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Your March 2023 Turkish Wine Horoscope

 

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It sure felt like spring had sprung during the second half of February. Even my crocuses are blooming! But my experience both here and being from a northern state says that we shouldn’t get too comfortable yet and that winter may once again rear its cold, snowy head. It likely won’t be pretty when it does! Especially not for me as I’ve already been enjoying wine on my balcony. 

What have I been drinking? Well, you’ll have to check previous blog posts for that! What will I – and more importantly you! – be drinking this month? Just read on to find out!

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Aquarius, do you know how much I hate writing these posts and dread the end of the month knowing that the first of the next month is lurking and I have to write this post again??

Just get your shit together, okay? Go explore your emotions or whatever, but do it with your therapist or something instead of spewing all over unsuspecting people in your life. And if someone disagrees with an option you have; they’re not hating on you. Don’t freak out and think they have something against you. They just have a different opinion, and that’s okay.

The wine for you …

Speaking of different opinions, this month try a wine with a polarizing style: Tasheli Gök Orange. Made with 100% Gök Üzüm (a white grape), the must spent some time on the skins giving the wine a gentle orange glow and a slightly fuller flavor that you get with direct press Gök.

The new vintage should be out soon, but in the meantime, try Casa Botti, Grape Wine Boutique, Mensis Mahzen, and Solera among other places for this one. 

 Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

Alright, Pisces. You don’t get the same complaint that I dropped on Aquarius. The tone remains the same though. I don’t know if you need a money manager, someone to give you an allowance, a spreadsheet, or what. But you need to manage your funds and stop spending recklessly.

The wine for you …

None of us can afford unwise spending habits these days really. Unfortunately, wine is really heading towards luxury good prices here. To that end, this month try Barbare Libra (I hope your signs get on well!). A Bordeaux-style red blend, you can still get this one for a decent price most places. Since it’s Barbare, you’re also guaranteed a decent, quality wine as well. 

Not to mention, one of Barbare’s winemakers is a woman so it’s perfect for International Women’s Day this month!

Look for it at Dekante, Gözde Tekel, Grape Wine Boutique, La Cave, Macro Center, and Mensis Mahzen.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Okay, so, stop sitting around waiting for things to magically happen for you. That’s just never going to happen. Put your head down and do the work. Look for solutions, figure out how to do the job. Don’t get defensive if someone offers to help. 

The wine for you …

Your wine this month is the Paşaeli Çakal Üzümü. This is a really interesting grape that has so few anthocyanins in the skin, that even hours of maceration results in only a pale rosé. Paşaeli makes two wines with this, one with more maceration time than the other. Drink whichever you can find.

Also, made by a woman so perfect for International Women’s Day!

This one isn’t super easy to find, but your best chances are with Casa Botti, Dekante, Grape Wine Boutique, Mahzen 26, Mensis Mahzen, Online Mahzen, and Santé Wine & More.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Alright, Taurus. Stop buggering around complaining that no one you date is good enough and/or finding really ridiculous reasons to break it off with someone after only a couple dates. Maybe it’s time to have a serious look at yourself and what you really want out of a relationship. If the answer is “an actual relationship” then you need to get down to brass tacks and decide what you’re willing to do to get there. 

Also, chances are you’re not perfect either and you do things that drive other people nuts. Take that into account and have more patience with others. 

The wine for you …

Get yourself into the mood by trying an oddball wine with Gürbüz Orange Sauvignon Blanc. Most of the skin contact wines in Turkey use native white grapes, but Gürbüz is taking his already delicious Sauvignon Blanc and putting an amber spin on it. 

This isn’t a supermarket wine so you’re going to have to look for it. Get it from places like Comedus, Grape Wine Boutique, Mensis Mahzen, Online Mahzen, Rind, etc. 

Gemini (May 20 – June 20)

You need to stop being wishy-washy about things and taking this whole “Gemini” business too literally. While it may not sound like the most exciting quality to have, consistency is better than running hot and cold, doing a good job one day but mucking up the next, or whatever it is that you’ve been wavering over lately.

Make up your mind (the only one you have) and follow that path. 

The wine for you …

You cannot get more consistent than Arda’s wines which, while they range from decent to really good, are at least consistent in their quality for price. This month, try the Arda Gala Papazkarası. A more simple expression of Papazkarası, but a nice red wine to transition from winter to a lighter spring style. 

Also, made by a woman so perfect for International Women’s Day!

Get it from Casa Botti, La Cave, Mensis Mahzen, Rind, Santé Wine & More, Solera, etc. 

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Do you center yourself as the victim in every story? It’s time to get over yourself and realize that a) you’re not always right and b) people aren’t out to get you. Or maybe they weren’t to begin with but now you’ve annoyed them so much that they are… When things go wrong at work or in your relationships, stop blaming others to cover your mistakes in those situations. Instead, learn to apologize without making excuses for your actions.

The wine for you …

Make up with someone by offering to share a bottle of Ayda Bağları’s VinAida Cabernet Sauvignon this month. In the Turkish sea of Cabernet Sauvignon, Ayda’s stands out as a wow example with beautifully integrated oak and secondary and tertiary aromas of graphite, smoke, and stable.

Also, made by a woman at a woman-owned winery so perfect for International Women’s Day!

Look for it at Dekante, Grape Wine Boutique, and Mensis Mahzen. 

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

Okay Leos, time to drop some truth on you. You’re prideful and that gets in the way of a lot of things. You take offense easily which turns people off, but you also build walls so you yourself don’t get hurt. It is possible to maintain your assertive composure without being overbearing or know-it-ally.

The wine for you …

This month, help soften your attitude by drinking Vinkara Minoj Kalecik Karası rosé. This wine is a standard-bearer for what Kalecik Karası should be like as a rosé wine. Consistent quality and style from year to year, it’s a dependable drink that’s lovely on its own but also pairs well with a wide range of foods.

Also, from a woman-owned winery, named for the owner’s mother so it’s perfect for International Women’s Day this month!

This should be pretty easy to find as it’s carried at most Carrefours, Migros, Macro Center, Dekante, Grape Wine Boutique, İyi Şarap, Mahzen 26, Mensis Mahzen, probably Rind, likely Apertivo and Casa Botti, etc., etc. Although please note – the label as been changed from what’s pictured. It used to be adorable; it’s boring and forgettable now.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

Your journey to independence must also include a look at your relationships. They must also evolve to support the person you’re trying to become. In order to do so, you’ll have to make the time and effort to have frank conversations with people in your life about your feelings. You cannot blame people for treading on your feelings if you don’t tell them they are.

However important this journey is for you though, remember that this is your journey and other people are going through their own things. You need to make space for them to share with you as well. 

The wine for you …

To learn how to navigate difficult fields, start with a wine that might be difficult to understand but is ultimately rewarding: Gelveri Hasandede. Like all the white grapes with which Udo works, his Hasandede ferments on the skins in ancient küp. it’s a fascinating wine that gives Hasandede a peachy, tannic, earthy profile unlike Vinkara’s straight up white wine. 

Your best chances to find this are at Dekante, La Cave, Santé Wine & More, and Solera.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)

Alright so, I can’t take out my annoyance over these posts on you, Libra. Struggling with self-esteem and/or difficulties  loving yourself due to excessive self-criticism are no joke. If this is you, please reach out and talk to someone, even if it’s just a friend. Whatever it is that you think of yourself, you are better than those thoughts. You have brains and talent. You are worth being loved – by yourself and others.

The wine for you …

This month, try a wine that’s flying as under the radar as you seem to be: Selefkia Old Vines Patkara. Patkara is still not getting as much attention as it should but Selefkia has been working with it for some time now. The winery make several red and rosé wines with it but this one (like you!) is special. It’s made with fruit from some serious old vines grown high in the Taurus Mountains. 

Not to mention, Selefkia is a another women-focused winery!

Look for this at places like Casa Botti, Grape Wine Boutique, La Cave, Mensis Mahzen, and elsewhere.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 22)

March might be coming in like a lamb but you are living up to your name and stinging everyone in sight. Start using your head and handling situations logically instead of allowing your emotions to heighten your reactions. You’re starting to really annoy people with your sting first ask questions later attitude.

Have a think about why you’re feeling like this lately. Before someone gets really annoyed and steps on you. 

The wine for you …

Try a wine as complicated as your recent emotions (but better tasting) this month with Kuzubağ Chardonnay. Now, it’s a rare Chardonnay that the Universe (aka me) recommends. However, the multiple winemaking techniques that went into this make for such a delicious wine that even oak naysayers will love it! 

Even better, this is a women-made wine from a family winery where the daughters are heavily involved!

Look for this one at places like Casa Botti, Grape Wine Boutique, Iyi Sarap, Mensis Mahzen, and elsewhere. 

Sagittarius (November 23 – December 22)

Sagittarius, you’re going to start off the month with a personal high that will boost your self-confidence. That’s awesome, congrats. Don’t be a jerk about it though, okay? Yay for you, celebrate, and move on. Let yourself ride the emotional high as long as you want; but don’t rub it others’ faces, mmkay?

The wine for you …

Someone who knows about staying humble is Argos in Cappadocia, the winery behind Nahita Emir. It took them a long time before they were able to release their wines but they are still largely under the radar. This Emir is significantly different than most wines made with the grape. Rather than searing acidity you’ll find softness but still with all the citrus and floral flavors that are a hallmark of the Emir.

Get it from Dekante, Online Mahzen, and Santé Wine & More. 

Capricorn (December 23 – January 19)

We all say stupid things that we wish we could take back. This month, take accountability for the wrongful things you’ve said in the past. Moving forward, choose your words carefully. It will not only be good for you as an adult person, but will help some of your relationships if you acknowledge and apologize for things you’ve said that have offended and hurt others.

The wine for you …

Take advantage of the coolness early this month to drink a full-bodied, deeply flavored, and tannic wine like Urlice Cabernet-Syrah. Cab-Syrah is a popular blend in Turkey and this is a stunning example of it. Think of it as either your reward for making apologies, or putting you in the right mood to make them.

Made by a woman at a woman-owned winery so perfect for International Women’s Day!

Find it at Dekante, La Cave, and Mensis Mahzen among others!

Please Help Turkey and Syria!

In light of the horrific earthquake that has decimated large areas of Turkey’s south east and northern Syria, please consider donating to one of the relief efforts if you are able:

Animal rights organization Haytap is helping animals affected by the earthquake, and displaced people who need a place to stay with their pets.

Donate to search and rescue efforts in Turkey via Ahbap, Akut and Turkish Red Crescent 

Donate to civil society groups working on the ground to provide immediate relief and medium- to long-term recovery to survivors via UK-based Turkey Mozaik Foundation or US-based Turkish Philanthropy Funds.

To support rescue efforts in Syria, donate to White Helmet and SAMS.

Field Ready Türk‎iye (Sahaya Hazır İnovasyon Derneği) is a team of engineers working in Gaziantep, Turkey, and northwest Syria who make cheap, low-tech airbags for search and rescue from buildings which have collapsed. “If we move fast they can make more,” a good friend who previously worked with the team writes. “The workshops in Syria also have vast experience of fixing essential medical equipment, and making insulated shelters – both greatly needed right now”

Follow Jennifer Hattam on Twitter at The Turkish Life for continued updates on organizations accepting donations and needing local assistance.