Vino Dessera Entrika Red, Rosé, and White
Last year, Kırklareli-based winery Vino Dessera debuted a new line of wines. The Vino Dessera Entrika line up includes three wines: a red, rosé, and a white. Following the winery’s principal that wine should be an “affordable luxury,” none of the wines are pricey. Prices range from 
around 50 to 75 TL ($8-12). Also true to form for Vino Dessera, some very nice wines lie under the modest sticker price.
Vino Dessera Entrika Red 2017 Tasting Notes
During a previous visit to the winery I learned that Doğan Dönmez, in charge of the family winery, was experimenting with the Italian grape, Barbera. If his experiments proved successful, he would be the first one in Turkey to work with this grape. Happily, his Barbera, dubbed Barbera d’Strandja as a nod to them being grown around the Strandja mountains, turned out well. While he would later go on to release a varietal Barbera d’Strandja (more on that later!) the first vintage made its debut in the Entrika red wine; blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Petit Verdot.
Aged for 8 months in French oak, this high abv wine (14.9%) hid a dangerous secret: it was entirely too drinkable for something with that much alcohol!
I decanted the wine and let it breathe for about an hour. Poured right out of the bottle it was very tight so it needed some time. It poured a lovely, intense purple ruby color with aromas of plum, blueberry, cinnamon, licorice, cola, and black pepper. Sipping revealed silky tannins
wrapped around a lively acidity. Tart purple fruit flavors combined with figs, plump black raisins, baking spices, pepper, and a little green stem bitterness.
Vino Dessera Entrika Rosé 2017 Tasting Notes
The rosé is an unusual blend of Viognier and Kalecik Karası. So incredibly pale peach in color I wonder if the Kalecik Karası weren’t already a rosé before blending. Despite the delicacy of the color there was nothing pale in the bouquet. The wine was beautifully expressive with aromas of peaches, apricots, and Anjou pears with touches of fruit blossom and white flowers. Super dry; despite the fruity aromas and flavors no one could mistake this for having any sweetness! Once I got over the surprise of how dry it was I enjoyed the red berries, stone fruit and underlying salinity. With a mere 12.8% abv, Vino Dessera’s Entrika rosé surprised me with more than its dryness as the feeling of the wine in my mouth outlasted the flavors.
And good thing it did have a relatively low amount of alcohol as I downed all but a small sip (saved for a friend) as I danced around the kitchen belting out Pink Martini tunes while making dinner.
Vino Dessera Entrika Viognier 2017 Tasting Notes
Unabashedly my favorite of the trio was the Entrika Viognier. I really love Viognier and Turkey produces some very decent examples with this grape. This Entrika line debuted Vino Dessera’s first foray into Viognier production. It, along with Chamlija, remain the only two wineries in Thrace working with this grape.
A lovely color in the glass, the wine shone star bright pale lemon. This pretty white showed a fruity character with floral detail and mineral notes highlighting a citrus core. Medium-bodied with 13.5% abv and an upfront, spritzy acidity, it was a delight to drink. A charming perfume of ripe stone fruits and flowers accented by fresh lemon was joined on the palate by an undercurrent of saline; not an uncommon feature from wines cultivated in Kırklareli’s quartz-laden soils.