Uçmakdere Firuze Syrah Öküzgözü 2013
The last few weeks, I’ve posted about wineries like Likya and Saranta growing Öküzgözü outside of it’s traditional home. This week, I’m making an about-face to talk about a winery using Öküzgözü from Elazığ. Uçmakdere.
With the Sea of Marmara lapping against the shore just a few steps from this family-run winery, the view here differs greatly from that in land-locked Elazığ. But the grapes were just as happy to be made into wine here after they arrived from their journey. In the winery they joined Syrah from Barbaros in Tekirdağ (which had a much shorter trip!).
One of the first, if not the first vintage Uçmakdere produced, I don’t believe they make this blend anymore. The winery has grown in experience and style if not size since 2013. However, I think they may have some left in stock if anyone is curious! Especially since older vintage wines are not the easiest to track down in Turkey, it’s always nice to see how well the wines are ageing.
Uçmakdere Firuze Syrah Öküzgözü, 2013
Deep ruby in the glass with a purple core. I love it when a wine’s aromas somehow reflect the color (or perhaps the color reflects the aromas?). Such was the case here. Big blue-purple fruits in the nose like purple plum and black mulberry sherbet. Keeping the wine from smelling too much like fruit juice though was a dusting of black pepper and the intriguing and fresh addition of wintergreen leaves.
Medium-bodied with juicy acidity, and a high, but not unbalancing alcohol at 14% abv. Tannins present at the back lent some tobacco to the fresh mulberry, black cherry, and purple flowers on the palate.