Yanık Ülke, Recreating Sicily in Turkey
Yanık Ülke Bağları translates as “vineyards of the burnt land.” Located at 924 meters above sea level on the rocky volcanic slopes of the dormant Divlit Volcano, the winery prides itself on its black volcanic soil. It likes to compare itself to the vineyards and wines of Mount Etna, Sicily. To further this association, the winery cultivates several Sicilian grape varieties including Cataratto, Nerello Cappuccio, and Nerello Mascalese.
I’ve never had the Nerello Cappuccio. It’s not something I see often on the shelf. The other two though are generally much easier to find.
Yanık Ülke Nerello Mascalese, 2018
Bright ruby in the glass with aromas of mulberry, black raspberry, cherry, vanilla, and clove. On the palate it was dry with low tannins and a silky texture. Medium acidity added a brightness to the fruit flavors while unmistakable oak influence added richness with vanilla and chocolate. High alcohol at 14.3% abv added a bit of heat and burn and the wine really needed some time to let that blow off.
Yanık Ülke Catarratto, 2017
Medium lemon on the pour, the Yanık Ülke Catarratto showed released very fruity and floral aromas of white flowers, melon, and orange. The palate was dry and displayed a tropical character with notes of exotic blossoms and melon with nuances of lemon. Like the Nerello Mascalese it had high alcohol at 14% abv but I didn’t notice the alcohol here as much. Simple and refreshing it would be a nice aperitif wine (despite the alcohol) or served with light salads or seafood.
Mount Etna wines they are not. They do however, offer an interesting experiment in seeing these grapes outside their native land.