För någon månad sedan befann jag mig i Georgien tillsammans med ett antal andra vinnördar från EWBC i jakt på vinets vagga, tyvärr har jag inte hunnit skriva så mycket om det men ska nu återvända till Georgien genom bilder och minnesanteckningar under julen.
Att Georgien gör vin kanske inte kommer som överraskning för alla, men att Georgien gör fantastiska viner och att man fortfarande gör viner på ungefär samma sätt som under antiken är kanske mer förvånade. Genom utmärkta importören House of Wine Georgia går det också få tag i en del intressanta viner från Georgien gjorda på spännande druvor – jag kommer återkomma till dessa.
I Georgien gör man vin på två sätt, dels på ungefär samma sätt som vi gör vin i Europa och i nya världen dels i amforor (qvevri), så kallade qvevriviner som har sina anor flera tusen år tillbaka i tiden. Idag känner man till mer än 500 vinsorter, varav majoriteten endast återfinns i denna del av världen och många endast i Georgien. Dom vanligaste är de gröna druvorna Rkatsiteli, Khikhvi och Kakhuri Mtsvane och den blåa druvan Saperavi.
På Ampheloograhical collect of Georgian grapevine Germplasm lite utanför Tbilisi har man samlat 20 plantor av varje druva för att bevara de olika druvorna och klonerna av druvor för framtiden men också så att vinodlare kan köpa skott och återplantera ovanliga druvor.
Vi besökte ett flertal vinmakare och jag kommer i ett antal kommande inlägg presentera några av dem, den första blir Chateau Mukhrani, ett vinslott med svensk anknytning. Slottets anor går tillbaka till 1878 och prins Mukhrani i den kungliga släkten Bagrationi. Det övergavs och förföll under sovjetperioden och började renoveras, och till stor del återuppbyggas, under 2003 genom Marussia Beverages och georgiska affärsmän. 2007 kunde man göra den första skörden. Man gjorde det viktigaste först och renoverade och byggde ett nytt vineri, idag är slottet nästan färdiguppbyggt och vinkällaren nästan klar. Sedan några år tillbaka är en av storägarna svensk varför vi möttes av ett välbekant språk när vi steg av bussen och träffade Petter Svaetichin.
Idag äger man ungefär 100 hektar, varav 90 hektar är planterat med vinrankor, en del är dock fortfarande för unga för att ge någon riktig avkastning. När man tittat över vingårdarna har man tittat tillbaka på 1870-talets planer och jobbat mycket efter dessa. Jordarna är företrädesvis leriga och man odlar 11 olika druvor, varav fyra internationella och en helt unik druva; goruli mtsvane som endast odlas här. Man är också de enda som jobbar ett efter ett chateau-koncept, dvs att att odlingar ligger i anknytning till ett slott. Idag producerar man ca 320’000 flaskor vin per år och målet är att man om 2-3 år ska kunna producera cirka 650’000 flaskor. Vinmakare är Lado Uzunashvili.
Här görs inga qvevriviner utan alla görs enligt ”traditionell gamla världen metod”. Vi fick prova sex av deras viner och de är riktigt trevliga, fräscha och eleganta.
Korta smaknoter, vita viner:
Chateau Mukhrani 2010 Rkatsiteli
Lättdrucket, fräscht med fin syra och bra frukt, lite äpple och aprikos samt en liten nötighet och inslag av smörkola. Bra standardvin.
Chateau Mukhrani Goruli Mtsvane 2010 (2009 går att beställa via Systembolaget)
Den unika druvan ger ett friskt vin, inslag av annans och citrus med en liten kryddigt aromatisk ton.
Ett rosévin:
Chateau Mukhrani Rosé Tavkveri 2011
Inledningsvis något söt med mycket jordgubb, underifrån kommer en liten syrlighet med inslag av rabarber och i avslutet en fin kryddighet. Trevligt sommardricka.
Röda viner:
Chateau Mukhrani shavkapito 2010
Mörka röda och blå bär, snygg kryddighet, intensiv ton, bra ekfat och snygg krydda. Fin balans och en snygg syra ger ett trevligt men ganska enkelt vardagsvin.
Chateau Mukhrani saperavi 2008
Ganska lätt med fin frukt, fortfarande ung och frisk, elegant med fin ekstruktur. I eftersmaken kommer ett litet anslag av grön paprika. Skulle vara kul att lagra 3-5 år.
Chateau Mukhrani réserve du prince 2007
Intensiv smak, bra djup, mörka frukter och bär, körsbär, hallon och lingonmed en lite sötsyrlighet och en fin integrerad ekfatskryddighet med en liten skoglig ton, lite stall och tobak. Drar lite år Piemonte i stilen men är fortfarande alldeles för ungt – lagra!
Vi får inte heller glömma den georgiska spriten/grappan Chacha – denna skulle nog passa väl på den svenska marknaden, snygg förpackning och riktigt trevlig som snaps!
På det stora hela visade sig vinerna vara mycket trevliga och är väl värda att prova om du får chansen! Det samma gäller landet Georgien – ett mycket trevligt resemål och om något år kan du boka ett rum på slottet
Jag återkommer med mer om Georgien… snart!
Magnus Reuterdahl
Gilla
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This post is part of a series of posts about le Vin 2.0 2011 where Robert Joseph presented on the topic of wine tourism and consumer psychology.
Wine Tourism
Oenotourism is the other big subject Robert Joseph tackled. The presentation was similar to the one Vitisphere reported on in October. And it definitely falls in line with some of the wine tourism concepts I wrote about earlier this year. The gist of the presentation is that we have to change a lot of things in the wine tourism business. But really it’s a big sprawling topic so you might want to look through the slides embedded below:
Here are some random observations I’d like to make:
There are people who want to visit vineyards even though they’re not obsessed with wine. Wine tourism is supposed to be entertainment. I agree with all of this and talk about it a lot (most recently in the conclusion of my five minute story at the EWBC). Visiting a winery should not be a task. It should be fun and entertaining. It can also be educational and informative, but those are all secondary to the entertainment. And then he does a semantic analysis of trip advisor reviews (again, I’m getting deja vu here as I just did this type of analysis with the O’Vineyards tripadvisor reviews this year)
Although he also argues that wineries should have pools and movie theaters and daycares and all kinds of peripheral activities. I think this is smart, but it’s also important to note that not every winery will do all of this. It’s up to each winemaker to figure out how to intelligently expand their tourism offer without overstretching themselves or falling into a job they don’t actually want to do.
Slide 17 is hilarious/tragic… 99% of Napa wine producers find tourism to be financially viable while 60% of Florentines do not find it financially viable even though the average shopping cart size is actually smaller in Napa (according to this study). Is this because there are far more visitors at a time in Napa? Or are Italians/Europeans/Mediterraneans just predisposed to being unhappy about our tourism activity? ;D
The question of merchandise is also raised. Here too I wholeheartedly agree with Robert. My parents and I really make a lot of sacrifices to create delicious, unique, life-altering wines and we sometimes make pennies per bottle. On the other hand, I can buy glassware, corkscrews and hoodies with our logo or Carcassonne written on them and sell those at 400% markup. It’s absurd, but I make more money selling a bar of soap with my logo (ordered online) than on the bottle of wine that I spent three years on. And this is a point of contention. Some people say that a winemaker exists to sell wine, not to sell soap. I’m not sure, but I think a winemaker exists to make wine. If I have to sell soap to subsidize my wine sales, then I will sell soap. It’s what I have to do to make wine. And I don’t want to imagine a world where I’m not making wine. So sell soap.
Joseph also cites this article about tasting room sales and it’s pretty interesting.
I don’t really have a well organized mailing list (which is terrible of me. it’s one of the things I need to change in 2012) or any wine club (something I might change). This was a big topic and I am ashamed at the end of it. :-/
Then he also talked about the R&D potential of visitors at the vineyard. Why not ask your visitors to try new blends and see if they like it. Test out ideas on your tourists because they are your final market. This sparked some controversy in the talks afterwards as many winemakers find it unthinkable that you would make a wine to cater to the public (essentially to the lowest common denominator the way record labels pick singles to go on the radio). At this extreme, you end up with bland, inoffensive wines that nobody hates (and nobody loves) that can appeal to all markets. But that is an extreme. If you actually have a steady flow of tourists, you can draw information from them and choose to use it or ignore it the same way you would use an oenologist or winemaking consultant. Furthermore, I’d argue that my tourists are not the same as a random sample from the global population. People who visit my vineyard tend to be a little like me, weird sense of humor, interested in learning, like a large range of different wine styles, and so on. Taking their opinions into count is not the same as trying to cater to everybody.
Sorry this post is so rambly. Hard act to follow.
Tags: conference, holiday, le vin 2.0, levin20, oenotourism, paris, tourism, travel, vacation, vin 2.0, vinternet, wine tourism
För flera av er har ni inte kunnat undvika att märka att jag nyligen var i Turkiet för EWBC och givetvis har tyngdpunkten legat på vin. Vinets historia i Turkiet är gammal, troligen lika gammal som jordbruket, de äldsta spåren är ca 8000 år gamla, ändå ser de flesta inte Turkiet som ett vinland. Sanning att säga det gjorde inte jag heller istället var det Raki, aniskryddad sprit, som jag sammankopplade med Turkiet. Därför börjar jag i den ändan och återkommer till vinerna framöver.
I samband med konferensen hölls en mindre Raki-provning, tre sorter från producenten Yeni. I samband med denna fick vi också lite bakgrundsinformation om Raki. Drycken har en historia som spänner över åtminstone 500 år, periodvis har den varit förbjuden, periodvis monopoliserad. Rakins moderna historia börjar kring 1880 då Adulhamit den andra tillåter officiell Raki-tillverkning, den första officiella producenten är Umurca Rakisi. 1926 börjar den Turkiska staten tillverka Raki genom Tekel-monopolet, fram till 1944 finns också ett antal privata producenter. 1944 förstatligas hela Raki-tillverkningen. 2003 tilläts åter privata aktörer att tillverka Raki. Under perioden 1880-1944 fanns det ca 180 olika Rakis, idag finns ett 20-tal.
Raki görs på druvdestillat av vindruvor – oftast på druvan sultana, det är dock inte så viktigt exakt vilken druva man använder så länge de odlats i Turkiet. Man använder såväl färska druvor som torkade, dessa destilleras tillsammans med anisfrön (pimpinella anisum). Destillatet kallas för Suma från vilket man gör Raki. Raki dricks normalt utspädd med vatten och får då en vit grummlig färg. I Turkiet dricker man gärna Raki till olika Meze-rätter samt grillad och friterad mat.
Vi provade tre olika sorter:
Den första, Yeni Raki Ala, är fatlagrad i tre månader, lite söt och har en tydlig fatton.
Den andra, Yeni Raki, var betydligt skarpare och inte fatlagrad, detta är den populäraste i Turkiet och densamma som finns på Systembolaget (tror jag).
Den tredje, Yeni Seri, lite torrare och betydligt skarpare med en smak som drog mot saltlakrits.
Jag måste tillstå att jag gillade dem alla men med en viss förkärlek för den sistnämnda, dock dricker jag dem hellre rent än med vatten! Alla kom från producenten Yeni Raki som var ett av märkena som skapades av Tekel-monopolet men idag är det privatägt.
Om någon är intresserad har jag ett extra exemplar av boken Raki -The Spirit of Turkey av Erdir Zat – skicka ett mail till aquavitae [at] live [punkt] se. Om ni blir många får jag lotta
Magnus Reuterdahl
Gilla
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This post is available in English at Testimony of a wine junkie
EWBC 2012 ligger runt hörnet, bara 11 månader kvar, och det gäller att sätta sig in i vad som komma skall. Med andra ord – Turkiet here we come. Som ett första steg inköptes det enda vin som finns att inköpa på monopolets butiker och tillika det enda ölet. Ytterligare finns via beställningssortimentet och näthandlare – har du tips på bra turkiska viner får du gärna höra av dig.
I boken Meze Maritime (2009) av Camilla Thulin & Uluc Telmen hittade vi en del recept att inspireras av, och gjorde en enkel lördagsmeny bestående av klassisk turkisk omelett Mememen och friterad blomkål med myntadipp Karnabahar kizartmasi, lammfärspizza Lahmacun, tomatbulgur Domatezli bulgur pilavi, kryddiga lammfärsspett Şiş köfte med tomatragu Domates güveç. Det hela kanske låter komplicerat men är förvånansvärt enkelt att svänga ihop och framför allt gott. Recepten är tagna från boken ovan, varav några modifierats en aning. Vad gäller boken är den ett trevligt tillskott i den ständigt växande mat- och vinlitteratur i bokhyllan.
Till förrätt åt vi klassisk turkisk omelett Mememen och friterad blomkål med myntadipp Karnabahar kizartmasi och till detta drack vi turkisk öl; Efes Pilsener. Ett helt ok öl men kanske inget som sticker ut, kul i sammanhanget då den är turkisk.
Klassisk turkisk omelett, Mememen (2 portioner).
- 4 stora ägg
- 3 skalade och finhackade tomater
- 1 finhackad salladslök
- 2 msk olivolja
- ½ finhackad grön paprika
- 1 finhackad grön pepparfrukt
- salt & svartpeppar
Hetta upp olivoljan och fräs chili, paprika och lök, rör i tomaterna. Sänk värmen och tillsätt äggen och rör om, låt omeletten få en krämig få en krämig konsistens. Om den känns lite blöt, tomaterna kan avge en del vätska, sätt in den i ungen någon minut på 250 grader – håll dock koll på den. Salta, peppra och servera. Mycket smak, mycket trevlig – perfekt för en lite lyxig frukost, brunch eller lunch.
Som förrätt gjorde vi också friterad blomkål med myntadipp Karnabahar kizartmasi (enligt receptet för 6 personer – själv skulle jag kunna äta upp detta själv).
- 1 blomkålshuvud, delas i buketter
- 2 dl solrosolja
Tempurasmet (Frityrsmet)
- 3 ägg
- 3 msk vetemjöl
- 1 tsk salt
- 1 tsk nymald svartpeppar
Myntadipp
- 2 dl turkisk yoghurt
- 1 pressad vitlöksklyfta
- 1 knippe färsk mynta (jag tog ungefär en halv kruka)
Börja med myntadippen; blanda ned mynta i yoghurten, pressa vitlöksklyftan och rör runt – låt stå så att smakerna sätter sig i yoghurten – ett tips är att göra en lite större sats och spara hälften till lammpizzan – det visade sig vara ett trevligt tillbehör.
Vispa äggen, tillsätt vetemjöl salt och peppar – vispa ihop till en jämn smet. Doppa blomkålen i smeten och fritera dessa i solrosoljan. Beräkna att du kommer behöva vända på buketterna och att de tar 3-4 minuter att fritera/sida. Lägg upp dom på hushållspapper så att de får rinna av, servera varma.
Varmrätter, här gick vi kanske till liten överdrift – i mängd, men det är gott så jag ångrar ingenting
Tomatbulgur Domatezli bulgur pilavi (6 personer)
Jag kan tycka att bulgur tenderar till ganska tråkigt och smaklöst, så är dock inte fallet om man kryddar upp det. Det blir dessutom en mycket vacker rätt.
- 2½ dl bulgur, skölj och låt rinna av
- 5 dl hett vatten
- 2 msk olivolja
- 2 finhackade gula lökar
- 2 hackade vitlöksklyftor
- 1-2 msk chiliflakes (eller en finhackad röd pepparfrukt)
- 3 msk tomatpuré
- saft av 1 citron
- salt och peppar
- Garnera med citronklyftor och bladpersilja.
Lägg bulgurn i en bunke, häll på det heta vattnet, lägg på ett lock och låt stå i ca 30 minuter eller tills vattnet sugits upp av bulgurn. Fräs lök och vitlök i olivoljan tills löken är genomskinlig. Tillsätt chiliflakes, tomatpuré, salt och peppar, blanda ned bulgur och pressa citronen över det hela – rör runt. Dekorerar med citronklyftor och bladpersilja.
Lammfärspizza Lahmacun
Pizzadeg
- 25 gram färsk jäst
- 3 dl ljummet vatten
- 6-7 dl vetemjöl
- 1 tsk salt
- 1 tsk socker
- 1 msk solrosolja
Blanda ut jästen i vattnet och rör ned övriga ingredienser. Arbeta ihop degen tills den blir smidig. Låt jäsa i bunken under en duk i ca 45 minuter.
- 400 gram lammfärs
- 5 msk tomatpuré
- 2 tsk salt
- 1 msk socker
- 2 tsk torkad mynta
- 2 finhackade gula lökar
- 1 röd pepparfrukt
- 2 pressade vitlöksklyftor (jag brukar mosa dem med knivbladet och sedan finhacka dem)
- 1 kruka bladpersilja
- saften av en halv citron
- 1-2 tsk sumak
Det är inget fel på receptet, det ska varken vara ost eller tomatsås på den!
Blanda ihop allt utom bladpersiljan, citronjuicen och sumaken till en smet, låt stå i kylen och dra i ca 45 minuter.
Sätt ugnen på 250 grader, dela upp degen i sex bitar, kavla ut dem, relativt tunt – smörj plåten eller använd bakplåtspapper. Pensla lite olivolja på kanterna, bred sedan ut färsen i ett tunt jämt lager över pizzan. Grädda i övre delen av ugnen, ca 8 minuter, tills kanterna är gyllene bruna. När pizzan är klar, strö lite sumak över pizzan, pressa lite sitron och beströ den med bladpersilja – klart att servera. Ett tips är att nu ha sparat lite myntadipp att ha till eller lite tomatragu.
Lammfärsspett Şiş köfte med tomatragu Domates güveç.
Nu ska ju dessa göras på spett – något jag var säker på att jag hade hemma, så var dock inte fallet varför jag gjorde dem utan spett vilket också gick utmärkt.
Şiş köfte (4 portioner)
- 500 gram lammfärs
- 2 finhackade gula lökar
- 1 finhackad grön pepparfrukt
- 2 pressade vitlöksklyftor, jag mosade dem och finhackade dem
- 1 tsk chiliflakes
- 1 tsk sumak (finns säkert i olika former, jag köpte torkad och mald sumak)
- 1 kruka bladpersilja
- 1-2 msk olivolja
- salt & svartpeppar
Man blandar helt sonika ihop alla ingredienserna förutom oljan och ställer in det hela i kylen en timma. Därefter forma jämna avlånga korvar, pensla dem med olivolja och stek ca 4 minuter/sida – jag gjorde dem ca 3 cm tjocka och då stämde stektiden bra. Mycket trevliga – gifte sig lysande med tomatragun men också med myntadippen.
Domates güveç (4-6 portioner)
- 3 msk olivolja
- 1 finhackad gul lök
- 2 finhackade vitlöksklyftor
- 1 röd pepparfrukt
- 1-2 msk socker
- en liten bit ingefära (ca 4 cm), grovt hackad
- 1 burk hela tomater, ca 400 gram
- salt & svartpeppar
Häll i olivoljan i en stekpanna, hetta upp, lägg i lök, vitlök, pepparfrukt och ingefära, bryn tills den gula löken är genomskinlig. Lägg i tomaterna och vätskan i burken, rör försiktigt så att tomaterna inte går sönder. Låt sjuda i ca 45 minuter, tillsätt lite extra vätska vid behov. Mosa tomaterna, smaka av med socker, salt och peppar. Mycket trevligt – kan tänka mig att detta fungerar utmärkt som tillbehör till grillat kött i allmänhet, biffar, köttbullar eller korv.
Vinet för kvällen är turkiskt; Egeo Syrah 2008 från producenten Kavaklidere i regionen Aegean, västra Turkiet.
Vinet har mycket sötma och kraft. Det är direkt med en sötsyrlig ton med mycket mörka fruker och bär och en kryddig avslutning – det tenderar att vara lite för stort i munnen och är vad man skulle kunna säga endimensionellt, dvs det händer inte så mycket. Det är vidare en aning obalanserat och spretigt. Överlag skulle man kunna kalla detta ett maskulint vin som egentligen lite för syltigt, lite för kryddigt och på samma gång silkigt och lättdrucket – dock, och det här ett stort dock – till den turkiska maten balanseras det upp och fungerar faktiskt förvånansvärt bra. Man kan säga säga så här, jag blev kanske inte förälskad i just det här vinet men jag blev inte heller avskräckt från att prova fler viner från Turkiet.
Det kommer bli fler kvällar med recept från Turkiet under det kommande året, jag letar också efter en riktigt bra Turkisk restaurang i Stockholm – för att leta inspiration till fortsatta kulinariska äventyr – tipsa gärna i kommentarsfältet
Magnus Reuterdahl
Gilla
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Året har börjat bra på många sätt: Nytt jobb ger viss stabilitet och vininköpsmöjligheter samt möjlighet till vinresor. Resa nummer 1 är kombinerad med bröllop (inte mitt) i Tyskland och är inplanerad till sommaren. Resa nummer 2 och 3(?) går till Turkiet och European wine blogger conference (EWBC) möjligen i kombination med en resa till Champagne och en 50-års-fest (inte heller min) under senhösten/vintern. När vi ändå är inne på EWBC har jag blivit inbjuden och sitter med i EWBCs planeringsgrupp inför konferensen 2012 i Turkiet – jag sitter m.a.o. med en massa cool förhandsinfo, dock med tysthetslöfte, kan dock lova att det är värt att skaffa en biljett!
En annan mycket trevlig nyhet är att jag numera också ingår i ett team som kommer att skriva på frilansbasis för BKWine Magazine om vinprovningar m.m. Detta känns jättekul – än så länge är det i sin linda och exakt hur mycket det kommer att bli får vi se, men kul är det och det det känns också som ett bevis på att man gör något som är OK, mer info kommer efterhand. Artiklarna kommer att ligga på BKwine Magazine. BKwine har också ett populärt nyhetsbrev BKwine Brief, om du inte redan prenumererar på detta är det något jag varmt rekommenderar.
BKWine skriver följande om reportagegruppen
”Vi, BKWine, har knutit en liten handfull erfarna vinprovare till oss som ska hjälpa oss att rapportera om vad som händer i Vinsverige. De kommer att bevaka vinprovningar, mässor, vinmakarevenemang osv för BKWine. Britt och jag har ju sällan tillfälle att gör det eftersom vi sitter i Paris. Vi startade det här projektet, tillsammans med dessa erfarna vinprovare, därför att vi tycker att vinentusiasterna i Sverige förtjänar mer och bättre information om annat än bara ”månadens släpp” på Systembolaget. Det finns mycket spännande vin, som inte är ”nytt”, som förtjänar mer uppmärksamhet. Vi kommer att skriva om både vad de traditionella svenska vinimportörerna erbjuder (som säljs t.ex. via ”beställningssortimentet”) och om vad de oberoende vinhandlarna på internet, som säljer direkt till konsument, erbjuder. Hur det går beror förstås på vilket intresse importörer och vinhandlare har för det här initiativet – det hänger ju helt och hållet på att de är intresserade av att sprida information. Det hela går ju ut på att på ett oberoende och journalistiskt vis bedöma viner och skriva om vinproducenter. Men de allra första reaktionerna vi har fått har varit alldeles överväldigande positiva! Alla artiklar och provningskommentarer kommer att publiceras på BKWine Magazine.”
Ser man till mitt ”normala” arbetsliv – som arkeolog – så flyttar jag inom kort mitt kontor till Linköping och Länsstyrelsen i Linköping – vilket ska bli mycket kul och intressant, vidare är det också en del annat intressant på G i denna sektor. Jag sitter också med i en arbetsgrupp rörande Stockholms folkhögskolas 3-årsplan – fullt upp med andra ord så vi får se vad allt mynnar ut i, hur som haver 2012 ser ut att bli ett trevlig och mycket intressant år
Magnus Reuterdahl
Gilla
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Det här inlägget postades i vinblogg och märktes #ewbc2012, arkeologi, EWBC, förhistoriskt vin, Izmir, Turkiet av Magnus Reuterdahl. Bokmärk permalänken.
Idag kommer vi äntligen få vet var nästas års europeiska vin bloggskonferens (EWBC) kommer att hållas. Ca 1400 London tid, dvs ca 1500 svensk tid, på twitter #ewbc och på EWBCs hemsida samt facebook sida.
Så kom då svaret; det blir i Turkiet i staden Izmir (İzmir) tidigare känd under namnet Smyrna. Izmir är en hamnstad vid Egeiska havet. Min första tanke är spännande med ett vinland jag i princip inte har några kunskaper om - i alla fall inte somvinland. Enligt bibeln är det ju i Turkiet vid berget Ararat som Noak ska ha anlagt den första vingården efter syndafallet, också arkeologin visar på att vinodling förekommit tidigt i Turkiet, det finns till och med de som anser att vinodling uppstod här. Arkeologiska bevis på vinodling går tillbaka till stenåldern och årtusendena för kristus födelse, mer om detta kommer framöver när jag grottat ned mig lite mer i vinets förhistoria
Då är biljetterna beställda, gör det du med – på EWBC’s nya hemsida.
Magnus Reuterdahl
Gilla
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Heb je het al gezien, het interview met mij rechtsboven op de homepage? Het werd gemaakt door Leon Koudijzer, in een reeks van korte filmpjes die over van alles en nog wat in de wijde wijnwereld kunnen gaan. Leon besloot het roer na een leven in de horeca en de wijnhandel drastisch om te gooien, en maakt nu korte bedrijfsfilms om zijn boterham te verdienen, naast deze wijnfilmpjes, die hij voor de lol produceert. De Winementaries leverden hem bovendien al een mooie plaats in de WineLife Top 50 van 2012 op. Oorspronkelijk wilde Leon dagelijks een video schieten, maar daar is hij snel van teruggekomen. ‘Er gaat zo veel meer tijd inzetten dan ik had gedacht’, aldus de sympathieke Winementary-maker.
Eerlijk gezegd wist ik niet dat ik geïnterviewd zou worden; ik ging alleen lunchen om kennis te maken en het boek Wine Grapes te overhandigen, dat ik voor hem besteld had. Maar Winementary #85 is het resultaat. Een mooie gelegenheid voor wat promotie, zo bleek. Voor EWBC 2013, en voor mijn boekplannen!
En natuurlijk heel erg leuk aan de vooravond van het 10-jarig jubileum van Wijnkronieken. In juli dit jaar is het zover, dan schrijf ik al 10 jaar lang op regelmatige basis over wijn op het internet. Ik broed nog op wat feestelijke activiteiten, dus blijf langskomen!
Leon, bedankt voor het vlotte filmpje en dat je nog maar veel leuke mini-documentaires mag maken.
Je vindt alle Winementaries hier. Enne, ga even naar Leon’s Facebook-pagina Leon’s Winementaries. Daar kun je onder andere de Rainbow Wijngids en het nieuwste boek van Ilja Gort winnen!
In the last few years I’ve been fortunate enough to visit a number of different wine regions and I always look forward to discovering new wines in new places. When I recently had the opportunity to explore wines in the country of Georgia, I jumped at the chance.
It’s interesting to see how places compare to our preconceived notions. And the same is true about tasting new wines. We often have an expectation of the wine, but the reality doesn’t always match those expectations.
The Place and the People
Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect when going to Georgia. To me, Georgia was a very distant and remote country. I knew that they had been occupied by the Bolsheviks and as recently as 2008 had been attacked by Russia. I expected to see a war torn, beaten-down country filled with people who were tired and bitter. I was wrong.
What I found in Georgia was a beautiful landscape, fabulous architecture and warm, caring people who are proud of their heritage. Sure, some things are old and worn down. Most of the roads were kind of rough. But Tbilisi, the capital, is a beautiful city with a fascinating blend of old, historic buildings mixed with artistic, contemporary architecture. And the people there celebrate their life and culture in a way that makes me envious.
Tbilisi has all of the charm and character you would want of a European city, without the crowds of tourists—making now the perfect time to visit. I expect that Tbilisi will grow as a tourist destination over the next several years as more people discover it. And there are clearly significant investments being made by global hotel chains in the city, which adds additional evidence to the theory that tourism will increase here.
If there’s one thing I’d say you should add to your bucket list, it’s having a meal with Georgian people. Not only is the food and wine excellent, the traditions that take place at the dinner table are fascinating, entertaining and moving. You’ll find that there’s always a “toast master” at the table who offers thoughtful and poetic toasts every few minutes. The themes of the toasts seem to be pretty consistent, they include god, wine, family, peace and women.
But most fascinating at the dinner table is the Georgian polyphonic singing, which rather than trying to describe, I’ll share via video.
The Wine
Similar to having unclear expectation about Georgia in general, I didn’t know what I would find with the wines. I don’t come across Georgian wines in my local wine shops and I don’t recall having any opportunities to taste it when I’ve traveled. Friends who had been there before told me that the wines are amazing. But my expectations still weren’t that high. I was wrong again… way wrong.
Georgia has a long history of winemaking. A history that is so long that they claim to be the birthplace of wine. There are actually a couple different countries that make this claim, Turkey being another. The evidence does point to the general vicinity of Turkey and Georgia, but it’s difficult to say definitively exactly where the first wine was produced.
There is archaeological evidence of this history, including an 8,000 year old wine cask that has been found in Georgia. And with this evidence, they call Georgia “the land of 8,000 vintages.” They celebrate their history with wine too. When you go through passport control to enter the country, they check your passport and then hand you a bottle of wine. Seriously! What a way to welcome you to the country.
Georgia is also a place with countless grape varieties you’ve probably never heard of. You won’t find much merlot or chardonnay here. Instead they favor native Georgian varieties, like Rkatsiteli and Saperavi, and they do extensive research on the different varieties found in the country. We visited one research center that had rows and rows of different grape varieties growing. It appeared to be in the hundreds.
It was early in the morning when we arrived in Tbilisi, so I didn’t taste that first bottle of wine right away. We got to the hotel at around 3AM and went straight to bed. The next morning we visited a museum to see the archaeological evidence of Georgian winemaking, including that 8,000 year old wine cask. And after exploring the city we had our first taste of Georgian wine with lunch.
When we sat down, I was hungry and ready for a glass of wine. I thought the wines would be decent. After all, when someone invites you to their country to taste their wines it’s unlikely that they’re going to pour a bad wine into your glass. But I wasn’t prepared for what I was about to taste. It blew my mind.
The first wine we tasted was a 2011 Tsolikouri, a white wine from Kera Wine. The aromatics were wonderful, offering beautiful herbs, apple, cucumber and lemon aromatics. The palate had perfect acidity with lemon and mineral flavors. And it had a looooong finish, filled with citrus and salty mineral.
Most of the subsequent wines at that lunch were just as good, if not better—although there was one that seemed a little off. The other wines that impressed me included a 2010 Rkatsiteli, another white wine for which I could hardly read the name on the label, but I think it was from Darsavelidze (at least that was written on the bottle somewhere… regardless of the name, I don’t think you can find this one in the US). It had a smoky nose with butterscotch aromas. The palate had nice tannins and good acidity with lemon and granny smith apple flavors. The finish was somewhat short, but crisp with citrus and mineral flavors.
Rkatsiteli is one of the more popular white wine varieties in Georgia. And the grand majority of them that I tasted were very good to exceptional.
And finally we had a Saperavi, which is the most common red wine in Georgia. This one was from Jakeli Wines and was their 2008 Khashmi Saperavi. The complexity and elegance of this wine was mind blowing. The nose was overflowing with currant, plum, mint, tobacco and beautiful spice aromatics. It had a luscious mouthfeel with plenty of blackberry, plum and raspberry flavors. The acidity was perfect. And it finished long with raspberry, mineral and spice. This is an absolutely outstanding wine.
As much as I’m gushing over these wines, I have to say that the entire experience at lunch that day was amazing. We were introduced to Georgian wine, food, culture and song in a way that was nothing short of moving. And given the fact that wine is an experiential thing, the overall experience at lunch could have influenced how much I enjoyed those wines. I will have to hunt down some of these wines and taste them again, in my own home, to see if they hold up to be just as amazing outside of that environment.
But I can say that throughout my time in Georgia, I was continually impressed by the wines. Especially those made in qvevris.
The Qvevris
When you start to explore Georgian wine, one of the things you’ll quickly learn about is the qvevri (pronounced QUEH-vree). Qvevris are earthenware casks used for winemaking, ranging in size from very small to over 3,000 liters. They’re buried in the ground and the grapes, stems and all, are put down into them. They are then covered with cloth during maceration, to allow the CO2 to escape, and subsequently covered with a large slate stone to rest for a number of months.
This is a traditional winemaking technique in Georgia, but it’s not without controversy. Some modern winemakers question the cleanliness of this approach, but hygiene is certainly a top priority for Georgian producers using qvevris. These vessels are also lined with beeswax as a protective coating.
I don’t know much about the science behind qvevris, but I can attest that wines produced using this technique are noticeably different, in a good way. The quevri wines I tasted had exceptional structure, balance and elegance compared to their non-qvevri counterparts. All of the wines listed above were qvevri wines.
But Can I Find The Wines Here?
While I was absolutely amazed by these wines, I had two questions floating around in the back of my head while I tasted.
- Will I ever be able to find these wines in the US?
- If I do find them, will they be affordable? Certainly wines this good are going to sell at a premium, right? Wrong!
I have good news for both of those questions. While you won’t come across Georgian wines in every wine shop, there are some available in the US. Some good ones. And I’ve found some that are amazingly affordable. In my next post I’ll share some delicious Georgian wines that I know to be available in the US, at very reasonable prices.
Disclosure: I tasted the wines of Georgia as a part of a sponsored blogger tour of the region, organized by Georgian Wine Association. My travel and accommodations were provided by the sponsor.
Tim is the founder and chief reviewer at Cheap Wine Ratings since 2007.
Why be boring and do a wine-trip to Napa or Sonoma like every other American?…When you could visit a foreign land, filled with warm and friendly people who won’t treat you like their ten millionth visitor…Why? Because you’d be, maybe their three- or four-hundredth visitor!The eastern European country of Georgia is fast becoming a desirable tourist destination. It’s got the landscape (mountains, rolling countryside, vineyards), modern amenities (hotels, restaurants, museums, airports, taxis) and, most importantly, the WINE! A bonus is the fact that people working within tourist industry – speak English!
I’ve already shared some of my Georgian experiences in other posts, but I wanted to speak to two facets of my visit that occurred on the late afternoon and evening of Wednesday, November 14th. These experiences were a bit more casual and reminiscent of what many Americans look for in an easy-going, “wine-weekend getaway.”
Sc
huchmann Wines (http://www.schuchmann-wines.com/en/index.html) in Kisiskhevi is not only a winery, but has a small hotel with eight rooms, wine tasting area and a restaurant as well. Schuchmann could be a destination all unto itself, nestled as it is in the Caucasus Mountains. The main building of the vineyard’s estate is referred to as the Château. Its architecture is like a modern mountain lodge complete with big-wide front porch, expansive wood timbers, all new - but rustic-looking stone walls and floors, tiled roof and inviting fireplaces. The atmosphere is tranquil and bucolic.
Schuchmann boasts that “the climatic conditions are ideal” due to “the wine area {being} sheltered from cold air in the north by the Caucasus Mountains and warmed by the Black Sea.” Schuchmann grows indigenous grape varieties such as Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Mtsvane, Ojaleshi, and Kisi for their winemaking. Our very generous host was Schuchmann’s winemaker who provided each of us with a bottle of 2011 Vinoterra Kisi to take home.
Schuchmann is committed to continuing the Georgian tradition of producing qvevri wines. This wine production method dates back thousands of years and lends testimony to Georgia’s claim as the oldest winegrowing country in the world and the origin for all cultivated grapevines. The qvevri or large clay vessels are placed in the cool ground and filled with grapes hand-picked from Schuchmann’s own vineyards. The entire part of the grape (skin, seeds, some stems and, of course the juice) is crushed and left to rest and ferment in the qvevri. In white wine production, as with the bottle of Schuchmann Kisi I was given, the qvevri’s opening is sealed with a stone slab, clay and ash and left to mature for up to six months. During our tour, we tenderly step around both empty qvevri and sealed ones which lined the floor of one of the storage rooms adjacent to the Château.
Scrub brushes made cherry bark folded and secured atop long wooden poles are used to clean the qvevri without the need of any toxic chemicals. To those interested in the Natural Wine movement, qvevri symbolize the epitome of natural wine production. Makers of qvevri wine claim that it is stable by nature, rich in tannins and doesn’t require chemical preservatives to ensure a long storage life. Qvevri also produce wines rich in antioxidants. Many Georgians are known to live well past 100 years of age, so maybe Georgian qvevri wine can trump St. Augustine, Florida as the “true” source of legendary fountain of youth!
Before I leave Schuchmann, I have to speak to my gifted bottle of Kisi. Their Kisi is a beautiful, golden color with a fragrant fruit scent and soft palate. They attribute ripe peaches, dates and “a subtle note of pine” to their Kisi wine which is much more eloquently put. I also think it’s a grape variety name that’s both super easy to remember and fun to say – “Kisi!”
We did not spend the night at Schuchmann, but rather traveled not far by bus to Chateau Mere (https://www.facebook.com/Chateau.Mere) which is an eclectically-decorated, oversized Georgian B&B. Our bus gingerly climbed the steep, but paved entry-drive. Owner, George Piradashvili, greeted us at the front door, quickly got us checked in and had his young male employees help us carry our bags up the winding staircase. Each room was different and tucked away in all sorts of nook, crannies, floors, turrets and out-buildings on the Chateau Mere grounds.
The big, oval, dinner tables were filled with fresh and delicious local fare. We ate family-style passing each plate around the table, then around again for seconds. The fancy, yet kitschy candelabras dripped and glowed in the center of each table as the courses continued to flow from the kitchen non-stop. Two gentlemen provided live piano and trumpet music for us. They were like our two, drunk and happy uncles playing all our favorite Georgian melodies. A few locals and friends of George were hanging-out and joined in, singing with the music as the mood struck them!
A fire blazed in the large fireplace as George’s huge black dog curled-up and slept on the hearth through the all the noisey goings-on. It was so entertaining and fabulous…and oh yes, the wine flowed! Bottles of George’s own wine was served and savored by all! George also owns and breeds horses, so each of his bottles is emblazened with a black stallion. It was warm, cozy, raucous fun – a perfect ending to a perfect day! Tim and I were in a room with two twin beds, but didn’t mind at all – we made the most of it! I remember hearing the party continuing downstairs and then ZONK! — nothing, but happy dreamland ‘til morning!
My advice for a wine-weekend get-away, — really GET AWAY, experience the extraordinary, explore the world! Everyone should visit our own American wonders of Napa and Sonoma at least once, but don’t get stuck in a comfortable rut. Georgia is amazing and so welcoming – it requires extra effort and time, but you’ll be so glad you ventured out of your normal wine realm!
Disclosure: I tasted the wines of Georgia as a part of a sponsored blogger tour of the region, organized by Georgian Wine Association. My travel and accommodations were provided by the sponsor. Even so, I tell no lie…it was fabulous!
The first thing we just have to tell you is that our new book won the prize as Best Wine Book for Professionals in Sweden by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards! We just received the information a few days ago. We are so happy!
In addition the book has also been nominated for to the same category for the international award! Who will win the prize and become the world’s best wine book for professionals will be revealed in Paris on February 23!
We are excited.
And then: If you have not yet “liked” us on Facebook, please do so now. Here’s where you find BKWine Magazine on Facebook. Tell your friends to like the page too! It is the best Christmas present we can hope for. (And it is very affordable.) And while you are at it, why not like our wine travel page too?
Now to even more vinous matters.
It is not easy for lesser-known wine regions to make their voice heard above the choir of the big and famous districts. We were reminded of that recently in Turkey where we were on what is now called the Digital Wine Communications Conference. We had the opportunity to taste a large number of Turkish wines. Some were very good, some were more “interesting”. But all of it was quite far away from one of the few Turkish wines that I had heard of before I went there: Beyaz. I don’t think it exists any longer.
It was quite popular when I started drinking and tasting wines, quite a few years ago, in Sweden. It was a semi-sweet or semi-dry (memory fails.Did it matter?) white wine. Popular perhaps not primarily for its taste and character. I wondered if I would run into it again, when in Turkey.
And yes, suddenly I saw a wine that said “beyaz” on the label. So I asked the producer, ”is this really ’beyaz’?” He looked back puzzled and said, “yes, can’t you tell?” It turns out that beyaz is simply Turkish for white… (For some obscure reason there is actually also a birth control pill called beyaz!)
There were two main groupings of Turkish wines: those made from “international” grape varieties (cabernet, chardonnay, sauvignon etc), and those made from Turkish indigenous grapes (brace yourself: öküzgözü, boğazkere, kalecik karası etc). What is the best strategy for a country that is quite unknown as a wine producer? Go for wines that are easily recognised on the international market, but that are made, similarly, in many other places around the world? Or go for the stranger product with names that no-one has heard of and can hardly pronounce?
Not an easy choice. But a choice that is very similar to what many other wine regions are facing. Personally I would rather buy a Turkish boğazkere (pronounced ‘boaskere’, not that hard finally) rather than a Turkish cabernet sauvignon. And you? A question that we will come back to in a future article. Do send us an email if you have any opinions or comments.
What about some Christmas gift tips?
- The obvious one: a gift voucher for a wine tour
- A bottle of wine from an unusual grape variety or from an obscure wine district
- A wine magazine subscription. We recommend Decanter, or Revue des Vins de France
- An outstanding wine glass
- A curious wine decanterBritt & Per
PS: Recommend to your friends to read the Brief!
What’s on at BKWine Tours
- Chile & Argentina, 4-19 February
- Bordeaux, 18-22 September
- Douro Valley, Portugal, 23-27 October
For more information please contact us on email or on phone (we’re on French time), or go to our wine travel site on www.bkwinetours.com!
We also make custom designed wine tours – on-demand tours for you and a group of friends, for your company (maybe to scout new winegrowers?), for a special event… We can combine winery visits and wine touring with other activities: gastronomic workshops, visit to an oyster farm, truffles hunting, cheese making, and more. More info on the custom designed and bespoke BKWine wine tours and travel here!
Wine tours in Finnish: We also do wine tours in Finnish. And in German, Norwegian, Spanish…
Do you want the latest news and updates on our wine travel activity? Subscribe here! (Second alternative BKWineTours.com)
From the World of Wine
Best wine book in Sweden and nominated to World’s Best!
Good news! We have just learned, hot off the presses, that our new book has won the award “Best wine book in Sweden for professionals” in the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards! The book is called Wine and the Environment, Organic, Biodynamic, and Natural (published in Swedish).
We are very happy and proud!
The book is also nominated to the category “World’s Best Wine Book for Professionals” on the next level of the competition and has the chance to be selected as the world’s best wine book!
Read more about the book award and the Gourmand competition on BKWine Magazine!
(Our previous book, The Creation of a Wine, was the international award winner in the same category in 2010/2011 and thus became the world’s best wine book for professionals then.)
One of our favourite restaurants in Florence
There are almost innumerable restaurants in Florence, anything you may want from luxury and abundance to a quick pizza to go. One that is in the category friendly neighbourhood restaurants is Le Carceri (i.e. The Prison). We have previously written about it in a restaurant review and now we have added a few videos and pictures from Le Carceri that we have published in our travel blog on the wine travel site.
Wine in bulk, a growing market, Spain is top producer
Larger and larger quantities of wine in the world are sold in bulk. The volume has doubled over the past 10 years. Spain is the leading country when it comes to selling bulk wine (35% of the total bulk volume in the world). Italy comes second (23%) and Australia is the third largest in terms of volume. In terms of value, however, France beats Australia och ends up third. The French get paid an average of one euro per liter bulk wine compared with the global average price of 63 cents. Read more at vitisphere.com
All wine shipments in containers larger than two litres are for the moment considered as bulk wine in the statistics. This means that also Bag in Box of more than 2 litres is statistically counted as bulk wine. This is perhaps one explanation to why this category is increasing. Many think, we included, that the definition of bulk wine should be changed and it probably will. Bag in Box is usually sold as such to the end consumer and is therefore a totally different category than bulk wine destined to be blended and/or bottled by a wholesaler.
Bordeaux wines from the 2000 vintage. Are they still good?
Roberson Wine recently launched an internet based wine shop targeting the Swedish consumer market, as well as one in the UK. The Roberson selection is focused on top-level and exclusive wine. They introduced their activity to Swedish wine lovers by organising a tasting of rare Bordeaux wines from the 2000 vintage. BKWine’s reporter Wilhelm Arnör was there. Read the full report here: “Luxury: nine top-class Bordeaux clarets from the legendary 2000 vintage” on BKWine Magazine. On the vintage: “the catastrophe that never happened”. Wilhelm picks one of the nine wines as his overall favourite. Guess which! Can not have been easy in that heat.
The big Rhone wine jamboree: 11-14 March 2013
Les Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône is a travelling wine show that takes place every second year in the Rhone Valley. Every appellation organises a gargantuan tasting with all the producers (well, almost). The wine trade and wine journalists go from village to village to taste. Worth a visit! Read more about this big movable Rhône feast on BKWine Magazine.
One more classified biodynamic chateau in Médoc: Château Durfort-Vivens
Château Pontet-Canet in Pauillac was the first and Château Durfort-Vivens in Margaux will probably be the second Grand Cru Classé in Médoc to become biodynamically certified. Durfort-Vivens was made as second growth (deuxième grand cru classé) in the Bordeaux classification of 1855.
Owner Gonzague Lurton has worked biodynamically on part of the vineyard since 2009. He was inspired by Pontet-Canet but also from tasting wines from other producers belonging to the French biodynamic association Biodyvin. Alain Moueix at Château Fonroque in Saint Emilion, one of the first biodynamic chateaux in Bordeaux, has also helped him. The plans are that Durfort-Vivens will be run 100 % biodynamically next year and Gonzague Lurton will then also apply for certification. Read more in Drinks Business.
More and more chateaux are proving that Bordeaux vineyards, despite the humid oceanic climate, can be managed organically.
A super-Tuscan with Bordeaux links
Eric Albada Jelgersma owns Chateau Giscours and Château du Tertre in Margaux in Bordeaux. But he had, apparently, money left to spend so some years back this rich Dutchman started a winery in Tuscany, on the coast, not far from where many of the “super-tuscan” wines are made. This past autumn we found our way to his remote winery on one of our wine tours with a small group of wine lovers.
Here, on our travel blog, you can read some more about it and see both photos and videos from this impressive winery called Caiarossa in the Val de Cecina in Tuscany, including the Fengh Shui-inspired wine cellar.
Geographical indications for AOC Alsace
INAO (Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité), the authority that controls all the French appellations, has recently approved two additional geographical add-ons for AOC Alsace. The two lucky ones are AOC Alsace Bergheim and AOC Alsace Coteaux du Haut Koenigsbourg.
Previously 11 geographical areas have been given this higher status: Blienschwiller, Côtes de Barr, Cote de Mulhouse, Klevener the Heiligenstein (for the grape klevener), Strasbourg, Rodern, Saint-Hippolyte, Scherwiller, Vallée Noble, Val Saint Grégoire and Wolxheim. The total number is thus now 13 and no more areas are in the pipeline. Read more at lavigne-mag.fr.
These wines with a geographical indication are supposed to be a category sort of half way between a normal AOC Alsace and an Alsace Grand Cru.
Good news for organic growers: new organic product to fight diseases
Swiss researchers have discovered fungal molecules in lignified vine branches that can slow the progression of mildiou, oidium and gray rot, all three dreaded fungal diseases in the vineyard. The Research Station Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil in Switzerland will now try to develop a new pesticide based on these molecules.
The project is financed by a very prestigious group of wine chateaux in Bordeaux, according to La Vigne: Châteaux Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Haut-Brion, Lafite-Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild, Yquem and Pétrus. Now if you have a little money to spare this seems to be a great way to spend them.Tasting with an original producer of sparkling wine: Recaredo
Recaredo is a small family-owned cava producer with big ambitions and wines that are somewhat different that the usual. They are organic and even biodynamic and make wine without any dosage. Ton Mata Moliner was recently leading a tasting of his wines that Magnus Hoffstein attended for BKWine. Read his full report on the Recaredo tasting and the discussion on BKWine Magazine: “It was a tasting that illustrated what cava can be, far removed from mass production and designer bottles.”
Travel, wine and food on the internet, how to fit it all together
The “wine bloggers conference” is after all much easier to say than the Digital Wine Communications Conference… How can you communicate, tell stories, write articles on wine, travel and food and make them more engaging and readable? That was the theme for one of the panel debates at the #EWBC in Izmir in Turkey recently. Or in more detail: “Wine is much more than a tasting note and a score. To help us to become inspiring and authoritative sources of information, our panellists will share their views on how best to communicate about wine in the context of travel and food.”
The panel included our own Per, from BKWine, Su Birch, CEO for Wines of South Africa (WOSA), Wendy Crispell, educator and blogger on food and wine, and Paola Tich, communications consultant and ex-journalist. Wink Lorch did her best to keep us all focussed. If you want to know more you can watch the whole session on communicating about wine, food and travel on our travel blog.. (EWBC is the short form of The Digital Wine Communications Conference, previously called the European Wine Bloggers Conference.)
What do the French drink at home?
FranceAgriMer, a body linked to the French Ministry of Agriculture, has recently published statistics on how much still wine the French households buy and drink at home (sparkling wine not included). The French buy a little less wine every year. Last year each household bought in average 41, 44 litres of wine which is a decrease of 0,5 %. On the other hand, they spend more money on each bottle. The average price has gone up and is now 3, 17 euro per liter.
The French buy mostly red wine (58%). Rosé is 25% of the purchases and the whites account for 17%. Half of all the wine they buy is AOC (appellation wines), 28% are IGP (“Indication Géographique Protégée”, the old “vin de pays’ category), 11% is Vin de France (wine without a specified origin, called” vin de table “earlier), 8% are foreign wines and 3% are EU wines without specified origin. For the appellation wines Bordeaux accounts for 26%, Rhône Valley for 19%, Loire Valley for 12% and the South West for11%.
The big surprise for me is the figure for rosé wines. 25%! It must be the 35-hour week that forces people to spend too much time on a sunny terrace…
Read the whole report here.
Saint Emilion and Stradivarius for lunch
In late October we were invited by Bernard Magrez to a luxurious lunch at Le Cinq, star restaurant at the Hôtel Georges V in Paris. We were there to celebrate several things. Bernard Magrez’ Château Fombrauge in Saint Emilion had just been given its new classification, Grand Cru Classé, and he had only a few weeks earlier bought a new chateau in Bordeaux (it is getting difficult to keep track of them all).
The chateau in question is Clos Haut Peyraguey in Sauternes, classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé 1855. And that brings us to the third thing worth celebrating. Bernard Magrez is now the only chateau owner in Bordeaux having four Grand Cru Classé chateaux in four different Bordeaux appellations. Something he seemed to be very proud of.The châteaux are
- Château Pape-Clement, Grand Cru Classé de Graves
- Château la Tour Carnet, Grand Cru Classé de Médoc 1855
- Château Fombrauge, Grand Cru Classé de Saint Emilion
- Clos Haut Peyraguey, Premier Grand Cru Classé de Sauternes 1855
All this was celebrated with a magnificent lunch prepared by chef Eric Beaumard. We were also treated to some pieces of music performed by violinist Mattthieu Arama, concertmaster of the Opera of Bordeaux, on Château Fombrauges own Stradivarius (bought by Magrez a year ago). My first encounter with a Stradivarius and very enjoyable it was.
More info: www.stradivarius-fombrauge.com/ and http://www.bernard-magrez.com.
White dry Bordeaux from André Lurton
We love dry white Bordeaux wines and hope that more people will discover how delicious they are. This summer we had the opportunity to visit some of the Lurton chateaux (there are several) in Entre-deux-Mers and Pessac-Léognan in Bordeaux and taste the wines. André Lurton is a big producer of white dry white wines in Bordeaux and even a bit of an expert on the sauvignon blanc grape variety.
He lives at Chateau Bonnet in the Entre-deux-Mers, a property with over 200 hectares of vineyards. There he makes a very reasonably prices aromatic white, a classic blend of 50% sauvignon, 40% semillon and 10% muscadelle. (~8€)
One notch up in complexity you have Chateau Coucheroy from Pessac Léognan (~11€). The wine is fermented in oak barrels (not new) with a good body from the time on the lees without losing the freshness of the sauvignon. It’s 100% SB.
Another interesting wine in the Lurton range is Chateau de Rochemorin Blanc (~13€) also from Pessac Léognan. 100% SB. Flowery and fresh on the nose with a whiff of oak barrel. Good length and body on the palate without being heavy.
There is also the flagship, the Chateau la Louvière (Pessac-Léognan, 85% SB, 15% semillon) which is excellent. A recent vintage will set you back twenty something euro and we have recently even seen older vintage (from the chateau?) on sale in Sweden for around 30€. Aged white Bordeaux can be delicious!
Organic food and biodynamic wines in Tuscany
The Fattoria Poggerino is one of the few organic and biodynamic wineries in Chianti. It is run by Piero and Benedetta Lanza, brother and sister. Piero runs the wine cellar and Benedetta runs their agriturismo as well as being a very talented cook. This autumn we stopped by on our “Super Tuscan” wine tour for lunch and for a wine tasting, and of course a visit to the vineyard and the wine cellar. Read more about this delicious (literally) visit at Poggerino, with pictures and videos, on our travel blog.
A new champagne discovery: Champagne Vautrain-Paulet
The year is soon coming to its end and it will soon be time to plan what drink to finish it and celebrate the new year with. Or to have for dinner on New Year’s Eve. A champagne producer that we recently discovered is Champagne Vautrain-Paulet (it was recently introduced on the Swedish market).
Champagne Vautrain-Paulet can be found in the small village Dizy just a few kilometres from Epernay, across the river. It is a small family property with an annual production of no more than 30,000 bottles. We have tasted two of their fine champagnes.
Champagne Vautrin-Paulet Carte Blance Brut: Appely and a bit earthy on the nose, refreshingly dry. Good, soft mousse, light in style but with a good intensity on the palate, finishing on green apples and good fruit. Good value at its price (~17-28€). ~75% pinot noir & meunier, 20% chardonnay.
Champagne Vautrain-Paulet Blanc de Blanc: Classic, toasty and elegant, delicate and quite light. Excellent as aperitif and to a meal with dishes that do not have too strong flavours. ~15-25€.
More info www.champagne-vautrain-paulet.fr.
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Lucien Arkas, chairman of Arkas Holding A.S., discusses his LA Wines property at Swissotel Grand Efes in Izmir. Arkas bought out his partners in 2010, renaming it LA Wines. Its vineyards are now certified organic. Photographer: Elin McCoy/Bloomberg via Bloomberg
At a tasting in a World War II cement bunker in Gali winery’s vineyards on Turkey’s Gallipoli peninsula, the 2010 bright, juicy cabernet franc-merlot blend is a big and very pleasant surprise.
One of several dozen small boutique wineries founded in the last few years, Gali is part of the country’s growing wine renaissance. It was the first stop on recent tasting tour that left me highly enthusiastic about Turkey’s wine potential.
After tramping through Gali’s vineyards, with windy views of the blue Aegean Sea, the Dardanelles and Sea of Marmara, I savor the delicious red again on owner Hakan Kavur’s stone terrace with oregano-accented lamb slow-braised in local olive oil.
When it comes to wine, you’re never far from history in this country of more than 800 grape varieties. Though many new vintners in Turkey’s seven wine regions champion international ones like chardonnay and cabernet, I discover the best wines so far come from a handful of Turkish grapes with hard-to-pronounce names like okuzgozu (oh-cooz-goe-zoo) and kalecik karasi (kah- le-djic-car-ah-ser).
Indiana Jones
The centerpiece of my 10-day trip is the EWBC Digital Wine Communications Conference in Izmir on the Aegean. One of the main speakers, Patrick McGovern of the University of Pennsylvania Museum — who is called the Indiana Jones of wine archeology — makes the case for Turkey as wine’s birthplace.
His presentation covers the country’s several thousand years of flourishing drinking culture under the Hittites, Assyrians, Lydians and Byzantine Christians.
Despite that history, Turkey’s 100-plus wineries face serious challenges in a land with a 99 percent Muslim population. The government discourages consumption through high taxes and advertisement bans, and this year prohibited internet sales.
None of that stopped Izmir native Lucien Arkas, chairman of Arkas Holding A.S., owner of 55 companies, and a major art collector, from investing in a 1,168-acre property 45 minutes southeast of Izmir.
As we talk over small glasses of Turkish tea in between the conference’s panels and tastings, Arkas, 67, smiles and shrugs, “People still smoke and drink. Twenty million tourists want to go to the beach, and sip wine.”
LA Wines
The genial, round-faced Arkas, in a dark blue Zegna suit, says he purchased a small share in the 2005 project sight unseen, but bought out his partners in 2010. Now the vineyards are certified organic, and he renamed the winery LA Wines.
I like LA’s pure-tasting 2010 Mon Reve chardonnay/chenin blanc ($16), with its hint of pears and tropical fruit, and the earthy 2010 Mon Reve Tempranillo. I sip them at the Arkas museum in Izmir, while studying Turkish photographer Ahmet Ertug’s stunning pictures of European opera houses and libraries.
Like Kavur, Arkas is wedded to European grape varieties rather than his country’s own.
Happily, both avoid the excessive-oak-aging embraced by many of Turkey’s small estate wineries. Case in point: The Gulor winery founded in 1993 by Guler Sabanci, the chairman of her family’s Sabanci Holding (SAHOL), the second largest company in Turkey, and the first to plant international grapes. Gulor makes a clean, fresh 2012 G Sauvignon Blanc ($11), but its pricier reds taste more of wood than fruit.
Local Grapes
Some of the biggest (and oldest) wineries are now refocusing on indigenous grapes. Doluca dates from 1926, and at its huge new modern cellar hidden away in a vast gray industrial park a 90-minute drive from Istanbul, its French winemaker Pascal Lenzi pours barrel samples of a crisp, lemony white 2012 Narince (nah-rin-djeh) and a lively easy-drinking 2012 Kalecik Karasi, the Turkish answer to gamay, the grape of Beaujolais.
But a few days later, on the high desert plateau of Cappadocia in central Anatolia, I find the most exciting wines of my stay at the traditional Kocabag winery outside Uchisar. The spare, windswept expanse of landscape, where herds of wild horses once roamed and patches of grapevines sprawl like low bushes as they did thousands of years ago, seems vast and timeless.
“My grandfather started in 1972 in a simple cave carved from rock,” explains third generation Mehmet Erdogan, as he leads the way into the winery. The stone arches and fermenting and aging vats are all carved from soft, easy-to-work tuff rock made of compressed volcanic ash.
Lamb Kebab
At a wine bar and shop overlooking the strange rock formations in Uchisar’s Pigeon Valley, Erdogan pours Kocabag’s two whites and three reds.
My white pick is tart, appley 2011 Narince, with its floral aromas and wet stone taste. Among reds, the stars are 2011 Kapadokya ($14), a complex earth-and-black-cherry blend of bogazkere and okuzgozu and the subtle, soft cassis and fruit 2010 Okuzgozu ($16), which is perfect with lamb shish kebab. I had to have a second glass.
(Elin McCoy writes on wine and spirits for Muse, the arts and leisure section of Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are her own.)
Muse highlights include Jeremy Gerard on theater and Martin Gayford on art.
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Wine grapes first domesticated in TurkeyPublished on November 27th, 2012 | by Sevaan Franks
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DNA analysis suggests that Stone Age farmers first domesticated wine grapes in Turkey.
“We wanted to collect samples from wild and cultivated grape vines from the Near East — that means southeastern Anatolia, Armenia and Georgia — to see in which place the wild grape was, genetically speaking, linked the closest to the cultivated variety.”
“It turned out to be southeastern Anatolia,” the Asian part of modern Turkey, said Vouillamoz, speaking at the EWBC wine conference in the Turkish city of Izmir this month. “We propose the hypothesis that it is most likely the first place of grape vine domestication.”
McGovern’s lab at the University of Pennsylvania Museum also provided archaeological evidence of wine’s Anatolian roots after analysing residues of liquid recovered from vessels thousands of years old.
Story: Suzanna Mustacich, AFP | Photo: Suzanna Mustacich, AFP
Tags: DNA Analysis, Food & Drinks, Grapes, Turkey, Wine
Well, they would say that wouldn’t they?
Still, there’s much buzz around the combination of web and wine, and rightly so. If any industry could do with a dusting off, it’s this one.
And if inspirational piano music, montages and talking heads are the way to do that, then here’s a very exciting video:
If you enjoyed that video there are some much longer ones on the EWBC digital wine etc. website; including a debate about natural wines that’s over an hour long(!)
This is more one for industry bods than humble wine-drinkers such as you and I, and to be honest I have no idea how I ended up on the mailing list for this – but my wife received the email too so perhaps it was literally sent to everyone in the world?
If nothing else it’s made me curious about Turkish wine.
Were you in Izmir recently for the digital wine communications conference? Let us know what you gained from the experience in the comments section.
Do French merlots or German rieslings have Turkish ancestors? That's the intriguing proposition raised by a Swiss botanist, who, using DNA analysis, is arguing that many of the wine grapes used today in western Europe and other parts of the world descend from wild grape varieties domesticated by Stone Age farmers in what is now Turkey. Reports AFP:
Today Turkey is home to archaeological sites as well as vineyards of ancient grape varieties like Bogazkere and Okuzgozu, which drew the curiosity of the Swiss botanist and grape DNA sleuth Jose Vouillamoz, for the clues they may offer to the origin of European wine.
Together with the biomolecular archaeologist Patrick McGovern, Vouillamoz has spent nearly a decade studying the world's cultivated and wild vines.
"We wanted to collect samples from wild and cultivated grape vines from the Near East -- that means southeastern Anatolia, Armenia and Georgia -- to see in which place the wild grape was, genetically speaking, linked the closest to the cultivated variety."
"It turned out to be southeastern Anatolia," the Asian part of modern Turkey, said Vouillamoz, speaking at the EWBC wine conference in the Turkish city of Izmir this month. "We propose the hypothesis that it is most likely the first place of grape vine domestication."
McGovern's lab at the University of Pennsylvania Museum also provided archaeological evidence of wine's Anatolian roots after analysing residues of liquid recovered from vessels thousands of years old.
Author of "Uncorking the Past" and "Ancient Wine", McGovern used a sensitive chemical technique to look for significant amounts of tartaric acid -- for which grapes are the only source in the Middle East.
While Georgia, Armenia and Iran all played a role in ancient winemaking, preliminary evidence from pottery and even older clay mineral containers, seems to place the very first domestication of the wild Eurasian grape Vitis vinifera in southeastern Anatolia sometime between 5,000 and 8,500 BC, McGovern said.While Vouillamoz may have science on his side, the botanist's research will likely only further cloud the picture of which country gets to call itself the "birthplace of wine." As reported in a previous post, Armenia -- home to what is considered to be the world's oldest winery, unearthed at a site that dates back some 5,500 years -- recently protested a European Union decision which grants Georgia the exclusive right to use the slogan "the cradle of wine" when marketing its bottles in Europe. Considering the host of disputes Armenia has with Turkey (including some culinary ones), it seems unlikely the country will be very happy to see its neighbor to the west now in a position to also proclaim itself the "cradle of wine."
27.11.2012 (Hvino News). While Georgia, Armenia and Iran all played a role in ancient winemaking, preliminary evidence seems to place the very first domestication of the wild Eurasian grape Vitis vinifera in southeastern Anatolia (Turkey) sometime between 5,000 and 8,500 BC.These research findings were presented at EWBC wine conference in Izmir this month, and published by AFP today.
Today Turkey is home to archaeological sites as well as vineyards of ancient grape varieties like Bogazkere and Okuzgozu, which drew the curiosity of the Swiss botanist and grape DNA researcher Jose Vouillamoz, for the clues they may offer to the origin of European wine.
Together with the biomolecular archaeologist Patrick McGovern, Vouillamoz has spent nearly a decade studying the world's cultivated and wild vines.
"We wanted to collect samples from wild and cultivated grape vines from the Near East -- that means southeastern Anatolia, Armenia and Georgia -- to see in which place the wild grape was, genetically speaking, linked the closest to the cultivated variety."
"It turned out to be southeastern Anatolia," the Asian part of modern Turkey, said Vouillamoz, speaking at the EWBC conference in Izmir. "We propose the hypothesis that it is most likely the first place of grape vine domestication."
McGovern's lab at the University of Pennsylvania Museum also provided archaeological evidence of wine's Anatolian roots after analysing residues of liquid recovered from vessels thousands of years old.
Author of "Uncorking the Past" and "Ancient Wine", McGovern used a sensitive chemical technique to look for significant amounts of tartaric acid -- for which grapes are the only source in the Middle East.
Southeast Anatolia is part of the Fertile Crescent, the name given to a vast area stretching through modern-day Iraq and Iran to the Nile Valley in the south, widely seen as the birthplace of the eight so-called "founder" crops -- from chickpea to barley -- that are the world's first known domesticated plants.
Evidence found by the research duo suggests that for wine too, hundreds of today's grapes find their roots in "founder" varieties descended from the wild grapes of the region.
© Hvino News
EWBC: plentiful “source” of wine passion and digital communication inspiration
November 19, 2012 by ktcanfield
Delivering the event’s inaugural keynote speech, Andrew Jefford commented on the theme of last week’s EWBC Digital Communications Conference, “Sources,” stating that passion and inspiration is the source.
This idea was well illustrated over the course of the weekend and although there was plenty of partying among attendees, there was also presence: a true blend of business and pleasure. In nearly every individual I had the pleasure of meeting I not only noted a thirst for wine, but also a true thirst for information.
Upon my return to Dijon, I was asked to summarize my experience at the EWBC in one sentence. I’m afraid the result barely exceeded assembly-line status in imaginative quality, but the truth is the essence of the experience is somewhat difficult for me to put into words. Perhaps I will have more success with a video, which will be published, though in a slightly less timely fashion as I possess rather sub-par video editing skills. As a relative novice to the wine world, I was in a state of quiet (or perhaps not so quiet, once I had a few tastings under my belt) rapture as I wondered through the halls and conference rooms of the Swissôtel Grand Efes, surrounded by the most well-respected players in the industry today.
Highlights included the Grand Terroir Tasting (a.k.a. the tedious task of tasting wines from not
only Turkey, but Lebanon, Georgia and Armenia), interesting discussion about the power of humor in wine writing (more details to come) contrasted by in-depth explanation of grape origins, fabulous port wines tasted courtesy of André Ribeirinho, and valuable insight into the most effective use of social media tools to engage consumers. Oh, and let’s not
forget the gala dinner/raging dance party that closed the event.
Every person, like every wine, has a story and the EWBC provided ample opportunity to discover the narratives of both people and wines with very diverse origins.
Note: Pictures of said dance party will not be provided here, nor anywhere else, I hope.
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Nice write-up as always. Looks like you had a wonderful working vacation. Next time, forget about Georgia and go to Israel, as the Golan region produces some great wines you might like, and then you could blog about kosher wine. Only wait for the war to end.
That's a breath-taking photo with you two in that field. I think you should zoom in on you both, make yourselves bigger.
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Last month I traveled to an exotic land full of jaw dropping vistas, unusual grape varieties and delicious cuisine, Cappadocia, in central Anatolia, Turkey. This magical place is full of visions that can only be described as a Vulcan mind meld of the American Southwest and outer space. I was instantly in awe by the rugged, alien beauty present at every turn. Famous for its fairy chimneys, cave hotels and underground cities it also has a lot to offer for adventurist food and wine lovers. Sips of wine aged in tuff ( volcanic ash formations), meals prepared in clay vessels and deliciously pungent Tulum cheese where indeed highlights of my journey into the culture of this distant land.
Indigenous Grapes-
Turkey has approximately 7,000 years of grape growing history, many think it may even be the source of the vine. Turkey is home to between 600 to 1,200 indigenous varieties with 60 or so being used in Turkish wine production. Sadly many producers shared with me that international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are more in demand in the local market. I much prefered the foreign and unique flavors coaxed from the vines and soils of the native land. It may take a bit of practice to pronounce them but wines made from the following grapes are a taste of the heart and soul of Turkish wine production.
Kalecik Karasi- A thin-skinned, blueish black grape that was overlooked, almost forgotten, for many years but still cultivated in small quantities in Ankara’s Kalecik district. Research and development by the Ankara Faculty of Agriculture and Kavaklıdere Winery brought it back to the place it deserved in wine production. Filled with notes of cherry, red berry and a tinge of earth this is one grape I hope to see more of.
Boğazkere- One of the best native grapes grown in Anatolia. Higher tannin, structure and fuller bodied with potential to age. Translating to throat burner it’s often blended with other grapes to add depth and body.
Öküzgözü- Meaning bull’s eye the round plump grapes are full of flavors of fresh red fruits and floral aromas with medium body and tannin. Pairs well with much of the local cuisine.
Narince- A wonderful, complex, medium bodied white that often receives a bit of oak treatment. Its young leaves are highly prized for the best dolma which has sadly reduced production a bit. Translating to ‘delicately’ notes of yellow tree fruit, quince and acia honey are common aromas.
Tour and tasting-
Kocabag Winery, one of three wineries in Cappadocia is a must for any winelover. This third generation family owned winery, in the Nevsehir, Yesilyurt district is easy to spot among the carved huts made from tuff you will encounter on the road there. Although from the outside it doesn’t look much different from many wineries I’ve visited the inside has an interesting story to tell. Fermentation and storage tanks housing Kocabag’s wines are made from tuff (carved by the Erdogan family founder in 1972) something unique to the region and quite possibly the world.
The 12 tanks carved into the rock are thought-provoking , imagine the fermenting juice communicating with the ancient volcanic material to create an expression of terroir unlike any other. Our guide Mehmet Erogan ( the 3rd generation of the Erogan family to run the winery) explained to our group that the tanks can however be a bit limiting, a thick lining of tartrate crystals have formed throughout the years causing less volume and they can be difficult to navigate. A new facility that will include a bit of steel and oak aging has been built across the street from the original cave cellars but Mehmet assured us the tuff tanks will be continued to used to produce their signature wines. Kocabag’s wines are available in Cappadocia’s finest restaurants and in several of their own tasting rooms located nearby.In an effort to increase wine tourism Kavaklıdere (the largest winery in the region) has taken Kocabag under its wing. As both wineries have extended their reach outside of the Turkish market it surely wont be long till they become a destination for visiting wine enthusiasts.
Local Specialties-
At Han Ciragan Restaurant I was treated to a dish prepared in a sealed clay vessel, slow cooked to bring out only the natural juices with no additional cooking liquid added. Named Testi Kabob , a part of the enjoyment of this Anatolian stew is the presentation. Normally I don’t welcome the sight of waiters arriving at the table carrying a sword, but, the traditional method of serving this dish requires tapping the clay vessel gently with a sharp knife to sever it evenly around the curve without introducing pieces of it into the finished dish. The succulent juices steeped out of the meat (caused by steam created from pre-soaking the clay) are an authentic treat, served with bread to sop up any remaining sauce it was a dramatic taste of Turkish dinner theatre. In an attempt to recreate this dish I’ve purchased a sand pot, no sword needed!
Another stand out was the local cheese of which there are at least 16 different variations. Often served as part of the Raki table, or as meze before the main meal, the cheeses in Cappadocia where more pungent and intense than other versions I’d experienced in Izmir or Istanbul. Aged in a goat skin the Tulum style of Turkish cheese is by far my favorite, especially when served with dried figs and walnut. Cheese is served with almost every meal and always present for breakfast, a pleasant sight for this caseophile.
Cappadocia is a magical mystery tour of food, wine and culture filled with friendly hosts ready to help you experience all it has to offer. I can only urge you to visit but its something everyone should have on their list.
Special thanks to Wines of Turkey and the great minds behind the EWBC for hosting this trip.
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Choosing wines for a Christmas with Turkey? How about something from … Turkey? An all-Turkey affair, after all the bird was named after the country, so it seems appropriate.
I’m not a great believer in “perfect matches” for wine and food so the best rule of thumb, is buy what you like to drink – the match will take care of itself.
Having just returned from an extended visit to the beautiful cities and wine regions of Turkey, I thought I’d find out which wines you could source easily in the UK, so here are a few suggestions.
Marks & Spencer
M&S was the first of the big supermarkets to list a Turkish wine (to my knowledge) and they’ve chosen an interesting pair of wines – and by the way, they’ve also taken the lead by listing wines from other countries like Croatia and Lebanon, so we should support them too.
Sevilen Sauvignon Blanc (Sevilen) 2011 - a crisp, fresh, attractive Sauvignon Blanc that does not suffer from the overblown aromatic style so popular in New Zealand. A great wine to kick off any meal, and don’t just take my word for it, Jancis Robinson picked it as one of her top 100 wines of 2012.
Anfora Trio (Pamukkale) 2010 - an interesting blend of Shiraz, Kalecik Karasi & Cabernet Sauvignon that is unoaked but is a robust, red berry fruit wine that I think would go well with your Turkey if you like lots of sauces with it. A good introduction to the Pamukkale winery’s range which I will write about separately soon as I had a very enjoyable visit there.
Laithwaites
Laithwaites has always championed unusual wine countries and regions, and so it is a good place to go looking for something different. They attended the EWBC this year and have committed to listing even more Turkish wines in future, but the good news is that they already have one to try.
Vinart Kalecik Karasi Syrah (Vinkara) 2010 - I enjoyed this wine at a tasting earlier this year, which I felt showed lots of red fruit and a plummy character. The Syrah rounds this out a fair bit, and I would love to see a 100% Kalecik Karasi wine listed as I believe it is a grape that will be very popular in future. It is not unlike Pinot Noir overall, and can make delicate, light reds (and roses) but also more robust styles with a peppery character.
The Wine Society had the Vinkara Kalecik Karasi 2009 in stock but it soon ran out and there is none left. Keep an eye on them as I hope they will find more Turkish wines in the near future
Other retailers of Turkish wines (and other drinks):
I’ve not tried this retailer before, but you can always explore them for a broader range of wines.
Taste Turkey - http://www.tasteturkey.com/default.asp
TasteTurkey claims to have more than 40 different Turkish Wines in their portfolio from Diren, Pamukkale, Mahlep, Doluca, Kavaklidere, Kayra and Vinkara (though many appear out of stock) but also Raki (if you are feeling adventurous).
Other Agents to Contact
Agents and wholesalers don’t sell directly to consumers, so you can’t call them to buy the wines, but you could contact them directly to find out if a shop or restaurant in your area stocks these wines.
Yazgan, Mahra, Sultaniye / Emir (2011) – This is a blend of Sultana (yes, the one used for dried grapes) and the delicious Emir. A refreshing wine with a bit of a tropical twist.
Yazgan, Bogazkere (2011) – Another Turkish local and exclusive grape. Quite full bodied and spicy. Definitely worth a try.
Tees Limited - http://tees.co.uk/brands
They are an importer who are responsible for Turkey’s (rather refreshing) EFES beer, but also including Turkish Wine from Kayra wines, Kavaklidere wines and Doluca/SarAFIN wines
Thierry’s used to import an interesting range of Turkish wines from Kavaklidere but their site doesn’t have much information about whether they are still in stock after the recent changes there. Might be worth a call
If you do choose a Turkish wine to go with your Christmas meal, do let me know how it goes.
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© 2011-2013 Andrew Barrow All Rights Reserved -- Copyright notice by Blog CopyrightThere are just two tombs inside the Haghia Sophia. There is the one for Empress Eirene and another for Enrico Dandolo (1107ish-1205). His tomb stone has the Latinized version of his name – Henricus Dandulus. Good old Henry was the 41st Doge of Venice and, despite being blind and 90, led the Venetian contingent in the Fourth Crusade that sacked Constantinople.I very much doubt that any of the dozen or so people that followed my lead and photographed his tomb stone has an inkling of who he was. Before I took the ‘I am a Photographer’ stance, swinging and swaying over the inscription (I was trying to catch the light) not a single person had given it the slightest bit of attention. I wonder how many of those compact camera clickers later went back home and checked out the Wikipedia entry for Enrico Dandolo?
“Henricus Dandulus was active enough to take part in an disastrous expedition against the Bulgarians (battle of Adrianople 1205), but died in May 1205. He was buried in Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, probably in the upper Eastern gallery. In the 19th century an Italian restoration team placed a cenotaph marker near the probable location, which is still visible today. The marker is frequently mistaken by tourists as being a medieval marker of the actual tomb of the doge. The real tomb was destroyed by the Turks after the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 and subsequent conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque.” Wikipedia
From the outside, in the gathering dark, I cant really say Haghia Sophia is an attractive building. Not in the same way, as say, St. Paul’s is. The buildings charms are very much contained within.
Photo Gallery: Haghia Sophia
Sadly this set of photographs holds the last images emanating from the EWBC trip to Turkey. The full gallery, including many not posted elsewhere is viewable on Flickr.
EWBC 2012 – Turkey, Türkiye
Then we know, at last – EWBC 2012 will be in Turkey in the city Izmir (İzmir) formely known as Smyrna. Izmir is a costal city by the Gulf of İzmir.
My first thoughts are; exiting, fun with a wine country I know nothing or just little about – as a wine country. One could say EWBC back to basic – as it is said that it was in Turkey Noha planted a vineyard after the flood, presumeably at mount Ararat – which indicate that it wasn’t the first but if you belive the story it should still be mother of all vineyards today. Archaeological speaking winemaking goes back to the Stone Age. The wild Eurasian grapevine (Vitis vinifera sylvestris) is found fromSpain toCentral Asia. Cultivars, or varieties bred from the vine, account for nearly all of the wine produced today. The earliest attempts to cultivate vines goes back to the Neolithic’s and some believe that the first steps towards this was taken within the area that today is calledTurkey, possibly in the eastern parts.
Tickets ordered, we’re more or less on our way
– order your tickets at the new EWBC webpage.
Magnus Reuterdahl
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Categories: wine blog | Tags: #EWBC, #ewbc2012, Izmir, Neolithic, Stone Age, Türkiye, Turkey, wine |Post navigation
What has wine, Georgia and Heavy Metal in common? – Maybe not that much, then again quite a lot, let me explain. The experience of wine is like the experience of music – it is something that affect your mind and soul, ie your state of mind. Georgian wine could in one way be said to be like a vulgar display of power, though not vulgar in a bad way, but as a statement – qvevri wine is such a different wine, made in a different way, with such a uniuqe expression that it is like an explosion, at least flavorwise in my mouth
Music was also a part of the Georgian experience, not this type of music, but still music. And as Panteras brute force woke me up and got me to find the really heavy side of heavy metal, qvevri wine has opened up a new horizon of wine experiences – so there are a few connections.
This song, Rise from the album Vulgar display of power (1992), has no connection to the subject of wine or Georgia but then again you can always make it work, by using it in a different way:
We’ve got no time to lose
Your news is old news
Hate this, hate me, hate this
Right approach for the wrong
It’s time to spread the word
Let the voice be heard…Lets spread the word of Georgian wines, its old news, as its a very old way of making wine, let the voice be heard: We love Georgian wine!
With that lets turn to another visit, to Schuchmann/Vinoterra winery in Kisiskhevi.
At the winery winemaker Giorgi Dakishvili met us and gave us a tour and a tasting. The winery is owned by a Burkhard Schuchmann from Germany. The winery owns several vineyards in Kisiskhevi, Napareuli and Shilda, all in the Kakheti provins.
The wines made by the European method is sold under by the Schuchmann label and the qvevri wines by the Vinoterra label.
The winery is set in Kisiskhevi where they make ca 400’000 bottles each year. The qvevri wine are made in amphoras dug down in the earth. The qvevris holds 500-3000 litres, the size of the qvevri will affect the wine as the temperature will differ. The smaller ones makes the wines more fruity and the bigger ones more body, by mixing wines from different qvevris you can make sure they are balanced the way you want (Regarding mixing wines from different qvevris, I hope I got it right – if you know please leave a comment).
When making qvevri wine you put the grapes in the qvevri with skins and seed and sometimes stems. The wines are made by using the wild yeast, and sometimes a little sulfur after the malolactic fermentation. After this the qvevri is closed by a stone lid, clay and sand and opend after six months.
The qvevris are The first time you dig down a qvevri the walls are sealed with beeswax. After every fermentation they are cleaned with lime and a brush made from the bark of the cherry tree.
The wines:
Vinoterra Rkatsiteli 2011 (qvevri)
This is one of my favorites from this journey, a big yet mellow wine, with lots of dried fruit, apples, apricot, orange zest, nuts, a little butter scotch and fantastic tannins. It has some qualities that you find in wines from Jura and in French cider and in Calvados, its part a white wine and in structure red – its a wine to contemplate over and to enjoy. It’s still young and I would love to store this for a few years, later on we got to taste a 2004 that showed that this wine will thrive in storage.
Drink to grilled fish (salmon etc), chicken, duck, cheeses. I had it to our Swedish Christmas lunch which worked like a charm.
Vinoterra Kisi 2011 (qvevri)
This has a little bit more edge than the above, something in the nose almost goes towards a Macallan, that elegant nutiness.
Its more heavy on the tannins, and besides dried fruit there is also some exotic fruits, almonds and a light oxidized note. Elegant, well balanced and on the spot. Love it.
Vinoterra Mtsvane 2008 (qvevri)
This in turn is a little lighter with some white flowers and and an oakiness (though it’s no oak) to it, soft tannins. There is also dried fruits and nuts and it tends to be a little sweeter and perhaps a little more laid back. There is something in the flavor that is reminiscent to sherry. Very good but falls a little behind the previous two.
Schuchmann Mtsvane 2011This is young, possibly a bit to young, and its difficult to judge after the powerful qvevri wines. It has a sauvignon blanc quality, flowers, some aromatics, fresh really nice acidity.
Vinoterra Saperavi 2009 (qvevri)
Now this I love, its lush, its young, its full of red and blue fruit, its got flowers, some violets and sweet licorice and spice mixed with fantastic tannins – this wine screams for a steak! Love it!
Vinoterra cabernet sauvignon Katheti style 2008
Not my cup of tea, it got all the flavors but its a little to big and in a blind tasting I would put this down as a new world parker style wine; big, bulky and a little jammy.
Schuchmann M1 2008
The wine is made on 50 % saperavi, 40 % cabernet sauvignon and 10 % Merlot
Now this is a nice wine that would be difficult to place, its in a way quite fresh but then again there is something more new world in it as well mixed with herbs that are Georgian. A fun little thing that would be a great everyday wine – smooth, well balanced, international with a Georgian twist
There is more to come!
Magnus Reuterdahl
For Swedish readers, a few of these wines are available via House of wine Georgia in Sweden
I’ve also written about our trip to Georgia in these two post:
In a Swedish castle in Georgia
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One on the most exciting places we visited was the Alaverdi Monastery and their wine cellars. Some places just moves you, this such a place – this place combines my interest for archaeology, history and wine. Our guide is Father Gerasimi Otarashvili.
While walking into the monastery it feels like taking a step into history, not just the fact the the females of our group needs to use skirts and cover their hair, but the buildings, the scene, the area has that feel that slows down time. That kind of serenity and quietness that often hits you when entering a church, a temple, a mosque, a synagogue or another religious setting.
In the monastery the monks make qvevri wines much the same way as they have done since the 11th century. The history of the Alaverdi monastery and cathedral is located in the Alazani river valley, ca 18 km from the town of Telavi, near the village Alaverdi, is older. It stretches back to the middle of the 6th century when the monastery was founded, by on of the thirteen Sirian fathers Joseph (Ioseb Alaverdeli), who also is said to be buried here. The monastery was turned into the episcopalian Cathedral during the 11th century and from that time there are archaeological evidence of wine making. The Cathedral was built on top of an older church.
Qvevri wine are made in a traditional way. The grapes are pressed by foot in a narrow stone or wood lagar after the pressing the spontaneous fermentation starts within three days and lasts for three to four days. The fermentation is done within the qvevri. After the spontaneous fermentation the qvevri is closed. The wine is usually left on the skins for five or six months. Micro-oxidation happens through the clay of the qvevri and the temperature is kept by the earth surrounding the qvevri.
Archaeological excavations shows that there was a working winery in the monastery grounds during the 11th century with qvevris (clay vessels) that could ferment 2000 and 4000 litres. During the excavation more than 40 qvevris was unearthed, this suggests that they produced ca 70 tonnes of wine a year.
During the Soviet Union days the government to eradicate the tradition of qvevris and they passed a strict law to abolish qvevri production. In spite of this the knowledge was preserved. In 2006 began production again. Today they make qvevri wine as well as traditional European style wine.
We tried three wines, all very good and interesting.
Alaverdi Monastery Cellar Rkatsiteli 2010 (Systembolaget Sweden)
The scents is deep and long with lots of dried fruit, nuts, honey and capers. There is also fresh notes with flowers and pears.
It’s young and fresh with fantastic tannins and a great acid. The mix of soft oxidation, dried fruits, apricot and apples, spices and the fresh notes of flowers and pears that gives a really exiting wine – which I would love to age. Its elegant and complex, its one of the best orange wines of the trip.
Alaverdi Monastery Cellar Kisi 2010
For a qvevri wine this very fresh, with peach and citrus notes, lots of minerals and fantastic dryness. Unfortunately this is served a little to cold, and as it is cold outside its difficult to heat it – I would love to taste this again – lots of promise and elegance.
Alaverdi Monastery Cellar Saperavi 2011
The red qvevri wines was all new to me and they really shine, the ones I tasted really makes you long for steak. This is a complex spicy wine with a fantastic fruit, cherry, blue berries, blackberries and some red forest berries as well as flowery rose tone, a long after taste and firm tannins. Age for a few years and this is perfection – I really love this.
In Sweden Alaverdi wine are imported by Georgian Wine Legacy AB
The Sound of Georgia: Georgia Prolog
In a Swedish castle in Georgia: Georgia part 1
Vulgar display of Power: Georgia part 2
This trip was part of the 2012 EWBC post trip to Georgia.
Magnus Reuterdahl
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2013 kick-off with Turkish wines
First of all, a happy new year for all wine passionates out there, and may your corkscrew never rest for more than one day! I am very excited to start the 2013 wine blogging journey with an article in English, and even more so because this blog post features two very exciting Turkish wines. Instead of writing about the New Years Eve party, sparkling wines or interminable dinners, I hope that this international-themed post will bring another year of travelling and experiencing fantastic wines from all corners of the world.
So I have chosen to dedicate the very first article of 2013 to Turkish wines as a metaphor for the rising Turkish wine industry, which I will keep a close eye onto from now on. During the four days I have spent last year in Izmir at the EWBC, I have discovered a world of amazing wines just sitting “around the corner” (here is a great slideshow by Joel Butle MW on Turkish varieties), and I have brought some of them back home to enjoy them in the comfort of my kitchen. I have already covered two of them -Vourla from Urla Winery and Domaine des Tourelles from Lebanon- so with this last couple of bottles I exhaust my supply, and start dreaming of the next opportunity to get my hands on some Narince or Mizket.
Doluca Winery is probably the second largest wine producer from Turkey, after the giant
conglomerate Kavaklidere. Started as a small family business in 1926, it grew gradually, acquiring more properties in the best wine regions across Turkey and experimenting with several grape varieties, becoming in recent years quite well known for their contemporary approach to traditional varieties. They display somewhere around 40 labels, the Tugra line being positioned somewhere in the middle of the range.
Kalecik Karasi sounds fierce by name, but its actually a very smooth and light grape, rendering fruity and easy-drinking wines, and occasionally some more complex and ripe. Originally from Ankara region, it is now widely cultivated in almost all regions of Turkey and each region leaves its mark of the flavors and textures of the wine. Some even compare it to Pinot Noir, due to its light red color fruity notes with discreet taninns, great variability across regions, and the occasional deep and complex wine suitable for ageing.
My bottle of Tugra Kalecik Karasi 2011 from Doluca winery contains actually a blend of Kalecik Karasi graped from two wine regions -Ankara and Denizli- a practice which is quite common for the big Turkish producers, in order to achieve more smoothness and complexity. The color is a bit darker than expected -a cherry red with some purple hints, still bright and with good transparency. Delicate notes of ripe strawberries and sour cherries are blended in the nose with hints of charcoal and fine leather; in the mouth it has the expected light and smooth texture, getting even more silky as it warms up in the glass. Some very fine earthy notes also emerge in the mouth -pottery clay and wet stone, and the medium acidity brings a refreshing finish. Still the wine is definitely fruity and lively, I don’t see it as improving much more if it’s left another year in the bottle.
If the Kalecik Karasi is easy to understand, love and drink, the blend of Okuzgozu and Bogazkere from Vinkara Winery is quite the opposite, a wine for wine enthusiasts, who are ready to sacrifice a taste bud or two to distinguish that quirky flavor. These are both traditional stronger varieties, with distinctive flavors, pungent notes and firm tannins, and Vinkara Winery is one of the producers that is almost completely focused on local grapes. They are one of the newest wine producers in Turkey, yet in less than 10 year managed to develop a complete range of products with distinctive “paper-like” labels, featuring the most important Turkish local grapes as well as a few international ones.
Straight after opening the bottle, even if the wine is slightly cooler than usual, the distinctive flavor of this wine fills the glass and the air around it: it is a spicy blend of dried figs, lavender, blackberry jam and a heavy note that I can only associate to engine oil! Far from being repulsive, this heavy oily aroma actually fits nicely, bringing more minerality and texture. In the mouth the wine has plenty of pungency, attacking the taste buds and gums with grippy tannins and flavors of coriander, curry powder and anchovies, among the more regular blackberry and figs. The texture is coarse,
like having bits of sand on the tongue, yet the aftertaste is smooth, turning towards licorice and cocoa. And yes, as the name suggests (bogazkere=”throat burner”), it has a burning felleing on the inside of the cheeks, and not due to the alcohol level.
All in all, it is a wine for the adventurous, for those seeking a different lineup of flavors than the usual cherry-plum-wood-coffee. It’s a challenge to find a suitable dish to pair with this wine, but I would go to fight fire with fire and match it with cured spicy sausages or blue Danish cheese.
Unfortunately, I only had red Turkish wines to this small series of articles, but I hope I’ll get soon my hands on some Emir, Narince or Mizket.
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