Your September 2023 Turkish Wine Horoscope
September 1, 2023 6Amber Wine, Amphora, Articles, Orange Wine, Red Wine, Turkish Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews
Is summer over yet? Please?? I know I complained about that weird cold and rainy early July we had…but mid upper 30s and 85%+ humidity for going on a month now?? No. No. Cooler weather is about the only thing I have to look forward to in what’s going to be an insanely over busy month. Hoping you all fare better than it looks like I will.
Weather and over scheduling aside, let’s talk important issues. Clearly I mean wine. So what are we all drinking? Read on to find out!
Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
Feeling a little squirmy from being in one place for too long, Aquarius? If you’ve been bit by the travel bug and have some time, book something for yourself for this month or even early October! Go for something exotic and/or faraway and explore somewhere wholly new to you. Really get into the spirit and prep for all the new foods and experiences you’ll have there! Taking on this explorer’s mantle will not only bring exciting new experiences your way, but also open your mind to new ideas that you can bring with you into your work and home life. 
The wine for you …
Speaking of exotic, did you know that the Georgian grape Rkatsiteli is grown here in Turkey? Your wine this month is the Mesashuna Rkatsiteli. A little skin contact, aged in amphora, made by a lovely family who live near the Georgian border, this is a great wine to explore! And in my personal opinion, it’s better than most of the Rkatsiteli you’ll find in Georgia. Review coming soon!
Not yet widely available but you should be able to find it at Perest, Santé Wine & More, Casa Botti, Dekante, and Kiffe.
Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
Your September is going to feel a little up and down Pisces. Like waves crashing into the shore and being sucked back out to sea, your energy will ebb and flow quite a lot. During your high moments, you don’t quite have to tackle the world, even if it feels like you could! Instead, concentrate on putting the final flourishes on projects you’ve begun throughout the year. During the low moments, take off some time for a little recharging staycation if you can. If you don’t have the time to do that, clear your schedule as much as possible to take some down time. You might not be able to slough off all your work, but don’t agree to all the social invitations that come your way.
The wine for you …
Taking it easy this month extends to your wine. Nothing big or bold but light and easy. So you might be surprised when I say that your wine is the Heraki Akuarela Boğazkere! Easier and lighter than you’d expect for this grape, this is not the Boğazkere we all know and approach with caution! Pick up a bottle and see what I mean.
Get it at Casa Botti, Grape Wine Boutique, Iyi Sarap, La Cave, Mensis Mahzen, Santé Wine & More. Grand Cru, probably Dekante.
Aries (March 21 – April 19)
September is all about getting your troops in line! Well, your metaphorical troops anyway, meaning – time to get organized! Start with your finances and have a look to make sure that your budget will stretch until the end of the year. Make sure your curbing any thoughtless overspending. With summer waning and the heat (hopefully!) being less horrific, work will pick up. Keep an eye on your schedule so you don’t miss anything and get out those to-do lists!
The wine for you …
While you’re looking into those finances, probably better to stick to the more economic side of wine this month. I’ve got one for you that is totally crushable AND (as of the writing of this) under 200 TL. No joke. Arda Dokuz Sekiz (white). A classic white Bordeaux blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, this is Arda’s table wine but it is surprisingly good for what it is.
Look for a review soon!
Check places that sell Arda generally for this, Rind may well have it, Carrefour definitely does, probably your local tekel!
Taurus (April 20 – May 20)
Get ready for September, Taurus! This is going to be a huge month of opportunity and second chances. Lots of “aha” moments and boosted creativity will help you make previous projects finally really gel. New strategies for how to accomplish things you’d given up on will suddenly pop into your head! And really be on the look out for those second chances. They don’t come around often, but this month is going to present you with several opportunities for important do-overs.
The wine for you …
While Karasakız is not the rarest grape in Tukey, still Yaban Kolektif has turned its sight on it. And while I might have my doubts about some of their other efforts, this one is wow. Lucky for you, the Yaban Kolektif Karasakız is your wine this month! It’s a little pricey but worth the cost of entry. And so light as to be a perfect summer/autumn transition wine!
I will definitely be writing about this one soon!
La Cave most certainly has this. You might also look at Santé Wine & More, Casa Botti, Dekante, Grape Wine Boutique, maybe Grand Cru and Online Mahzen as well.
Gemini (May 20 – June 20)
A month of dual energies is in store for you, Gemini! Is that ironic or merely coincidental?
Especially during the first half of the month you’ll have more quiet and introspective moods. Listen to your body and make sure you’re spending some alone time to sit with your thoughts and learn both why you’re feeling this way and what you need to do to work your way out of it. By the end of the month you’ll be feeling ready for company and adventure. Take a chance on taking the “road less traveled” at some point and enjoy the excitement that creates!
The wine for you …
So a blanc de noir Papazkarası is hardly the road less traveled anymore…but it does hit on that duality you’ve got going on this month! As such, open a bottle of the Saranta Chateau Murou Blanc de Noir Papazkarası. It seems to be all the rage now to make this beautiful black grape into a white wine and Saranta is the latest to fall victim to the trend. But it’s citrusy character and high acidity is a good way to endure the last days of summer heat!
Find it on lists from Online Mahzen, at Dekante, possibly Iyi Sarap and Mensis Mahzen, I’d be willing to wager Casa Botti has it…
Cancer (June 21 – July 22)
Did you know there’s an asteroid of spiritual devotion? Because I didn’t until just right now. It’s called Vesta which makes total sense really. Anywhoodle…Vesta will exert a great deal of influence on you this month so you might feel the need to embrace religious, mystical, or ritualistic practices of some kind. Might I suggest Catholicism? Free wine, jut saying!!
All joking aside (although not about the free wine, I wouldn’t ever joke about that) what you’ll really benefit from this month is taking on some new, healthy practices. They may or may not have mystical properties, but try to get into the regular practice of doing yoga, meditation, reflexology or reiki…all of this have massive health benefits that can benefit you on many levels.
The wine for you …
Your wine this month is worthy of its own spiritual devotion! Open a bottle of the Paşaeli Merman Çalkarası. A grape that has been ignored for years, Paşaeli uses it to make no less than six wines! The red, the ‘Merman’ is full of spicy-savory-fruity goodness. We now have several high quality Çalkarası wines on the market, but Paşaeli was definitely the first to explore this under-appreciated grape. With its light body and low tannins, it’s also great for drinking now while it’s still so hot.
Find it at places like Mensis Mahzen, Santé Wine & More, Casa Botti, Dekante, Grape Wine Boutique, sometimes La Cave.
Leo (July 23 – August 22)
Gird your loins, Leo. September is coming at you hard and fast with a rather hectic schedule and heavy workload. It’s not trying to stop a runaway train. It’s like trying to keep up with one. While running. Barefoot. On hot sand.
Sorry.
The wine for you …
To balance all the heat coming your way, try the Akberg Büyükbağ Osmanca this month. Now in their second vintage, Akberg seems to have got the hang of this grape. Sauvignon Blanc’s acidity but with a more exotic citrus and honeysuckle tone, it will be love at first sip!
Akberg wines aren’t hugely available yet. Get it from Solera (where you can try it out by the glass first even!), Grape Wine Boutique, ask at Mensis Mahzen – he’s carried their wines before. If you see them anywhere else, please do let me know!
Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
Patience is the name of the game this month. Things will move slowly for you in September, but they will move. The movement (glacial though it may be) will bring changes to your life. Sometimes it’s more difficult to see and deal with these slowly moving changes than the ones that rush up on us. So take any setbacks and stumbles you experience this month as learning experiences and chances to redirect yourself. 
The wine for you …
Nazan at Chateau Nuzun knows a thing or three about patience and could teach all of us lessons. On the wine end of things, she’s one of the very very few people here who can / bothers to cellar age her wines before releasing them. I think the current Chateau Nuzun vintages available are maybe 2019? Get a bottle of the Chateau Nuzun Syrah, serve it with some grilled sucuk, and you’ll never look back.
Find the Syrah and other Chateau Nuzun wines at Carrefour, Macro Center, possibly Migros and Metro, La Cave, Dekante, Mensis Mahzen, Rind, I think Casa Botti…
Libra (September 23 – October 22)
September is telling you to slow down a little, Libra, especially with your social calendar. Don’t come to a complete stop or become a hermit or anything like that. But take some time to rest, relax, and build up your energy; especially during the first part of this month. Change is coming for you and the better rested you are, the better prepared you will be for it!
The wine for you …
Tomurcukbağ’s Trajan Kalecik Karası is all about getting back to what’s fundamental and important. Made by Prof. Dr. Y. Sabit Ağaoğlu, a scientist first and foremost, this wine is natural in the best way possible. Organic grapes, native yeasts, no oak, all the flavors of the grape with no noise getting in the way.
Find it at Mensis Mahzen, La Cave, Dekante, sometimes the Suvla shops carry it. Let me know if you see it elsewhere!
Scorpio (October 23 – November 22)
Scorpios, pay attention to your career goals and wellness this month. Put some extra concentration into a project that you’ve been working on and you could see it really come together and bloom by early October. Don’t be afraid to get any colleagues/collaborators/friends etc excited about your project; you might find that a little help from one of them is what pushes it over the finish line. 
After all your hard work during the month, that some time especially the last week of September to relax and do something for yourself and your own wellness. Maybe see that doctor you’ve been avoiding? Or something more fun like getting a massage.
The wine for you …
Toast your hard work with a nice easy red this month, like the Barel Gamay. Juicy fruits, hints of candy and black pepper with a suggestion of tannin…all totally doable in the lingering summer heat. Great for pairing too!
Get it from Mensis Mahzen, try Grape Wine Boutique, um…anyone know where else Barel wines are sold?
Sagittarius (November 23 – December 22)
A little bit of an up and down month is in store for you, Sagittarius. The good news though, is that if you invest time and effort into repairing whatever damage the setbacks you experience cause, this could be an exhilarating month that could catapult you to success! Keep plugging away at what you’re doing and you will see positive results.
shameless self promotion!
The wine for you …
Success is what Arcadia achieves with just about every single wine they put out! Including your wine this month, the Arcadia Roze. This rosé is a Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot blend. And I can just see your faces because I made the same one before trying it. But trust me.
Look for it at La Cave for sure, Mensis Mahzen, Casa Botti, Grape Wine Boutique, Dekante, maybe Macro Center?
Capricorn (December 23 – January 19)
Romance and ambition may be on your mind this month, Capricorn. Go ahead and take whichever of those leaps (or both!) because September should be a successful month for you. Make sure to confine all your moves and strategies to the first three weeks of the month though. The last week of the month carries an intense energy, so during those days, it will be important to lay low and mind your own business.
The wine for you …
Intense energy is what your wine of the month has! Get a bottle of Likya Pinot Noir this month. One of my personal favorite Turkish Pinot Noirs, Likya’s vineyards have the advantage of elevation and a cooler climate that helps them create exciting and elegant wines.
Get it from places like La Cave, Mensis Mahzen, Dekante, Rind, probably Casa Botti, maybe even Macro Center?
Please Help Turkey and Syria!
Turkey and Syria are still in desperate need of help after the horrific earthquakes that have 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. Other animal-focused groups such as Dört Ayaklı Şehir (Four-Legged City) and Work Animals Rescue Foundation, are also helping farm animals, street animals, and pets.
- 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.
- Donate to the volunteer response being carried out in Turkey by the trusted, independent NGOs İhtiyaç Haritası (Needs Map) or Ahbap.
- Hayata Destek (Support to Life), is a Turkish NGO experienced in providing humanitarian relief and working with underserved communities.
- World Central Kitchen provides funds and food to those still living in tents in the affected areas.
- To support rescue efforts in Syria, donate to White Helmets 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”