2017 Rhys Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$99.00USD

This continues to be one of the best Chardonnay's made anywhere.  Light golden in color with slight green swirls, clear and bright.  The nose has lemon curd, minerality, and vanilla.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, lemon curd and vanilla with great minerality.  Still quite young, this should drink well for the next ten to fifteen years.  It went great with soft cheeses and also some vegetarian Indian food.  

2013 Paul Lato Chardonnay Kokoro, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$65.00USD

This is a blend of fruit from Sierra Madre, Hilliard Bruce and Pisoni vineyards in Santa Barbara County.  Light golden in color.  The nose has grapefruits, minerals, baking spices and slight citrus.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is a big wine.  The grapefruit and slight lemons come thru with underlying minerality and oak.  Some acidity bit not a lot.  It works better with food, soft cheeses were perfect.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  

2020 Paşaeli 6N Karasakız, Turkey, Ege Bölgesi, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

This is a blend of 92% Karasakız and 8% Merlot with 13.5% abv.  "6N" is a protest to deforestation for gold mining on Mount Ida, and where this wine is sourced from.  Very light ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, pine, and tea leaves.  Light bodied.  On the palate, light black raspberries and cherries.  It is unique with a nice complexity.  This  seems like it should be drunk in the next three to five years.  It will work better with food.  It should work well with Ezogelin corba (soup).  

2017 Kavaklıdere Vin Art Kalecik Karası-Syrah , Turkkey, Ege Bölgesi, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

This is a blend of Laecik Karasi and Syrah from western Turkey.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, some black raspberries, a bit of funk and earth.  Great texture; rich but juicy.  On the palate, there is a nice complexity.  Black raspberries, plums and black cherries with some earthiness underneath.  Long finish.  This is tasty.  It may get better but should mature for a bit and drink well for another ten to twelve years.  It would work well with Yaprak Dolma (stuffed grape leaves).  

2008 Corvus Vineyards Blend No 5, Turkey, Bozcaada Island, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

This is a blend of 47% Merlot, 33% Syrah, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Cabernet Franc from Turkey.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, pine and salinity.  Nice texture.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this has tight layering.  Notes of black cherries, milk chocolate, black pepper and slight bell pepper.  Reasonably good balance although a bit more acidity would be nice.  Seems to be at peak or slightly past.  Drink now.  This would work better with food.  Eggplant such as Imam Bayildi might be a nice choice.  

2012 Çamlıbağ Karalahna, Turkey, Bozcaada Island, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

Made from the Karalahna grape which is found almost exclusively on Bozcaada Island.  Light ruby in color with a bit of browning, clear and bright.  Very light in color.  The nose has cherry cough syrup, some raisins, cloves and a bit of sweaty horse.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, cherries, raspberries with some underlying earthiness.  Kind of funky.  Fascinating.  Moderate acidity.  Hard to describe this in terms of western grapes, but enjoyable and it grows on you.  Seems to be getting on in years, so it probably should be consumed sooner than later.  It probably will work better with fo

2019 Murat Akyuva #2, Turkey, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is a sample from a winery that is not yet in commercial production.  It is 65% Öküzgözü and 35% Alicante.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is interesting with black cherries and pomegranate.  Medium tannins, yet a soft texture.  On the palate, cherries and black cherries.  Clean.  This drinks easy but lacks a bit of structure.  No idea on the barrel regimen but perhaps some new oak would be a good thing.  The fruit seems pure and it is delicious.  It seems like it should drink well for the next seven to ten years.  

2019 Murat Akyuva #1, Turkey, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

This is a project of a developing winery, not yet in commercial production.  It is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Alicante from Turkey.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, pine, and black cherries.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, tart cherries.  Nice acidity.  It is somewhat a trade off in getting the Cabernet ripe without losing the acidity, but in this case a touch more ripeness would have been better.  Still, it drinks easy for a first effort.  The Alicante does seem to add some plushness to the wine.  It will work better with food.  It is

2012 Büyülübağ Öküzgözü Boğazkere, Turkey, Avşa Island, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

This is a blend Öküzgözü (60%), and Boğazkere (40%), indigenous grapes of Turkey.  The name of the winery means Magical Winery.  Garnet in color, ruby at the edges, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherry fruit.  Also some raisins and black pepper.  Full bodied.  A nice complexity.  Slightly ripe/sweet on the palate.  The black cherries and raisins carry thru.  Light tannins.  Moderate acidity.  Long finish.  This seems to be about at peak.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  It would work well with Manti (Turkish Ravioli).

2012 Büyülübağ Shah, Turkey, Avşa Island, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

The name of the winery means Magical Winery.  This is a blend of 60% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Merlot from  Turkey.  Garnet in color, purple at the core, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with boysenberries, slight black olives and char.  Very tasty.  Complex.  On the palate, slight black raspberries, cassis, black cherries, black pepper.  Slight acidity.  Long finish.  This is a delicious fruit forward wine that seems to be at or close to peak.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  This would work well with Iskender Kebap or other meaty dishes.  

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