Have you ever heard of Kabar? If you know wine from Tokaj or from Hungary at all, you've probably had some Furmint and Hárslevelű.
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Happy 2023 to everyone! Who's made a resolution for the new year? Share in the comments below! I'm not one for resolutions generally but I
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If a Cabernet Shiraz blend from Akın Gürbüz has a hint of deja vous about it for you, you wouldn't be wrong. The Gürbüz
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When possible, I like to visit a Christmas market somewhere in Europe during Advent. We don't get a lot of Christmas in Turkey as
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While I've written about it a number of times now, Patkara is still something of an emerging grape in Turkey. The first glimpse we
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I'm not going to go into my rant about "natural" wine and why it offends me. Been there, done that. So if I've already
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[caption id="attachment_18442" align="alignleft" width="300"] As it first looked[/caption] I first learned about the Sobran Bağları Emir at one of the Gusto Bar wine events in
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For the capital city of an Amazing wine country, Athens airport duty free wine selection sucks. Maybe if you've only gone through the airport
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It's December 4 - you know that that means! #CabFrancDay! I wouldn't miss a chance to celebrate this wine holiday. Not only because my
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It's December! The winter solstice is around the corner but, even more exciting, Christmas! My tree is up! Is yours? Especially in light of
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Over the winter I met some of the family behind new Çal-based winery, Kuzubağ. Historically, the wineries located on the Denizli-Çal plateau have produced more
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Lucien Arkas began his path to winery ownership as a wine lover with a dream. And a lot of money. In 2010 when the
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Canan's wines often fly under the radar, but the Gordias Oğan wasn't even on mine. Until I happened to spot a bottle of it
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Semi-recently I took a trip to Georgia (the Republic of, not the peach state). I haven't been since before the pandemic hit and was
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We don't give Yapıncak a lot of love. Largely because it's not especially common. Paşaeli, Sevilen, and Suvla are the only wineries I know
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Kayra Buzbağ and Kayra Buzbağ Rezerv have been around since forever. By which I mean at least the 10 years I've been knocking around
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Last Sunday, I wrote about my experience with the rosé wines from Kuzubağ. Now it's time to tackle the whites! Over the winter I met
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I bought this Carpinus Tokaj Hárslevelű during my last trip to Budapest this June. In a way, this one bottle brought the last year
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Over the winter I met some of the family behind new Çal-based winery, Kuzubağ. Historically, the wineries located on the Denizli-Çal plateau have produced more
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[caption id="attachment_18341" align="alignright" width="428"] map from Nif Bağları click for larger image[/caption] Viognier Narince is not an unpopular blend in Turkey. I feel like the
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Sagavın Winery's wines still reside totally under the radar. I've seen them at the odd shop here in Istanbul but not widely. Which is
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The Gordias Kalecik Karası Beyazı was one of the standout wine surprises I found this spring. I think it's been around for a while
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Do you love sparkling wine? I do. I'm always happy to try any of them (and generally even happier to drink them). Finding new
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For years, Kastro Tireli has made one white wine: a Viognier Narince blend. Then they added a skin contact version of the same blend.
Read MoreHave you had wine from Kefalonia? If the answer is 'no' then you should try to change that ASAP! I haven't yet been to
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Büyülübağ owner Alp Törüner experimented with micro vinifications of wild fermentations for a few years before releasing his first commercial bottling in 2015. While
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Some time ago, I wrote a little compilation of Moschofilero tasting notes. My great friend Anna Maria of Unravelling Wine not so subtly commented
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Over the last two vintages, the Vino Dessera Entrika line has expanded both its offerings and its reach across Turkey. For the 2020 vintage,
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Summer isn't over quite yet! We're having some cooler days (which I quite appreciate!) but also still seeing spikes into the 30s. On those
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Last fall when I visited Likya, they told me about a new rosé they were trying to release: Fox. Made from a new (for
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This month, Cam from Culinary Adventures with Cam has invited the #Winophiles group to explore French Grapes that Crossed Continents. You can read her
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Back in the day when we were researching my book, E and I were invited to stay at Argos in Cappadocia. This fascinating hotel's story
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With school bells tolling the end of summer, Robin of Crushed Grape Chronicles has invited the #winepw group to a "back to school" themed
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If you love Kalecik Karası then you may know the name Prof. Dr. Sabit Ağaoğlu. If you don't know his name, I'm willing to
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The first place I saw the Shiluh Mazrona was, of course, Instagram and I felt giddy with excitement. A Mazrona! All on it's own
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In May at Gusto Bar's CMC, I connected with Erdem Yılmaz from Tasheli. Then, after drinking the winery's Göküzüm Aküzüm, I reached out to
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While Narince appears most commonly as a varietal wine, blending it is not uncommon. Sometimes we see Narince Emir, Chardonnay Narince seemed popular for
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On Crete, the largest of the Greek islands, Lyrarakis Estate has spearheaded the movement to revive one of the island's oldest and rarest grapes:
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Many of us know Grüner Veltliner, or "green Veltliner" Austria's premier white grape; but what do we know about its "red" counterpart, Roter Veltliner? I
Read MoreAkberg Büyükbağ I learned about last autumn at the Gustobar Sommelier Selection and was then happy to see them back in the spring at
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This month, Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla issued a CSA challenge to the #WinePW group. You can read her invitation here. The challenge
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We are well and truly in the depths of summer now. Whether you're hiding inside with the AC or toughing it out, hoping for
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In 1997, the Tsimbidis family founded Monemvasia Winery in Monemvasia, Laconia, Peleponnese. Their goal: to reinvigorate little-known grapes lost in time. The Tsimdibis family
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Located in the Çömelek village in the Mut district of Mersin along Turkey's Mediterranean coast, Tasheli is a family-run winery that has had a
Read MoreOkay, well new-ish anyway. I first tried the İkidenizarası Bornova Misketi last fall when I saw their wines at La Cave in Cihangir. İkidenizarası is
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Several months ago, Midin Şarapçılık sent me a selection of wines from their new 2020 vintage. A friend introduced me to Midin last year.
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Finding Hungarian sparkling wine in Budapest is as easy as hopping in a cab! Located along the Danube on the Buda side of the
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In 2021, Diren Winery celebrated the centennial of founder Mustafa Vasfi Diren's birth. It did it the only way this winery could; by releasing
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This March at Oenorama in Athens, my friend Anna Maria of Unravelling Wine and Chania Wine Tours introduced me to the best Vidiano not
Read MoreIf you're looking for the perfect wine for this summer, I've got it for you: Gürbüz Mood (the white one!). Trakya-based winemaker Akın Gürbüz
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It's summer. It's hot. Unless of course you live in the southern hemisphere but, if you do, you're probably dreaming of summer now! These
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The Nif Bağları Aegean beyaz is not a new wine from Nif. They've been producing the Aegean series for several years now with white,
Read MoreWay back when I first visited Antioche in Hatay, they told me that one of the grapes they grew was Barburi Blanc. I was
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Keeping true to its brand, last year when 7Bilgeler released a new white blend, the winery named it for an ancient philosopher. The 7Bilgeler
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Last year on a visit to Athens, the owner of one of my favorite wine shops (Alpha Sigma) helped me pick out a few
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If you know me, you probably know that I don't like Kavaklidere. My dislike has nothing to do with its size; it being one
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Last fall I finally made a pilgrimage back to Michigan. While there, I did a fair amount of shopping. Including, of course, a lot
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Nearly extinct until the 1970s, Kalecik Karası has become of of Turkey's most popular and widely planted grapes. While red wines remain the most
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Last year I received a tasting set of Riedel Winewings from their Turkish importer KTD. One glass each for Sauvingon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir/Nebbiolo,
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What do you get when a popular wine bar and a great winery form a partnership? A whole mess of new wines, that's what!
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Several months back I met a lovely new wine friend. Here in Turkey on vacation with her (equally lovely) mother, she got in touch
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The Mor Salkım Volante Narince Emir is something of a rare blend. It's not unheard of at all, but not something we see frequently.
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Last year, we thrilled at Paşaeli's release of four pét-nats. This year, one more joins Paşaeli's - the Arcadia Sauvingon Gris Pét-Nat. I've seen
Read MoreI recently-ish wrote a post about some of the Malagousia wines I've enjoyed. I somehow left out the Ktima Zafeirakis Malagousia. Which is crazy
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Recently I wrote a post about (some of) the best Turkish Pinot Noirs. I left out two wines on purpose, the Ayda Bağları Pinot
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Another new-ish winery to emerge in Turkey over the last few years is Taneanda. This Thrace-based winery has put out three vintages thus far,
Read MoreThe Chateau Gali Viognier is not a new wine. It's been around for a few vintages now. But it's not easy to get so
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While for reasons beyond my ken Karasakız is not more popular in Turkey, it is certainly one of the country's most facile grapes. One
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New on the market last year, Etruscan Bağcılık introduced several new wines. While the winery got started in 2010, it kept pretty quiet
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This month to celebrate spring and Easter, Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla, has invited the #Wineophiles group to share spring recipes and French
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For several years Ma'Adra's Öküzgözü rosé has been one of my go-to rosés. But I've always wondered why they don't make a red. I
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One of the newest members of the Urla Bağ Yolu, Çakır Bağcılık ve Şarapçılık prides itself on growing its vines just meters from its
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Cab Franc day is long over but my love for the grape goes year 'round! I've had the Arcadia A Cabernet Franc before but
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Assyrian winery Midin sits farther east than any other winery in Turkey, practically at Syria’s doorstep. Located in the Şırnak province, the winery faces
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Have you ever had a bottle of wine that you know you should be drinking but you never seem to be in the right
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When Arda Bağcılık first started producing wines, it focused on international grape varieties like Cabernet and Shiraz. The family-run wine has slowly been introducing
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Selefkia Wine, a small, family winery has been reaching for the stars since it opened in 2008. Alaaddin Çerçi, along with his wife Sakine and
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Lent started last week. What are you giving up? Sweets? Coffee? TV? I can tell you what I'm NOT giving up and that's wine.
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For this month's Wine Paired Weekend event, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm, has invited us to explore new to
Read MoreOne of the newer additions to the Turkish wine scene, Kayraklı Şarapçılık is based in the Muğla district of the Aegean. Founder Orhan Kayraklı
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Well, are they really the best Turkish Pinot Noir wines? Some of them are certainly the best in my opinion! But that title will
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What's that saying about nothing good happens after midnight? While often associated with crime/thriller stories (one assumes because only criminals are out and about
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Usually I get Greek wine from my friends who live in Athens. But in December they gave me three wines from
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I first learned about Chatzivaritis Estate from one of Moshe Cohen's In the Vineyard With podcast episodes, A Greek Wine Odyssey. It sounded like
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I've posted several reviews semi-recently from the Pamukkale Nodus line including the Nodus Fumé Blanc and Nodus Cabernet Sauvignon. The sudden frequency of the
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After recently talking about Gamay as an emerging popular grape, let's take a look at Semillon, specifically, the Arda Rezerv Semillon. Like Gamay, Semillon
Read MoreA few months ago I finally got a chance to go back to Michigan. I want to say it's been about four years since
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Nothing can stop my love for Assyrtiko. Much as I love exploring other and new grapes in Greece, I always buy a couple few
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Akın Gürbüz has built a name for himself in Turkey as a talented winemaker and wine consultant and his latest wine, the Akın Gürbüz
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I go to Greece fairly often. It is just kind of next door and two of my best friends live in Athens. Partially for
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While 2020 was straight-up awful, 2021 had a few more ups. Certainly there were downs! But the slowly slowly back to normal life certainly
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Even before my obsession enthusiasm for Turkish wine began, I knew the name Chateau Nuzun. I knew it as the closest winery to Istanbul
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Last year, 7Bilgeler Khilon Fumé Blanc joined the ranks of oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc in Turkey. Sauvignon Blanc enjoys huge popularity in Turkey. It grows
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Some grapes are natural blending partners. Cabernet Sauvingon and Merlot. Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Boğazkere and Öküzgözü. But what about Sauvignon Blanc and Narince? Narince
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Quick, what's the first thing that comes to mind when you think about sparkling wine? I could take a few guesses. But I'm going
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When you think of sparkling wine, which countries pop into mind? Probably France, Italy, Spain? Maybe Germany, Australia, or the UK? Something I have
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I recently came back from a trip to Crete. My first time on the island, in fact my first time in ages outside of
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Barel Bağları Gamay joins the (albeit limited) ranks of Turkish Gamays. Why this grape has suddenly become so popular is mystery - to me
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I realized some time ago that I'd not reviewed the Sevilen Plato Öküzgözü, nor in fact any of Sevilen's Plato wines. Now, with Sevilen
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This year, I get the honor of kicking of the #WinePW 2022 calendar with a celebration of bubbles from around the world! For this month's
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