Welcoming a New Vintage from Midin
It’s that time of the year again when wineries have begun (or have already!) bottled their early release 2022 wines. Midin once again kindly sent me some of their new releases to try*.
This is Midin’s third vintage and I have enjoyed seeing how the wines have changed since the winery’s freshman vintage. It is especially interesting, as this Assyrian winery works with some varieties that few have ever heard of. I am still thrilled that my piece about them was posted on Jancis Robinson’s website! You can read that here.
Another thing that makes Midin so special is that the winery involves practically the entire village. While many of the vineyards from which they source grapes are their own, they also pay premium prices for grapes grown by villagers. This not only boosts the local economy, but keeps these very old vines alive where they might otherwise be pulled up and replaced with easier and more profitable crops.
Let’s dive into the white wines they sent me!
Midin Cehennem Deresi, 2022
Cehennem Deresi means Hell’s Creek. Sounds like something out of an old Western, no? It actually takes it’s name from a cannon in Şırnak that runs nearby the village where Midin winery and its vineyards are located. The wine in question is a 50/50 blend of regional grapes Bilbizeki and Mazrona.
Both are fascinating grapes. Bilbizeki has two separate harvests every year with about half the grapes reaching full ripeness while the other half are merely in fruit set stage. The Mazrona grapes come from vines that range anywhere from 80 to 120 years old. These head-trained bush vines can grow as tall as a man (a tall man no less).
No oak on this wine, nothing fancy. Just a straight up fermentation in stainless steel to highlight the essence of the fruit. It shone a lovely hay color in the glass with aromas of quince compote, golden apples, and acacia blossom. Sipping revealed a broad palate and mouth-filling flavors similar to those sensed on the nose. Ripe apple, quince, and orchard bloom were joined by a splash of citrus. The wine finished a little harshly with a tickle of citric acid in the back of the throat but was overall pleasant. Last year they decided to leave a little residual sugar in the wine but this year the wine is fully dry with a slightly higher ABV of 14.5%.
I’ve found this to be a very food friendly wine as well.
Midin Miras, 2022
Miras means “heritage” which is something the grapes in these wines certainly have! Midin’s Miras white (they also make a red) uses the same Mazrona and Bilbizeki as the Cehennem Deresi, but in different percentages. Here, Mazrona takes the lead with 70% and Bilbizeki makes up the remaining 30%.
More golden in the glass than the Cehennem Deresi (I see you, higher percentage of Mazrona) with similar but richer aromas. Here acacia blooms decorate fresh and almost dried apricots, and fresh mandarins. Fat and slightly oily on a broad palate with medium plus acidity and flavors quite similar to the nose. It has a similarly high alcohol (14.5%) but, unlike the other, there was a hotness to the alcohol here that threw off the balance.
It would be remiss of me not to mention Midin’s new back labels. As I said earlier, Midin involves the whole village; something they’re rightfully proud of. Now, what they’re doing is naming the owners of the vineyard parcels used in each wine. Very cool.
*Wines were provided as media samples but all opinions are my own.
Please Help Turkey and Syria!
Turkey and Syria are still in desperate need of help after the horrific earthquakes that have decimated large areas of Turkey’s south east and northern Syria, please consider donating to one of the relief efforts if you are able:
- Animal rights organization Haytap is helping animals affected by the earthquake, and displaced people who need a place to stay with their pets. Other animal-focused groups such as Dört Ayaklı Şehir (Four-Legged City) and Work Animals Rescue Foundation, are also helping farm animals, street animals, and pets.
- Donate to civil society groups working on the ground to provide immediate relief and medium- to long-term recovery to survivors via UK-based Turkey Mozaik Foundation or US-based Turkish Philanthropy Funds.
- Donate to the volunteer response being carried out in Turkey by the trusted, independent NGOs İhtiyaç Haritası (Needs Map) or Ahbap.
- Hayata Destek (Support to Life), is a Turkish NGO experienced in providing humanitarian relief and working with underserved communities.
- World Central Kitchen provides funds and food to those still living in tents in the affected areas.
- To support rescue efforts in Syria, donate to White Helmets and SAMS.
- Field Ready Türkiye (Sahaya Hazır İnovasyon Derneği) is a team of engineers working in Gaziantep, Turkey, and northwest Syria who make cheap, low-tech airbags for search and rescue from buildings which have collapsed. “If we move fast they can make more,” a good friend who previously worked with the team writes. “The workshops in Syria also have vast experience of fixing essential medical equipment, and making insulated shelters – both greatly needed right now”