When Narince Isn’t Narince
I was so excited go see this new (well, not new anymore) Narince from Prodom last summer. For years I’ve enjoyed Prodom’s wines but my prevailing complaint has been that they don’t work with enough native grapes. Previously really only Bornova Misketi, Kalecik Karası, and Öküzgözü .
Turkey seems to think it is a red wine country. Granted, it can do a great job with light to medium bodied red wines. Even if that’s not the style focused on here. But that’s a different discussion. Especially as my personal preference is for white wines, I am always happy to see a new (native) white on the market. Prodom generally produces really sold wines so I saw this and thought, awesome, a new Narince I can rely on.
Turns out…not so much actually.
Prodom Narince, 2021
Cool, silvery lemon in the glass with aromas of kumquat, pear, nectarine, and orchard blossom. Sipping revealed a dry and punchy wine with mouthwatering acidity. Absolutely none of the grape’s signature weight or oiliness. Honestly this felt much more like a Sauvignon Blanc than it did Narince. Flavors reflected those found on the nose with a heavier Easter lily perfume on the backbreath.
A nice enough wine, but it’s not Narince. However, that got me thinking. When IS Narince like Narince? There are wildly different wines made with this grape depending on where in the country it grows. Black Sea Tokat Narince tends to be heavier with lower acidity, a more Viognier-like oily texture, flowers and tree fruit. Thracian Narince shows more acidity with stone and citrus fruit. Central Anatolia and Aegean Narince have different qualities. While its exciting to see some terroir-expressive grapes here (Kalecik Karası is similarly so), my concern remains the overall lack of standards and benchmarks for what commonalities there should be in native grapes.
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.
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 Helmet 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”