A few weeks ago E&M, R, and I headed out of Istanbul. None of us had ever been to Edirne, the old second capitol
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I bought this a little hesitantly since I had bad luck with Arcadia’s Sauvignon Gris but my friends at Solera promised me it would
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What is Gelber Muskateller? you ask. It’s Muscat, or technically yellow Muscat. How is that different from any of the other Muscats I’ve reviewed?
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I almost don’t even know where to begin with this. E and I set off on what was to be a relaxing weekend break
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I have never had a Fume Blanc before and had to Google to remind myself what it even was. A Fume Blanc is basically
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On our second day on Bozcaada we shared a fantastic Turkish breakfast with our hosts that included products from the island and their own
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My adventure at Suvla was only a small part of my recent trip. I was invited with my friend T to visit some friends
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Recently I let the guys at La Cave talk me into another bottle of wine; the Arcadia 2012 Pinot Gris. I do need more
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I recently had the opportunity to spend time on Bozcaada and was able to visit the Suvla winery in Ecebat. First of all, I wish
Read MoreWhile I still approach pink wines warily I am more open to at least trying then than I used to be. That does not
Read MoreI’ve been terribly neglectful about both having and writing about the Hauteville Grand Vinde. This was a gift from a colleague last summer and
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I found the Kayra Versus Viognier, a real gem, originally at Eleos on Istiklal. Aside from a truly respectable wine list, Eleos is worth a visit if
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Recently I discovered that a new friend owns a yacht. And while I would love to be friends with the idle rich O is
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My second foray into the land of Mr. Jesus wines was the 2013 Isa Bey Narince (35 TL at Carrefour). Isa Bey is a
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While I have discovered that Solera, my favorite wine bar in Istanbul, does not always have the lowest prices on bottles, they still win
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Turkish wine post on not #WineWednesday…what is happening?! It turns out that I already discovered the 2014 Chamlija Albarino last summer and then somehow
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Last fall while in Cappadocia with my brother we stumbled upon the Kocabağ winery. I don’t recall ever seeing this wine in Istanbul so
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It’s no secret how I feel about Chardonnay-basically I hate it. I enjoy a steel-aged Chardonnay but those are difficult to find in the
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“‘The time has come,’ the walrus said, ‘to talk of other things’.” For me that means it’s time to switch from my beloved red
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I had the Paşaeli K2 last summer at my birthday dinner at Ali Ocakbaşı and it was fantastic. Unfortunately Paşaeli is not really a
Read MoreI’m always surprised when I go to Macro Center by how many wines the store doesn’t have. It has a very small alcohol selection,
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The 2012 Likya Podalia has become my go-to bottle when I take people to Dai Pera – which is my go-to restaurant. It’s a
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Since the Arda Cabernet Sauvignon was such a hit we decided to try the Arda Şiraz, also purchased from Solera for 45 TL (65
Read MoreNow that my neighbor has turned me on to wines made in Elazığ I’m more and more on the look out for them. Kayra,
Read MoreOver the summer I reviewed Sevilen’s W, a Sauvignon Blanc, which E, M, and I all really enjoyed so when I saw the Sevilen
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I have been burned by Turkish Malbec’s before so I was a little (i.e. a whole lot) trepidacious when the guys as La Cave
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I seem to unwittingly be on a mission now to try all the Cabernet Sauvignon wines in Turkey. As far as missions go I
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The new Chamlija Sui Generis is a study in how important it is to let your wines breathe. I started out completely turned off
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In a feeble attempt to make moving apartments easier I stopped buying wine a while ago so when I moved into my new place
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Finally the guys at La Cave gave me a good recommendation! I’ve been burned by them a few times but I decided to try
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On one of the gorgeous days we had in February E and I ventured over to the Asian side to meet another friend for
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How much do I love Chamlija? A whole lot in case that rhetorical question wasn’t obvious and the Chamlija Papaskarası is no exception. I’d never heard
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Not even the Suvla shop in Cighangir has the Suvla Behramlı! I found it at the Macro Center in Levent for about 15TL and M
Read MoreAside from the Georgian restaurant a colleague and I found in Budapest on our free day, the only highlight, indeed the only thing that
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For no particular reason I rarely buy wines by Sarafin which makes no sense as Doluca has a reputation for making good wine under
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I’ve had this Vino Dessera Cabernet Franc for a while. I picked it up at Comedus maybe eight months ago, back when I still
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I’m so glad I had this review pre-written for today. I’ve been sick a lot lately and with this latest cold I can’t smell
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The first time I saw a Chamlija wine at Sensus there were only two or three of them. Now they are everywhere and I
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I’ve had this bottle of 2012 Kayra Vintage Shiraz sitting on my wine rack for so long that I had to wipe off about
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It’s been a while since we’ve featured a wine by Suvla. The problem with finding a wine producer that you really like is you
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A while ago I was at La Cave in Cihangir looking for new wines and picked up this Likya Pinot Meunier. I’ve never heard
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Funny story. Also kind of embarrassing…while I was in Cappadocia with my brother I was determined to visit the Turasan Winery which is just
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A friend of mine was in town not too long ago and I met her at her hotel for a drink. Normally I’d have
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I had a while back at a Pop Up event. At Pop Up you bring your own wine and, as I’ve seen this bottle
Read MoreAs sometimes happens when I’m not sure which new wine to buy, I purchased the Diren Les Muses based on how pretty the label
Read MoreRecently, my favorite wine blog, Winefolly, posted 99 Reasons to Drink. As much as I revere Winefolly, I think she missed a few so I
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The Syrah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc blend is not Prodom’s only red blend. There is also the Prodom Syrah Kalecik Karası blend (also 120TL at
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We know I love Suvla but I love Suvla even more now than before because they are now producing a Boğazkere, an Öküzgöz, and
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I have so many fond memories of the Prodom Syrah Petit Verdot Cabernet Franc blend. It was the first truly beautiful Turkish wine I
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Every time I visit the Suvla shop in Cihangir I inquire as to whether or not something new has come out. Last time I
Read MoreDuring my buying spree at Sensus they gifted me with a half bottle of Yanık Ülke Strabon which is a Boğazkere, Cabernet Franc, Petit
Read MoreI fell a little in love with Gordias wines previously after trying the Kalecik Karası and Narınce. Then one afternoon in Sensus Galata I
Read MoreYou wouldn’t really know it based on the weather here in Istanbul but summer is over. I’d sad face if it weren’t for the
Read MoreI’ve been shopping a lot recently at Senus which is home to the largest collection of Yanık Ülke wines I’ve seen. In fact for
Read MoreI’ve been really lax about posting the Hungarian guest wines! I still have something like four to go! So on that note, next up
Read MoreThe Smyrna Sauvignon Blanc Trebbiano by LA Wines I picked up a Carrefour not too long ago. I’ve never tried any of Smyrna’s wines
Read MoreI’m always leery of white wines but I got talked into this one against my better judgement. When I see “aged for 8 months
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Aside form a late harvest white I have yet to open, the vast majority of wines I brought home from Hungary were reds. However
Read MoreContinuing my forays into pink wine I agreed to a bottle of Suvla Blush Cabernet Sauvignon 2014. I generally like a Cab so I
Read MoreThe Vylyan Ordog 2012 we found at a restaurant one evening. Our choices were limited to only three reds (one of which was immediately
Read MoreA while back E and I trekked out to the Kanyon mall to visit Macro Center-a place I have avoided for two and a
Read MoreI’m still excited over having found Turkish Viognier. There are truly very few dry white wines I can even tolerate let alone like and
Read MoreI brought home a number of bottles from my miserable week in Hungary. Which, to clarify, was miserable not because I was in Hungary
Read MoreSuvla has out a new series this year: Bigalı (running 19TL/bottle). I believe we’ve already covered the red so, in keeping with drinking more
Read MoreWe’re trying something a little different today! I was stuck in the middle of nowhere Hungary for work for a 10-day staff retreat…so naturally
Read MoreI love the Suvla Sauvignon Blanc. Love. So when I was recommended the Suvla Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blend I was only too happy to
Read MoreI’ve been through Suvla’s Kabetepe red, white. and blush so I figured I should bookend the series and get the last one, the rose.
Read MoreNow is the time I try to switch to white or rose wines to beat the Istanbul summer heat. Since I am really enjoying
Read MoreI found a cork in one of my purses the other day and remembered that I got the cork at Solera some time back
Read MoreLike the Urla, Nodus was another new discovery at Comedus. I chose this Nodus Cabernet Franc Merlot partially because Nodus was a new producer to me
Read MoreI went to Sensus wine bar a number of weeks ago and had a little bit of a shopping spree. Among the spoils of
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I must preface this by saying that I actually drank this Turasan Syrah before the Emir I recently both reviewed and enjoyed. So…grain of salt. Since I’ve had
Read MoreI am so far behind on these posts! Wine Wednesday needs to come around more often. Or, knowing that isn’t actually possible, I need
Read MoreI have not had a great deal of Corvus wines. I think I had a cheaper one ages ago, didn’t like it, and wrote
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Urla is a new winery to me, I haven’t noticed this one before so when I saw the 2011 Urla Vourla at Comedus (59TL)
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Today was to have been the last of my 4AM Twitter sessions with VinoRai and Protocol Wine Studio during which we were to compare the Diren Öküzgözü and the Gali
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For the last two weeks I’ve been getting up at 3:50 AM. No one understands why and everyone thinks I’ve insane, including my cat.
Read MoreI recently was able to entertain some family members here in Istanbul. Two of my double second cousins* were in town. I have a
Read MoreI have now had and written about the Pamukkale Senfoni Sek and Domi Sek. I’ve always quite liked the domi sek but I never
Read MoreThe problem with back log reviews is that they get really back logged! This has apparently been neglected as a draft for a rather
Read MoreI have a hard time with Sauvignon Blancs. I feel like no two are alike which, on the one hand is fantastic because hurrah
Read MoreProcured at Comedus for a reasonable 43 TL, this 2011 Chateau Nuzu is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Öküzgözü. We actually drank
Read MoreTuesday morning I was sitting in the local tax office when the power wet out. I hoped it was just a flicker but we soon
Read MoreAs I’ve had uneven luck with them in the past I don’t tend to buy a lot of wines from Duluca. Nor did I
Read MoreDespite my previous, failed attempt to enjoy a Turkish-produced, Spanish-style wine I decided I would try again with the 2012 Mon Reve Tempranillo. Despite
Read MoreIt’s funny how I never notice that I rarely cook meat at home; until Lent comes and then every Friday it’s an absolute trial.
Read MoreUsually I write these posts later in the afternoon but my regularly scheduled activities are frustrated by the need to wait around for DHL
Read MoreA few weeks ago I finally made it to Comedus, a great little charcuterie deli nearish my place. In addition to going a little
Read MoreI feel like I don’t often see a Cabernet Franc here so when I found an Anfora Cabernet Franc (new from Anfora) at Le
Read MoreTwo of my best friends have just moved to Istanbul and I haven’t had time to take them through the do’s and don’ts of
Read MoreDespite living in Istanbul for two years; one of them right next to the famous French Street which high volume live music keeps me
Read MoreI was in the Suvla shop the other day looking for gifts for friends moving here. I thought they should have some nice wine
Read MoreSince my Carrefour has remodeled and renamed itself a Carrefour Gourmet (which as far as I can tell means that it simply has a
Read MoreWhenever I go into Carrefour I take a quick look at the wine section to see if I can find red wines at a)
Read MoreThis week we’re talking about the 2013 Suvla Kabatepe white. Sadly, they’re not producing any more of this so what is in stock is
Read MoreIn addition to the its already overwhelming selection of excellent wine; Suvla also produces a series called Kabatepe-a table red, white, blush, and rose.
Read MoreThis week we’re diverting from Suvla. Largely because I saw a bottle of wine at Carrefour last week that I don’t recall having seen
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Last week I went to the Suvla shop in Cihangir for a bottle of Sur, completely forgetting that there were two. When I was
Read MoreIt’s December and yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent which means that it’s officially time to start playing Christmas movies and music and,
Read MoreI was both excited and trepidatious going into this Suvla Merlot. On the one hand…Merlot; blech. It rhymes with ‘no’ for a reason. One
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