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Wine That Tastes Like Curry??

 

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I’ve written about a couple few wines now from Akberg. This winery emerged from less than savory “fruit wine” origins to create interesting (grape) wines. In cooperation with Gülçin Akçay, one of our best winemakers, Akberg sources native grapes from across the country. Some, like Narince, Bornova Misketi, and Papazkarası are grapes we know well. Others, like Osmanca and Erçis Karası are specific to them/emerging grapes.

Only recently had I been able to try the Akberg Büyük Bağ Bornova Misketi. Kind of a funny story about how that happened. If you have no desire to read through my rambling story, feel free to skip down to the notes below!

We lose power a lot in Istanbul. Over the last six to seven months, it has been happening with especially distressing frequency in my neighborhood. Early this past summer, we (meaning only my side of the street!) were powerless for three days. THREE! IN THE SUMMER! I have a freezer filled with precious cheese and pork and was exceedingly stressed. On day three, I wandered up the street to Solera. They also had no power but had a generator and let me borrow their power to recharge my laptop while I drank a glass of wine. With no particular reason to go home, I ordered a bottle after the glass. While paying my bill, I chatted with the guys who work there about some of the new wines they have, including Akberg’s. I gestured to a bottle of the Bornova Misketi and asked if they’d tried it yet. They hadn’t, and despite it not being on the by the glass list, they grabbed a bottle and opened it so we could all try it together (I love these guys).

We swirl, we sniff, we smell…they start pointing out the typical Muscat-like aromas. “It’s citrus and flowers (et etc), right Andrea?” Meanwhile, I nod, yes yes, it’s all that but! Slightly tipsy me slaps my hand on the counter…”Do you smell chicken curry?!” They looked at my like I was insane/more inebriated than I thought. Regardless, I paid my bill – including a bottle of that wine to take home – and went back to my dark, powerless apartment. 

Akberg Büyük Bağ Bornova Misketi, 2021

Typical white wine vinification on this – stainless steel fermentation and clarification. A dry Bornova Misket, but I did feel a wee little bit of residual sugar. 

On the nose it does give some typical Muscat-like aromas of roses, citrus blossom, and fresh tangerine. But then it gets weird. Savory turmeric. I really did wonder when I opened this if the previous notes I got were a fluke or maybe I really had been a little over the limit that night…but no. Turmeric! 

The palate offered nice acidity with a touch of effervescence up front. Again the turmeric and tangerine, now joined by rose water, and hints of coconut. Additional savory notes came into play on the palate but the only way I can describe them is to say it was the flavor of not just curry, but specifically chicken curry.

It was all sorts of weird, but I didn’t really mind it. I had a few conversations on Instagram when I posted about this wine in which people attempted to ascribe the weird chicken curry thing to wine faults. I do not think this had anything to do with any faults in the wine. It’s just…weird.