Grape providence can be a tricky thing, particularly where there are shifting borders involved. When researching background on the grape Pinela (or Pinella or
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Camilla from Culinary Cam has invited the #WorldWineTravel group to close out the year with celebration of sparkling wine and holiday nibbles! It's been a
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Ali and Fatma Ay were enticed into moving to the Mersin area in their retirement. What enticed them, you might ask. The heat? The
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Disclaimer: This post includes wines received as a sample. All opinions are my own. Saudade (sauw-dad) is one of those great words that has no
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Disclaimer: This post includes wines received as a sample. All opinions are my own. Located in the Şırnak Province, Midin Vineyards established itself, in part
Read MoreThe rarity of my posting about Australian wines the rarity of drinking them. Not necessarily by choice, but by lack of availability. Luckily for
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With a view of living a life closer to nature, Can and Duygu Kırış bought some land in Bayramiç in 2017, with the view
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It's been quite a few years since Kastro Tireli debuted its first "natural" Hermos wine, a blend of Narince and Viognier. The line takes
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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This past summer, I took a trip I've been wanting to make for a few years now: Sofia. Bulgaria
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For my birthday in August, my friend Malia of Shoyu Sugar made SPAM musubis for me!! I remember eating SPAM a bit when I
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Disclaimer: This post includes wines received as a sample. All opinions are my own. Two years ago, I was privileged to try Paşaeli's experimental, super
Read MoreI get very little Croatian wine where I am but have enjoyed (as far as I recall!) every one that I've got my hands
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Chamlija winery is known to many in Turkey for its enthusiasm for planting grapes not native to Turkey. In addition to grapes that have
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Crete is an amazing place to visit, for so many reasons, but especially so if you're a wine enthusiast. The island is home to
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The first Experimental Series wine Kayra released was an old vine Semillon. A couple years have passed since that one, which made me wonder
Read MoreEach one of America's 50 states produces wine. You don't have to be a wine aficionado to have heard of wine from California, Oregon,
Read MoreSince shifting some of its focus to quality wines, Selçuk area-based Akberg Winery has sourced grapes from around the country. Narince from its home in
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The Urla district of İzmir in Turkey's Aegean region has become a hotbed of trendy wineries. Many belong to the Urla Bağ Yolu (the
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Used to be that Markogianni was not a winery with which I was familiar. A friend recommended their Vorias and Helios amber Assyrtiko to
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Even if you're not a wine geek, you've heard about ageing wine. I get the question from time to time; people asking if they
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If I feel like I have a hard time selling the concept of Turkish wine, how must the Baltic countries feel? This question came
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My little brother (by which I mean younger in that he stands something like 6'6" or 6'7") and I have a tradition going back
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Çalkarası is what I like to call Turkey's 'Cinderella' grape. For a long time, winery's have used this grape as a work horse to
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Kuzubağ, part of the Çal Bağ Yolu, is located in the Çal district of Denizli in Turkey's inner Aegean. The winery’s vineyards sit at
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Of the hundreds and thousands of grapes the world has, my three favorite are white varieties. One of which is Assyrtiko. I am lucky
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I write about Bornova Misketi a lot; about 25 times so far, in fact! And yet, I realized some time ago, that I somehow
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Several years ago, I went on my first wine tour in Hungary. I've been a Hungarian wine lover for years, but before this tour,
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Emir is one of my favorite grapes in Turkey. My favorite white grape full stop. High acidity, distinct minerality, clean citrus and green fruit
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The Vatistas Ioannis Winery was born in the 1990s when Ioannis Vatistas decided to turn his love of wine into a winery. He created
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While neither new nor lost, Karasakız has long been underappreciated. For a long time, there was only Suvla (which still explores the most expressions
Read MoreI've mentioned my friend S. a few times here and there in my blog. A teacher here in Istanbul, she drives home to Austria
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It's World Malbec Day! This French grape is a global people pleaser. While mostly known for the wines produced in Argentina, its popularity knows
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Nihat Kutman, founder of Doluca Winery, was one of the first in Turkey to revive vineyards and winemaking after phylloxera destroyed many of the
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I've been to the Peloponnese a couple times now, but have yet to make it as far north as Patras. Although I would really
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Possibly a better title for this would be, "Can you say Csókaszőlő?" LOL. I happened to be in Budapest on what was a national
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Surrounded by mountains and the verdant forests of the Black Sea region, the district of Amasya lays about 120 kilometers from the Black Sea.
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We, understandably, don't have a lot of Christmas in Turkey. I try to go somewhere in Europe every year for a Christmas market and
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Camilla from Culinary Cam has invited the Italian Food Wine Travel writing group to explore the vast world of indigenous Italian grapes this March.
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The Budapest airport forever confuses me, regardless of how many times I've been through. Duty free is before immigration which I continuously forget meaning
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I had my first encounter with Sideritis at the Athens wine expo Oenorama a couple years ago. Only two or three examples were available
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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)
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It's a little strange for me to post about wine today in Ash Wednesday. Today is a fast day which means I will not
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This month, Camilla from Culinary Cam has invited us all to share our love for rosé wines - which are not just for summer!
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In the September 2023 Turkish Wine Horoscope post, I promised a review of this wine and here it finally is! Yaban Kolektif is a group
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For years I'd wanted to visit Santorini. All the beautiful pictures you see, the wine
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Over the last several years, 7Bilgeler has slowly released a series of wines, the Vindemia series, made with native grapes. Some have been more
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Champagne and Fries Day?! Yes, it's a real wine holiday! January 10 also happens to be the birthday of the creator, Anna Maria of
Read MoreOver the last two years, I've really enjoyed exploring some of the wines of Cephalonia (or Kefalonia, as you like). I've yet to make
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Normally I quite like the wines from Büyülübağ. Other than his Adakarası wines, I don't tend to drink them often because I don't really
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Another day closer to Christmas! I kind of cannot believe that I managed to keep this going all through Advent. Well, almost all the
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It came as a great surprise to me that I never seem to have posted about the Suvla Blush Karasakız. This is one of
Read MoreToday's wine is one I've had a fair few times. Two of my best friends live in Athens but her family is from Kalavryta
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Halfway through Advent and time for a rosé! We couldn't do just any rosé for this though. Clearly, we needed something different, special, new. Advent
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Time for more bubbles! This one post a day challenge I set myself is going swimmingly. Or maybe all the wine just makes it
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This particular wine is another review long in coming. I opened it last winter for Open That Bottle night. I bought this when I
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Of all the wines I'm talking about this Advent, this one is perhaps the most appropriate. How can a wine be appropriate for Advent?
Read MoreToday's Advent wine takes us on a journey to Greece! I don't think I've done a Greek wine yet, how unusual of me. Most
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To begin, I must admit that I'm cheating a little on this one. I actually opened this wine ages ago but never got around
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My love of Ma'Adra's Pinot Noir and Carbonic Maceration Öküzgözü (one of the only Öküzgözü wines I like), I have document well and thoroughly.
Read MoreHow have I been doing this for over a week and I'm only just now getting to a bottle of bubbles?! This was well
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Week one of Advent challenge has been met and I'm still going strong! I bounced around the globe during the first week so decided
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I've had this wine for about a year and finally pulled it out. A gift from Austria from a friend who knows of my
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Yesterday's post wasn't part of the Advent challenge per say
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For December, Culinary Cam has invited the #WinePW group to talk about American Sparklers (or writer's choice). You can see her invitation here. Many
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Today's Advent wine was a new release this year from Kuzubağ as part of its sophomore wine collection. Advent Day 5 Kuzubağ Öküzgözü, 2021 The winery's first
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Created by Göknur Gündoğan and Işık Gülçubuk, the Wine Experience Project was launched at the end of 2020. Per the group's mandate, The Wine
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Today's Advent wine comes from Bazaltkő Pincészet in Hungary and features a favorite grape of mine: Kéknyelű. Found primarily in Badacsony, it's an old grape that
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Yes, I've set myself with this wine a day for Advent challenge (which I already regret) but today is also #CabFranc Day! So, I
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Several years ago, I tried to blind taste wine every day during Advent. That was a challenge. Partially logistically. I only thought about it
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The lovely Lisa Morrow, author of several books about life as an expat in Turkey and Inside Out Istanbul asked me to write a
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Since November seems to have forgot how to be autumn, we'll see what kind of weather December has in store. The seasons here can
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I get the feeling that people's minds mostly go to the Cabernets and Sauvingon Blanc when Akın Gürbüz's name comes up. To an extent
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Some months ago, I had the chance to re-taste a number of Arcadia wines with winery owner Zeynep Arca Şallıel and US importer, Sharap
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Did you know that I love Karasakız? Do you know the Karasakız grape at all?? Even if you live in Turkey and don't know, I
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This month, I am hosting the #WinePW group's exploration of heritage and traditional grapes. I will attempt to host a chat on Threads tomorrow,
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This month, I am hosting the #WinePW group's exploration of heritage and traditional grapes. I will attempt to host a chat on Threads on
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This month, the #ItalianFWT group is exploring the wines of Piemonte and/or Valle d'Aosta. Culinary Cam will be hosting a Twitter (I refuse to
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We leave behind the tricks and treats of Halloween and October for a new month. Hopefully one that is actually autumn-like. Every new month
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My friend Roy lives in Australia, mostly in Melbourne, and visits Turkey regularly. Has been doing so for so long, in fact, that he
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For many of us, our first encounter with amber wine, wine made in amphora, or "natural" wine was with a Georgian wine. While many
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Canan at Gordias doesn't make a lot of white wines. But when she does, like her Nana Narince and Fesleğen, they're worth tracking down!
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Deanna of Wineivor has invited the #ItalianFWT group to explore the Vento and the Wines of Romance this month! As Deanna pointed out in
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Autumn is officially here - on the calendar anyway. We've had such odd weather all spring and summer, here's to a properly cool and
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A family winery located in the Balaton Uplands Laposa Birtok has a beautifully romantic story. In 1978, József Laposa and Eleonóra Barabás met on a
Read MoreThis week's post is a little different than usual - it's a guest post by my friend Karin! I met Karin about a year and
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Not all wine names are obvious immediately (or at all!) until you ask about the story behind them. One of my favorite Turkish wine
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Some time ago, I posted about a couple different Moschofilero wines I'd had, which you can find here. Then, at the urging of my
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Cindy of Grape Experiences has invited the #ItalianFWT group to explore the wines, food, and history of Friuli and/or Trentino-Alto Adige this month. Join
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Is summer over yet? Please?? I know I complained about that weird cold and rainy early July we had
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Really, what is the obsession some of the upper Thracian wineries seem to have with making blanc de noir wines with Papazkarası? Sure, some
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Even though I finally made it to Slovenia a few years ago, I barely got a taste of the wine! Despite the fact that
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Of all the grapes in Turkey, Boğazkere remains one of (if not the) most tannic and full-bodied varieties. So why am I talked about
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For August, Robin from Crushed Grape Chronicles has challenged the #WinePW crew to find "unexpected white wine pairings". More than just food though, Robin
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Disclaimer: This post includes wines received as a sample. All opinions are my own. Some time ago, Midin sent me several of the wines from
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Jennifer from Vino Travels has invited the #ItalianFWT group to discover the wines of Emilia Romagna and/or Liguria this August! I've been waiting for
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My first introduction to Oenops was a few years ago at Athens' Oenorama. My friend, Anna Maria of Unravelling Wine and Chania Wine Tours
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Holy cats July was miserable! Horrible, hot weather including the hottest day Istanbul has had in years. During which, no less, my precious wines
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Last year I fell in love with Kuzubağ wines. They came out of the gate with seven very successful and reasonably priced (a miracle
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On my last trip to Georgia, one of my favorite discoveries was Baia's Wine. Baia Abuladze and her family are among those Georgian winemakers working
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I like Sevilen. Yes, it's one of Turkey's larger wineries and makes a slightly eye-popping amount of wine every year. But most of their
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