2017 was a crazy year. It began with a last minute trip to Iceland where wine is even more expensive than it is in
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Barbare is one of Turkey’s really special wineries and the Ambiance 2012 is no exception. I cannot in down exactly what makes them stand
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I was unaware of the existence of Trajan wines until I saw the Trajan Rezerv Kalecik Karası at the Cihangir Suvla shop and bought it
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When I first started my adventures into wine here in Turkey I refused to buy imported wines like this Delibori Lugana. Because alcohol taxes
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Doluca is one of the largest wine outfits in Turkey. In 1926 the Maison Vinikol at Galata was founded and became the base for Doluca. they
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I was recently lucky enough to be invited to the Galata Anemon hotel for a tasting of Yanık Ülke wines. Yanık Ülke was established by the Akçura
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Porta Caeli is one of my favorite new wineries here in Turkey and its Ament Bordeaux is as hefty as the bottle is. But
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I don’t know why but there’s a fever among the expat population in Istanbul for all things Georgian. Both Pop-Up Istanbul and Popist Supper Club have held Georgian
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It feels like it’s been neigh on forever since I’ve had a wine by Gordias. So this winter when I saw a new bottle at Solera I
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I feel like I say a lot that such-and-such winery is one of my favorite wineries in Turkey. Does the expression lose gravitas for
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Saranta is one of the new kinds on the block of the Turkish wine industry. While established in 2007 and with a debut vintage
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When I lived in the US I never really understood the point of Duty Free shops; I never saw deals that were any better
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Perhaps my biggest beef with the Turkish wine industry (well aside from active government oppression) is that I feel that many of the best
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The Vino Dessera 190 has a special place in my heart. It, along with one of the Prodom blends, was one of the first wines I
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In August I went back to the States for the first time in two years. While I was there I gave a wine tasting
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The Sommeliers Selection Turkey 2017 is the gift that keeps on giving. Seriously. I discovered so many wines and wineries there that I hadn’t heard of
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In September I had the opportunity to visit Chateau Nuzun where I tasted the Chateau Nuzun 2011. The tour, through Piano Piano and lead by expert Turkish
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This bottle of Celler del Roure from Valencia’s Vermell DO came to me by way of my friend K. She spent the new year
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I don’t drink Kutman wines often. Every time I do though I am reminded that it’s something I should do more often. Like the Adnan
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Georgian wine has been gaining in popularity for several years now. Not even Istanbul can resist the charms of neighboring Georgia’s wine and cuisine.
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Turkish sparkling wine is fairly new to the market. While previously there may have been one or two, it feels like the industry exploded
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Located on Avşa Island, Büyülübağ is one of Turkey’s Marmara region wineries. Alp Törüner founded the winery there in 2003 with a view of continuing the island’s
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I haven’t yet dived fully into Kastro Tireli’s wines. Outside of the Narince-Viognier I previously reviewed I’ve only also had this Karkaia, a Bordeaux-blend style wine.
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As with the Suvla Sur, I’ve tasted multiple vintages of Suvla’s Reserve Petit Verdot Karasakız. Is the Petit Verdot Karasakız 2012 my favorite of the vintages? I
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Many people I know are turned off by the term: late harvest. “I don’t like dessert wine.” “It’s too sweet.” For many ‘late harvest’
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Tanini was one of my favorite winery finds at Tbilisi’s New Wine Festival this year. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get a bottle of their rose
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Nıf Vineyards is one of the Turkish wineries I have only recently become interested in. This is due in large part to its 2012
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Before E&M left Turkey they had a going a way party that really was just a ‘eat and drink whatever is still around’ party.
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In the semi-recent past I led a tasting called the Four Faces of Papaskarası . We tasted four of Chamlija’s Papaskarası wines: the Blanc
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I love Italian wine. Red or white. I don’t care. I love it all. And when you find a trusted producer, like Marchesi Antinori,
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Barbare is perhaps one of my favorite Turkish wineries. Their wines range from perfectly lovely to truly special and the Libra is no exception. Sitting
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For years I avoided most sparkling wines. I found that almost all of them made me ill; instant migraine. Maybe I’m just getting more
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Even before our trip to Chateau Kalpak with Em and AJ I’d had a few of their wines. One of them being the AWC Gold Medal
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Spanish white wines are difficult to find in Istanbul; even in duty free. This Pazo das Bruxas Albariño was the only thing E&M could find
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In the spring I attended an Arcadia wine tasting with Murat Mumcoğlu of Şarap Atölyesi. We tried a variety or red and white wines; one
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Recent trips to Rind have netted me a few bottles of New Zealand wine; including this 2013 Seresin Sauvignon Blanc. One of the world’s foremost
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I have been lucky enough to try three different vintages of Suvla’s Sur: the 2010, 2011, and 2012. A few years ago I wrote
Read MoreTurkish wines really are good. Really they are. Often when I start talking about Turkish wines to people outside the country I’m met with
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Established in 2004, Chateau Nuzun is one of Turkey’s boutique wineries. Only an hour drive away (depending on the insanity level of traffic!) it is possibly
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On a recent trip to Athens to visit my friends E&M I had the chance to try a lot of Greek wine. Almost as
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In November I attended another wine tasting lead by Şarap Atölyesi‘s Murat Mumcuoğlu at the Historic Pano Wine House in Istanbul. We tasted eight wines all by winemakers Paşaeli
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I bought this bottle of 2010 Thracians Mystery Cabernet Sauvignon when E and I were at Todoroff in Bulgaria. I could see E rolling her eyes
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Saranta is one of those wineries in Turkey that I vaguely knew existed. However I had never seen any of their wines in Istanbul
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Georgia wasn’t my only wine-focused trip in May! E&M were spending the month in Athens sorting out E’s Greek citizenship (me = green with
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This Turasan Kalecik Karası was part of a shipment of wines I got from Turasan a while back. Kalecik Karası was the first wine
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This Telavi Wine Cellar Marani Tvishi was another great find at Rind. And worth every penny of the 70ish TL that I paid. Telavi
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In November I attended another wine tasting lead by Şarap Atölyesi’s Murat Mumcuoğlu at the Historic Pano Wine House in Istanbul. We tasted eight
Read MoreProcrastination is my first, middle, and last name. But I couldn’t wait any longer to write about the Zero Compromises and New Wine Festival
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My visit last year to Chamlija’s tasting restaurant near Kırklareli in Turkey’s Thracian wine region was more of a “flying” visit than anything else. However while
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This lovely Hoşköy Cabernet Sauvignon I first had at a Paşaeli tasting with Şarap Atölyesi. I really like Paşaeli’s wines, the K2 being a general favorite,
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The Rèmole Toscana by Frescobaldi is one of my new favorite wines. And at only 61.50 TL at Macro Center it’s not all that
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One of the best, medium-priced Turkish wines I’ve had in a while was the Kybele 2011 from Şen Vineyards. I picked up the Kybele for 42 TL
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Kastro Tireli is something I discovered only recently. During a stop-in at Comedus I bought this Kastro Tireli Narince Viognier (67 TL). I have
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Nif has quickly become one of my favorite wineries in Turkey and I’m always seeking out more of their wines. At the Sommeliers’ Selection Turkey I
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This Kindzmarauli Marani Kisi was part of the loot I brought home from Georgia in October. It was a duty free purchase I made
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Melen is one of those wineries tucked away in Hoşköy of which I had some nebulous knowledge, but had never seen any of their wines.
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Last autumn E&M visited E’s family in Greece returned with many many bottles of Greek wine for us to try, including this 2015 Roditis
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The Yedi Bilgeler Phytagoras Reserve 2013 is why I fell in love with this winery. The first time I had it was at Solera
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It’s been years since I went to Lebanon but the more Lebanese wines I taste the more I want to visit again! This 2016
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In February at the Sommelier’s Selection Turkey event I discovered several wineries of which I was previously unaware. One of those was the Edrine Winery.
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The Barbare Reserve Premier is the second wine I’ve had by this organic wine maker and the first non vintage blend I’ve not only had,
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Naturally it took me four years here to find the wine tasting scene and now that I’m in it I’m sorry I’ll have to abandon
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This 2014 Selendi Blend was another wine I tasted with Şarap Atölyesi at a tasting at the Historic Pano Wine House. I’d had this one before at
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A few months ago I went to a wine tasting lead by Murat Mumcuoğlu of Şarap Atölyesi. I was excited before the tasting because I’d been following
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While we were in Sighnaghi KMac and I made a point to find the Okro winery and restaurant one evening. When we arrived one of
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As part of a wine tasting with Şarap Atölyesi I had the opportunity to taste the Selendi Moralı 2015 which came on the market only this
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I bought this Szabó Pince Turán about a year and a half ago when I spent a miserable week in Balat, Hungary. The only thing
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A few months ago I held a big Chamlija tasting for a group of friends on E&M’s terrace. After our visit to Chamlija we
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The Chateau Kalpak 2011 is a classic Bordeaux blend made by one of Turkey’s premiere winemakers; Chateau Kalpak. Made in a chateau-style this 2011 blend
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E brought this bottle of Amauta Corte Inspiracion by Bodega El Porvenir de Cafayate back from a trip to Argentina. She them promptly left on another trip to
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Likya has a huge range of wines, including several varietals of native Turkish grapes that are really rare; including the Merzifon Karası. I put together
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Last fall a friend visited me on her way back from Ramallah. She brought me the gift of a couple bottles of Israeli wine
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My friend AJ introduced me to Barel Vineyards with this Barel Cabernet Merlot blend from 2013. At 30-something a bottle this was a really
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It’s been years and years since I’ve been to the Balkans but in that time the quality of the wine there has improved by
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I have not yet explored Kutman wines much but when I saw this Kutman Gamay Cabernet Sauvignon at Carrefour I couldn’t resist trying buying
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February 25 and 26 Istanbul hosted the 2017 Sommeliers’ Selection Turkey at the St. Regis hotel. Organized by Gustobar, the event brought together 179 wines
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After the rousing success that was the Ma’Adra Cabernet Sauvignon and the disappointment of the Syrah, I decided I might as well go for
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I found this post buried in my drafts folder. I think it’s from last winter so color me embarrassed! Regardless of my embarrassment the
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Last September I returned to Georgia for a trip full of wine and adventure. While I was in Tbilisi I got the chance to meet the founders
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7Bilgeler (Yedi Bilgeler) is one of my new favorite Turkish wine producers in the Aegean. The 2012 Reserve Bias Priene is a beautiful example
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I had such hopes for the Ma’Adra Syrah after the way E and I fell in love with their Cabernet Sauvignon. Alas our hopes
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It’s been ages since I’ve had an Öküzgözü Boğazkere blend. As much as I enjoy trying the native grape wines in Turkey drinking the
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I was so excited when I found this Kayra Vintage Zinfandel at La Cave (66 TL)! It’s been ages since I’ve had a Zinfandel-not
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I know-a Chardonnay? What is the world coming to?! I really did have a reason though. I recently lead an all-Likya tasting and wanted
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The 2013 Chamlija Thracian … where has this been all my life? This, for me, is hands down one of the top wines being produced
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For a very brief time I tried OK Cupid in Turkey. It was a largely uneventful experience but I mention it because it was
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Christmas is almost here! You know what that means? It’s mulled wine season. My former roommate and I used to make mulled wine together
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My first encounter with the Chamlija Felix Culpa happened in the same way I discovered many of Chamlija’s wines…there was one bottle, just the
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It has been a busy few days full of wine. On the one hand, my two best friends moved out of Turkey but on
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A colleague recently brought two bottles of this 2012 Marquis des Beys Grand Cuvee back from Beirut for me to try. While she prefers the
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Everything you need to know about the 2009 Barbare Elegance is right in the name: elegant. Barbare is a top-shelf, organic wine producer here
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This was another case of letting the guys at La Cave talk me into something. I figured for 40 TL I wasn’t taking that
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While Sherlock seemed utterly unmoved by this wine; I was not. I’m not usually a huge fan of Cabernet Franc but when Mustafa Çamlica,
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A couple weeks ago I drank two of Chateau Kalpak wines with some friends and it turns out that my friend AJ knows the
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I have two favorite Turkish wines-and one is the 2011 Chateau Kalpak Twin. Chateau Kalpak is a semi newish winery, located in Şarköy on the Marmara
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I’ve been eyeing this 2014 Urla Tempus wine for a while but it’s 195 TL at Solera and I have a hard time coughing
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I have only recently started exploring Kayra wines so they’re not wines that jump out at me when I’m shopping but when I saw
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I recently saw an Instagram post from Pamukkale showing several new wines and I had to try them. I’m a bit of a magpie
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I don’t actually know where the Papazın Şarabı and Palivor Çiftliği crossover happens. I did some light Googling and couldn’t find the connection but
Read MoreHappily day two in Edirne was only about 35-36 C and not 38 because we had to bundle up several times to visit some
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