Vinolus Roussanne
I drink a heck of a lot of wine on a pretty regular basis. A few years I started keeping a spreadsheet to track what I’ve had and what I have on hand. This helps me avoid double buying something I’ve already tasted. There are moments when I think that my tongue has become numb to certain flavors and grapes here. However, sometimes a wine comes along that leaves such an indelible impression that I could never forget it.
For me, one such wine has been the Vinolus Roussanne.
Roussanne is uncommon in Turkey. I know only two producers working with it: Suvla which makes a traditional blend with Marsanne, and Vinolus. Before Vinolus, I’d never seen a 100% Roussanne. In fact, there was a time not too long ago that I thought Roussanne Marsanne was one grape!
I don’t often get out my Zalto glass because it terrifies me but this wine is too special to drink out of a lesser glass.
Vinolus Roussanne 2016 Tasting Notes
Oluş Molu, proprietress of Kayseri-based winery Vinolus, makes her Roussanne from organic grapes farmed in mostly tuff soils at high elevations. The wine aged for seven months in French barriques prior to bottling.
Brilliant, medium gold on the pour, the wine released heady aromas of baked apple, stone fruit, ginger, chamomile, wax, and brioche. Sipping revealed a wine of stunning elegance and balance. Flavors mirrored the nose with ginger, honeycomb, and ripe apricot.
Medium-bodied with a vibrant acidity that balanced the wine and cut through its lanolin flavor/feeling. Moderate alcohol at 13.5% abv.
I think this is one of the best white wines in Turkey.