Wines from the Black Sea

WHINE # 54

ODD SCHEDULE:

Some years ago a good friend who was new to the Opimian Society asked me for recommendations on what to order.  I e-mailed her some suggestions each time a new offering came from Opimian.  Eventually I started to make comments beyond simply listing order choices, and I also included others in a distribution list.  The suggestion was made that it would be easier if I did this by way of a blog so in 2007 I started the Winewhine.

Jumping to the present day I recently received an e-mail from a reader who noted that she hadn’t received any Whines for some time.  True, I hadn’t written a blog in almost six months.

For those of you who have been enjoying the reprieve from my ramblings, let me warn you that you should expect about a blog a month for the next half year.  I like to end each blog in the way I started  7 years ago by making order recommendations for the current Opimian Society Offering.  Since the first Offering of the season is in November and the last in early summer my blog has an equally odd schedule.

Now, if you suspected from the above that the majority of my readers are female, or at least the majority of questions come from females why should you be surprised?  Asking advice about wine is no different than asking directions when you are in a strange place.  Women seem to find that easier to do than do men.

Nonetheless, I shall ask you a question.  It seems that I have covered a great many wine-related topics in my 54 blogs.  Are there any topics that you should like me to re-visit?  Or are there any questions that you would like to pose?  In other words, are there any aspects of wine and wine culture about which you might like my opinion.  Any e-mailed suggestions, from either gender, would be sincerely appreciated, and I shall make every attempt to answer in a subsequent blog.

THE WINES OF THE BLACK SEA:

Last month four of us Antigonishers had a delightful holiday around the Black Sea, visiting two cities in Bulgaria, three cities in Turkey, and we also had a stop in Sochi Russia.  Prior to the trip I had no thoughts of wine tasting.  However, I quickly discovered that the climate around the Black Sea is very suitable for growing grapes and this area has a history of wine production that goes back 1000’s of years.  We tasted wines in all three countries and we were pleasantly surprised by the quality.

The sample of one wine tasted in Russia is too small for comment.  On the other hand, we did a formal wine tasting in Bulgaria and also had the chance to taste several wines in Turkey.

BULGARIA was perhaps the biggest surprise.  The claim is that in 1980 Burgaria, as the major supplier of wine for the Soviet Union, was the second largest producer of wine in the world.  The wine was bulk wine of low quality and the industry collapsed with the fall of the USSR.  Nonetheless, wine production and more importantly wine quality is rebounding.  Currently Bulgaria is modelling its wine production on Argentina, with vintners producing big, bold wines that taste much more like New World wines than wines from Europe.  Although I found the Chardonnay to be similar to French Chablis, the Pinots that I tasted  were anything but thin and certainly the Cabernet was rich and chewy and deserved to be paired with a big, juicy steak.

While in Bulgaria we visited the UNESCO world heritage village of Nessebar.  On a back street I came to a tiny wine shop and decided to select one bottle for a suitcase trip back to Canada.   Prices were all on display and the wines seemed to range from the Canadian equivalent of $ 10.-$ 50.  I asked the shopkeeper what he would recommend, expecting him to suggest one of the more expensive wines.  Instead he pointed to a $ 15. Wine, noting that it was from an indigenous grape with which he guessed that I would be unfamiliar.  As it is a 2013 I think I’ll try to save it for a bit.

Bulgarian wine does not appear to be available in Nova Scotia but LCBO does apparently carry three Bulgarian reds.  If any of you in Ontario decide to try one, please let me know your reaction.

 

TURKEY is much newer to the list of major wine producing countries.  Despite the population being overwhelming Moslem, wine production has grown steadily since introduced by President Araturk in the 1920’s.  This was part of the establishment of the modern Turkey, with a constitution that separates Mosque and State.

Turkey has many wine producing areas and somewhere between 600 and 1200 genetically unique grapes.  The wines from indigenous grapes that I tasted were all very pleasant, but the wine that I chose to bring home in my suitcase was a Cabernet/Merlot blend.  Back in Antigonish we invited some friends over for my attempt at Ottoman cuisine.  We had Pide and Kebops, etc. and I shared my one bottle of Turkish wine. 

With the main course I opened the Sevilen Isabey (2011) pictured here and poured each guest a glass.  As a base of comparison I also poured everyone a glass of Cornellana (2011) Caberent/Merlot Barrel Reserva.  This Chilean wine is a standard in my house and I serve it frequently.  To my surprise I found the two wines to taste very similar and my guests unanimously chose the Turkish wine over the Chilean.  Perhaps it was the food pairing or perhaps it was because the Turkish wine was a little more expensive.  Whatever, if you find yourself in a wine shop that has a Turkish wine, please don’t be afraid to try it.

OPIMIAN OFFERING 228:

The wines offered are from South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.  As I have never been overly impressed with either South African or New Zealand wines I shall make recommendations only on the Australian offerings.  Here Opimian seems to present primarily high-end wines and there is one that I think you should try.  The 2012 Shottesbrooke Estate (7844) Shiraz should be worth the investment.  I had a 2011 last night and was very impressed.  In terms of a negative recommendation I suggest you avoid the Hastwell & Lightfoot “Fat’N’Skinny” series.   My one venture into those wines was very disappointing.