Your February 2023 Turkish Wine Horoscope
I don’t know about you all, but the beginning of 2023 did not treat me well! Despite vowing to not participate in dry January, circumstances forced a two week fast on me. So, I feel quite happy to see the end of the month. Hopefully February will treat me better!
Given my lack of drinking last month, I have many plans for February. What will you be drinking? Read on to find out!
Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
Aquarius, brace yourself for frustrating drama. This is going to be a roller coaster month for you with ups and downs and swells of turmoil. The part that really sucks is that there isn’t anything here to resolve. It’s just a whole lot of emotion – yours and others’ – that you need to ride out. 
During all this, it is going to be very important that you take breaks for yourself. Take a nap, out on some headphones and listen to music, do something every once in a while to remove yourself from the situation. It’ll help you get through it.
The wine for you …
The other thing that will help you: Asmadan Vals Macabeo Narince. This is an unexpected wine from Asmadan winery which, to my knowledge, is the only winery in Turkey working with the Spanish grape Macabeo. It’s light and easy which is what you need this month, and absolutely delicious.
This one isn’t super widely available but you can find it at Casa Botti and Grape Wine Boutique. Dekante is a likely suspect. You could also ask Mensis Mahzen to order it for you. Their no stranger to Asmadan wines and might be open to that.
Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
You might feel more comfortable blending in with the crowd but this month will present opportunities to shine. Don’t miss out on those. Speak up at work or in your social groups and you’ll find that people are just as excited about your ideas as you are.
Take advantage of the positive feedback from people to let creative ideas inspire new and exciting adventures!
The wine for you …
Speaking of creative! The Doluca Signium Beyaz is a nifty blend of Chardonnay, Viognier, and Narince. A beautiful wine that shows off some of the best of Doluca’s winemaking talents, it’s silky, mouthwatering, and full of luscious fruit flavors. It’s a little pricey but you’ll be glad you tried it.
Find it at places like Carrefour, Macro Center, Mensis Mahzen, and Migros.
Aries (March 21 – April 19)
Be fearless while chasing what you want. Have courage and persistence while you pursue your goals. Yes, this requires a great deal of energy, especially in the face of naysayers. If any new ideas jump in your path, don’t push them aside. Not even if they feel unrealistic. Take a pause to examine them, see how you might approach it, and whether or not it is a distraction from your goal, or something that will help you on your path.
The wine for you …
Nazan Uzun knows all about putting energy into a project. Her Chateau Nuzun Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich and powerful wine that expresses all the passion she put into it. It’s also a really nice wine to drink on these cold winter months! Do yourself a wee favor with it though and decant it for about an hour or so before you dive in.
Look for it at Carrefour, Casa Botti, Dekante, La Cave, Mahzen 26, Mensis Mahzen, Rind and Santé Wine & More.
Taurus (April 20 – May 20)
Whether you want it to or not, change is ‘a coming! You’re going to have to let go of your stubborn nature and keep up. If you don’t, you could be holding yourself back from fully achieving your goals or becoming your whole self. Welcome support from your friends and community who share your hopes and dreams. Remember, you don’t have to prove anything about yourself by pushing through challenges alone.
The wine for you …
This month, try the Corvus Aegea Kuntra – a grape you may know of as Karasakız. The grapes might be the same but when grown on Bozcaada versus the mainland, they give totally different wines. The Aegea is big, tannic, and full of flavor and warmth. Something we all need this cold winter!
Find it at Carrefour, İyi Şarap, Macro Center, Mensis Mahzen, Metro, Migros, etc.
Gemini (May 20 – June 20)
February is all about making mental shifts. When you feel the shift coming, let yourself follow it and let go of the misguided beliefs to which you cling so tightly. One of those misguided beliefs may be that you can do everything on your own and you don’t need anyone. But if you have a goal or desire you want but are absolutely stuck on, swallow your pride and ask someone else for their helpful perspective.
The wine for you …
To soften the blow of any life-altering shifts this month, treat yourself to Kayra Old Vines Semillon. Semillon has a long history in Turkey and the vines for this wine are 60 + year old bush vines from Şarköy. The age of the vines adds complexity to the wine which Kayra did a good job making.
Let this one warm up for 10-15 minutes after you take it out of the fridge. You’ll miss a lot in this one if you drink it too cold.
Get it from Carrefour, La Cave, Macro Center, Mensis Mahzen, possibly Casa Botti and Dekante…
Cancer (June 21 – July 22)
This month, take a step back and examine your relationships and whether or not you’re too reliant on others for your self-worth and happiness. It’s great when others give a boost to our self-esteem and make us feel good. However, the core of that needs to come from you. Try to keep a positive mindset, seek out a therapist if you need. Don’t be afraid to romanticize your life if it helps you seek magic in the everyday.
The wine for you …
Someone who knows about magic is Canan Gerimli. Seek inspiration from her Gordias Boğazkere. I promise that you’ve never had a Boğazkere like this. Pine, leather, berries, a little of that funky tang that seems to circle Gordias red wines…hunting this down is worth it. One of the best things about it? It’s the 2012 on the market so if you can find it, you got yourself a wine already aged for you.
Sadly not super easy to find but look for it at Grape Wine Boutique and Solera or ask Mensis Mahzen to order it.
Leo (July 23 – August 22)
Leos are often known for having a bigger than life personality. That does not, however, mean that they don’t harbor insecurities inside. We all kind of want to hibernate during the cold grey of February. Take that inclination and turn it inwards to dive deep into your innermost feelings and explore what you’ve buried beneath the surface. Once you have a good handle on those, allow them to guide you to new routines and priorities to create a more balanced life.
The wine for you …
This month, you’ll want something a little on the delicate side as you wade through tough emotions. Try the USCA Sonnet 3 Bornova Misketi. A dry Misket, it tastes like an English garden smells full of roses, orange blossom, and citrus with fleshy white fruit.
Find it at places like Comedus, La Cave, Mensis Mahzen, Santé Wine & More, possibly Dekante, Solera, Rind…
Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
February is going to be a pretty good month for you Virgos. This is the month when you stop being overly critical or self-deprecating about yourself. Lean on the good relationships in your life to help find ways to uplift yourself. By the end of the month, you might not see yourself in a whole new light, but you will see the light.
The wine for you …
Since you’re having a transformative month, let’s talk about a grape that can transform from one thing to another. Likya Pinot Meunier is a medium-bodied, fresh wine with lip-smacking acidity, and bright red fruit flavors. It’s super food friendly, and doesn’t mind being a little chilled. This grape is rarely seen as a still red (or rosé which Likya also makes). It’s mostly used in Champagne as one of the three main grapes in sparkling Champagne blanc de noirs and rosé wines.
Look for it where you commonly find Likya wines such as Casa Botti, Dekante, La cave, Mahzen 26, Mensis Mahzen, Rind, etc.
Libra (September 23 – October 22)
I don’t know if you made a new year’s resolution or not, but February is the time to take the bull by the horns and start living the life of your dreams! Seriously, it’s action time, Libra. Stop weighing (see what I did there?) the pros and cons on and believe in your capabilities to make things happen. If you take things one day at a time and make realistic changes to your routine, you’ll soon see magic return to your every day life.
The wine for you …
To spark that magic, try the Sevilen Vendage 76. This Cabernet Franc-lead blend is rich but elegant straight out of the bottle. BUT! If you let it breathe (decant it for about an hour), the real magic starts.
For such a large winery, Sevilen wines are oddly difficult to find. Look for this one at Macro Center and Mensis Mahzen. You might also be able to find it at Casa Botti, Dekante, and Metro.
Scorpio (October 23 – November 22)
Feeling restless, Scorpio? Channel that energy into fueling your ambition and determination. Trying to reach a career milestone? Clear a financial hurdle? Start a new relationship? You’ve got the energy for it this month, however! A word of caution. Keep your standards high, most definitely. But don’t idealize everything. It will be more difficult for reality to match your expectations if they’re not, well, realistic. That way just leads to constant disappointment.
The wine for you …
Not disappointing? Vinkara Winehouse Öküzgözü (Winehouse up til 2020, for newer vintages it’s called Atelier). The Winehouse Öküzgözü blends together “young” wine with small amounts of wines made in both the Ripasso and passito methods giving this wine an entirely different personality from any other Öküzgözü you know.
Neither common nor particularly rare, your best places to look for this are Dekante, sometimes La Cave, maybe Macro Center, Mahzen 26, and Mensis Mahzen.
Sagittarius (November 23 – December 22)
You’re generally the level-headed voice of reason in your friend group. As such, you may find yourself plagued with requests for advice this month as others try to solve their problems.
Do try to keep in mind when delivering advice that not everyone is as matter-of-fact as you are. Maybe soften it up a little.
The wine for you …
Try a wine this month that’s as straight to the point as you tend to be: Kocabağ K for Kapadokya – this is not the Kocabağ K Emir that costs a couple hundred lira, but a “second” wine from the winery. Lower-priced but still full of that citrussy goodness that is Emir.
Mostly found at Macro Center, Migros, and Metro.
Capricorn (December 23 – January 19)
February brings some bittersweet realizations for you Capricorns. If your achievements have left you feeling cold and underwhelmed lately, perhaps it is time to assess whether or not these are the achievements you should be pursuing.
Reassess what it is you want from life. If you think that you’re still more or less doing more or less what you’re meant to; try coming at things from a different angle and see if that makes you happier.
The wine for you …
You know what will make you happy? Tursan Seneler Narince. Yes, there’s a little bit of oak on this, but it’s well-integrated and does what oak is supposed to do; i.e. adds layers and depth to the wine.
Get it from Iyi Sarap, Macro Center, Mensis Mahzen, possibly Metro, Migros, etc.