We don’t know about you, but we find it hard to believe that November has arrived with Thanksgiving just around the corner (wasn’t it just July?).
Fortunately, we had a wonderful October, which included a fabulous trip to Italy’s Campania region, with visits to Mastroberardino and Feudi di San Gregorio. We’ll share additional details in a future newsletter.
This month finds Tracy presenting two sessions (Italian Sparklers and South African Wines) at the American Wine Society’s annual conference, while Jared finished up our public North Fork schedule this weekend with our From Mystery to Mastery class. But don’t despair; you can contact us for private classes and events year round at your place or ours.
As you prepare for the holiday, we hope you have a lot to be thankful for and wish you a very Happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
Drink wisely and well,
Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D., DWS, CWE
CEO: Chief Education Officer
and
Jared Michael Skolnick
COO: Cork Opening Officer
Talking Turkey
While turkey (the poultry) may grace your table soon enough, you may not have thought about setting your table with wines from Turkey (the country). Yet, there are some wonderful wines being produced there that are worth checking out.
Kavaklidere was Turkey’s first privately-owned, wine producer when it was established in 1929 in Ankara. Today, Kavaklidere is Turkey’s largest producer and the only one to import its wines to the U.S. (at least for now). Despite its size, Kavaklidere is considered to be the best producer in Turkey. Some of this can be attributed to a decision that the company made in 1993, a watershed moment that winemaker, Ali Basman, points to when Kavaklidere “decided to increase the quality” of its wines through improved technology and viticulture. As a result, the company has made significant investments to plant new vineyards and build new winery facilities, planting 170 ha at their Côtes d’Avanos Vineyard in central Anatoila that year. In 2005, an additional 200 ha site was identified in Pendore due to its tufa and volcanic soil, good diurnal variation and 3,000′ plateau.
Since 2008, Kavaklidere has partnered with famed enologist Stéphane Derenoncourt to focus on creating quality wines with Turkish grape varieties. Current plantings include 550 ha, which consist of indigenous varieties along with international varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Carignan. The company also maintains three winery facilities located throughout the country. Kavaklidere produces two grape juices as well as 43 wines, which range from still to sparkling and fortified and dry to sweet, with 20% of its products exported to foreign markets. With such a diversity of wines (although admittedly not all are imported to the U.S.), you are sure to find one that you’d happily serve with this year’s turkey.
Wine Tasting Notes
Egeo Rose 2009, Aegean/Denizli and Pendore, Turkey
A blend of Cal Karasi (60%), Syrah (25%) and Grenache (15%), this wine was macerated for a brief period, producing a bright, pink hue and aromas of strawberry and floral notes. It is dry on the palate with vibrant acidity, showing strawberry with an herbal undercurrent.Cote d’Avanos Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Cappodocia, Turkey
This wine has a pronounced nose of lemon, lemon pepper and minerality. On the palate, it is dry with medium+ acidity and notes of lemon, stone and slight yeastiness, the latter a result of the15 months the wine spent aging on the lees (spent yeast cells).
Pendore Okuzgozu 2008, Elazig, Turkey
Produced from 100% of the indigenous Okozgoku, this wine spends 12 months in French oak barrels. It is floral with red fruits such as raspberry, with moderate tannins, medium body and an undercurrent of bitter chocolate.
Prestige Kalecik Karasi 2005, Ankara, Turkey
With its herbaceous and vegetal aromas, medium+ acidity and notes of bright red fruit, this wine, produced from 100% Kalecki Karasi, seemed to be most similar to Pinot Noir, but its full body pointed to its true identity.