This weekend in Izmir, wine did run thicker than blood. 40 Countries together speaking the same language…WINE! At the annual #EWBC, Digital Wine Communications Conference, I met like minded people, that doesn't only look at wine as a alcoholic drink, but as a miracle from the grapes that it comes from. Wine tells a story! It is history, it is people, it is the earth, it is the weather! The wine from Turkey came alive to me this weekend, through tasting the wine, meeting the winemakers, visiting the farms and hearing the history.
The following is a list of Turkish white wine that I am drinking at home In Istanbul at the moment. It is a road of discovery for me. I would like to share this journey with you. With time I will add more wines to the list and please feel free to make any suggestions.
Turkish White Wine Grape varieties:
Narince – (nay-rin-djeh) Means 'delicately' in Turkish. It is a dry white wine, usually treated with oak. The aromas of yellow fruit, citrus and florals. It's a medium to full bodied wine and well balanced with good acidity. Goes well with oily, grilled Fish, spicy Chicken and Eggplant dishes.
Emir – (eh-mere) It is a native white grape of Cappadocia. It is crisp and lively with a high acidity, but delicate. Aroma of apples. It goes well with Salmon or other oily fish, Tomato or Creamy sauces and Sushi.
Sultanye – (sool-tah-nee-yeh) Mostly consumed as table grapes, but makes a light, easy drinking, fruity and fresh wine. Dry and semi-sweet wines can be made with this grape. Goes well with grilled or steamed Fish, Shellfish, Chicken and Pasta with creamy sauces.
6 Turkish White Wines you may want to try
Kayra Chardonnay 2010 – Barrel fermented from Denizli.
Kavaklidere Selection Narince/Emir 2010 from Tokat and Cappadocia.
Cotes d'Avanos Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from Cappadocia.
Kavaklirede Prestige Narince 2010 from Cappadocia.
Urla Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from Urla, Izmir.
Kavaklidere Sultaniye (semi-sweet) 2011 from Denizli. Good with cheese.
I do hope the winelist will help you to understand and try more Turkish wines. Please feel free to contact me if you need some advice on how to choose your Turkish wines. If you feel like getting out of Istanbul a bit, I can organize for you to vist a winefarm in Turkey. [email protected]
Next week we will look at 6 Turkish Red Wines to buy.
Serefe!
