The 2013 Vino Dessera 190
Previously I have reviewed the Vino Dessera 190 2014 vintage. It seems I’m moving backwards now with the 190 2013! But, why 190? Since enjoying that bottle of the 2014, I managed to learn the story behind the name.
It’s a story both simple and fantastic. During Vine Dessera’s first vintage, a small tragedy occurred in their cellar. After crafting and bottling their red blend, the wines went to the cellar to rest a while before going to the market. Then, disaster struck. The cellar flooded, destroying most of their work. Vino Dessera were able to salvage only 190 bottles of the wine.
Now every year, they make a 190 blend in honor of that nearly lost vintage.
Making Walnuts into Wine
Vino Dessera was established in 2012, but to understand the full story of these fields we need to jump a little further back. When the owner’s first grandchild was born, abiding by a very thoughtful Anatolian tradition, he planted approximately 600 walnut trees along the green slopes of Thrace. And, as it turns out, he never stopped. Motivated partially by self-competition, when his second grandchild was born, he planted wine grapes in 2000. And, so too Vino Dessera was born. Today, the vineyard is a family-run operation growing both international and local grapes and producing approximately 100,000 bottles every year.
Vino Dessera’s corks carry the Latin ‘in vino veritas‘ aphorism we all know and love. But there is a different truth at Vino Dessera, one of affordable luxury. Doğan Dökmez, now in charge of the family vineyard and winery, strongly believes that drinking good wine is not a privilege of the wealthy. Vino Dessera offers several levels of wine across a series of labels (including Arra Sarranda, Vino Dessera, and VD190). While the vineyards, grapes, blends, and winemaking techniques all differ the one thing that does not is the guarantee of quality.
I got to visit Vino Dessera in September where I met Doğan Bey; the man responsible for the 190. I learned that each vintage of the 190 is a different blend. This is not a chateau-style winery aiming for a steady blend year after year. While that certainly has its merit there’s also something exciting about the flip side. Challenging yourself year after year to make a new blend. The same invariable quality but different grapes and different blends.
Vino Dessera 190 2013
The 2013 vintage of the Vino Dessera 190 is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Öküzgözü. Aged for eight months in oak and with a final abv of 14.5%, you know going in this wine is going to have a pretty big personality.
In the glass the 190 is a beautiful, deep purple-ruby. Aromatic and intensely fruity the nose displays a lot of red fruits, strawberry jam, dried herbs, cedar, smoke, and licorice. There is a lot going on in this one. It’s got a bouquet you could get lost in. Tannins are a little tight at first but they do broaden into a velvety, balanced mouth with a medium plus finish. Flavors are ever so slightly jammy with a plummy Christmas cake kind of flavor.
Another really beautiful wine from Vino Dessera.
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