Top Turkish Syrahs to Try
Syrah is the most popular international grape planted in Turkey. Not only is it the most popular international grape, it’s one of the top three planted grapes overall here. Therefore, finding a Syrah-based wine (varietal or otherwise) does not present a huge challenge here. Turkish winemakers produce outstanding Syrahs in both Old and New World styles (although the latter feels more prevalent).
I’ve had some really beautiful Syrah wines from Turkey over the last few years. I’ve also had some really bad ones. But we’re not going to talk about those!
Prodom Reserve Syrah, 2014
Based in Aydın towards the east of the Aegean growing region, Prodom uses Syrah in many of its wines, including: Syrah-Kalecik Karası, Syrah-Öküzgözü, Syrah-Petit Verdot, and Merlot-Syrah blends as well as the winery’s flagship wine, a Syrah-Petit Verdot-Cabernet Franc blend. Prodom also makes a 100%, varietal Syrah in small numbers. The 2014 vintage I had was one of only 1350 bottles produced that year.
Prodom’s Syrah aged for 18 months in a combination of 225 and 300 liter French oak barrels.
Alcohol: apparently I forgot to record this but I’m guessing ~14% abv
Color: intense ruby
Nose: Initially oak and barnyard aromas dominated. After the wine opened more it revealed aromas of candied red cherries, vanilla, red cherry hard candy, leather, and black pepper.
Palate: Dry with silky tannins and relatively high acidity on the palate. Tart red plum and cherry flavors danced on the tongue with black pepper, vanilla, and cinnamon. Maybe I should have let this breathe a little more but I found the oak a bit heavy on the palate leading to a perceived sweetness in flavor.
Ma’Adra Vineyards Cuvee Marquise, 2014
In the northern reaches of the Aegean region, Ma’Adra Vineyards occupies terraces at 550 meters above sea level in the Madra Mountains. Ma’Adra uses Syrah in several of its wines including the Ma’Adra Blend, this Cuvee Marquis, the Ma’Adra Syrah, and the Ma’Adra Reserve Syrah. The difference between the Cuvee Marquise which I have here and the Ma’Adra Syrah is that the Cuvee sees no oak ageing at all.
Alcohol: 14% abv
Color: medium intense ruby with purple tinges
Nose: Very spicy nose filled with black pepper and clove along with black fruits like blackberry and black mulberry.
Palate: Sipping revealed low but present tannins and medium acidity. Dry but very juicy, tangy berries, predominately blackberry, with a whispered memory of the spice sensed on the nose. It tasted a lot like blackberry sherbet in the best possible way.
Gürbüz Shiraz, 2016
Akın Gürbüz makes small batch wines in his Thrace-based winery. Most of his grapes, both those from his own vineyards and from growers he works with, come from warmer vineyards near the Sea of Marmara. The resulting wines are usually full and rich. Gürbüz produces a Cabernet-Shiraz blend and a 100% varietal Shiraz. Of this 2016 Shiraz he made only 1,000 bottles.
Alcohol: 14.9% abv
Color: intense, deep ruby
Nose: Layer upon layer of aromas unfolded here beginning with spicy black pepper then transitioning to tobacco, the purple fruits, and finally opening to the softly romantic perfume of purple blossoms.
Palate: As I said, Gürbüz makes rich wines and this followed true with plush tannins that filled the mouth before softening to reveal plum, blackberry, and boysenberry fruit with spicy pepper and leather highlights and pleasing earthy notes on the lingering finish.
I don’t usually talk about food pairings but I clearly remember having drunk this with truffle goat-cheese stuffed burgers topped with sautéed mushrooms. It was dynamite.
Paşaeli Serena Shiraz, 2013
While Paşaeli currently pins its reputation on its dedication to some of Turkey’s lesser-known and endangered grapes, the winery started with international grapes. Paşaeli’s Serena series includes varietal Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon wines as well as a blend of the two, made with grapes grown in warm climate vineyards in Alaçatı near the Aegean Sea.
Alcohol: 14% abv
Color: garnet with some brickish-orange tinges
Nose: Big and rich right off the pour with aromas of sour cherries, dried figs, dried herbs like rosemary and savory, and coffee.
Palate: Supple tannins wrapped around a solid acidic core greeted me on the first sip. A mouthful of intense dried herb flavors complimented sour cherries and fresh fig fruit flavors before melting into a finish of dark mocha-chocolate.
Vinolus Syrah, 2010
While based in Kayseri in Turkey’s Central Anatolia growing region, Vinolus sourced the grapes for this Syrah from warm Güney vineyards in the Aegean. The wine aged 50% for 12 months in French barrique and 50% in steel tanks.
Alcohol: 14.5% abv
Color: intense garnet
Nose: Medium intense aromas of black and red fruits (plum and cherry) mingled with cedar and wood smoke on the nose.
Palate: Elegant, as is often the case with Vinolus wines. Smooth and round in the mouth with a fruit-forward appeal and a hint of dried herbs, lavender, and cedar chips.
Chateau Nuzun Syrah, 2012
We’re really jumping around Turkey for this post and go from the East of the country back to the West to Thrace for Chateau Nuzun. Chateau Nuzun uses its organic Syrah in blends as well as bottling 100% Syrah wines. Chateau Nuzun’s wines can be mind-bendingly amazing and complex. Basically you can never go wrong with one of them.
Alcohol: 13.5% abv
Color: inky purple
Nose: Purple fruits like plum and blackberry hit the nose first followed by tobacco, eucalyptus, black pepper and earthy aromas of mushroom and damp forest floor.
Palate: Velvety and mouth-filling tannins carried flavors of fruit that tasted less fresh and more dried thanks to 12 months of oak ageing. Those beautiful earthy and pepper sensed on the nose were still going strong on the palate where flavors of cigar box joined and lingered in a long finish. Another outstanding wine from Chateau Nuzun.
I also remember my food pairing with this wine. Largely because when I visited Chateau Nuzun, owner Nazan Uzun poured this for us alongside grilled sucuk and fresh sourdough bread. Sucuk is a traditional Turkish beef salami which can be fermented, cured, smoked, etc. It can be eaten uncooked or fried as well as grilled but grilled is my favorite. I was blown away by how well it paired with the Syrah!
Melen Reserve Shiraz, 2015
The last Turkish Syrah on my list came from Melen. Based in Hoşköy, a small village in the Marmara growing region, Melen winery sits right on the edge of the Sea of Marmara. Its vineyards lie a short drive away at a slightly higher elevation where they can take advantage of breezes blowing off the sea.
Alcohol: 14% abv
Color: inky purple
Nose: Big and bold fruits with blue plum and blueberries, violets, chocolate, cinnamon, and vanilla undertones.
Palate: Sweet and spicy on the palate with brown spices including cinnamon and a dash of clove that danced with the fruit. Velvety tannins wove a peppery thread throughout the palate before finishing with a freshly split hard wood flavor.
Due to the grape’s popularity, Turkish Syrah wines abound. Have you had one? What did you think?