiet green hills of Çeşmeli near the Sea of Marmara. After years spent in California, the Uzuns returned to Turkey inspired by vineyard life and set out to create a winery of their own. only to discover that the idyllic lifestyle they admired was far tougher in practice. Still, they committed fully, choosing organic, minimal-intervention farming with no irrigation. Their efforts were recognized in 2010 with an organic grower certification from Ceres, and today their 14.5 hectares of south-facing vineyards benefit from steady sea breezes and varied slopes.

Planted to a variety of Turkish and international grapes Chateau Nuzun is a purpose-driven estate where beauty comes from the wines rather than the buildings. Because water is precious, the vineyard is kept free of grass and ornamentals, something Nazan jokes about, saying, “I’m not perfect and my grass is not perfect.” The winery’s low-intervention philosophy continues in the cellar, where each variety is fermented and barrel-aged separately before blending, and the wines are left to settle naturally, sometimes for years, without fining agents before bottling.

Chateau Nuzun Zinfandel, 2015

The Chateau Nuzun Zinfandel is not something one sees around very much. In fact, I think it might only be available at the winery directly. This is also one of the wines that Nazan held back for quite a while. It came available maybe only three years ago. 

Her estate-grown Zinfandel aged for about 18 months in a combination of origin and age oak barrels. Deep ruby red in the glass, it burst with aromas of dark fruits, plum preserves, sweet spices, carob, and herbs. Bold and fruity on the palate with black raspberry compote, more plums, purple flowers, herbs, and coffee. Medium-plus bodied with 14.3% ABV and more Primitivo than Zinfandel-like tannins, this was not a wine to drink without food. 

Tobin James is a little light on info about itself and its wines…but here we go. 

When he was a young, assistant winemaker, Tobin “Toby” James was offered six tons of grapes for free. He took those grapes and made his first solo wine. The 198 Blue Moon Zinfandel would win double gold medals and a spot on The Wine Spectator’s coveted “Top 100 Wines of the Year.” Tobin James Cellars was born.

Sort of anyway. He spent several years making and selling small-batch wines. In 1993, he built his winery and, three years later, partnered with Lance and Claire Silver as his co-winemakers. 

Today, the winery sits on 71 acres in Paso Robles and produces a wide range of wines across several labels. Including, of course, Zinfandel.