February 2025 was a quick and busy month for us 🙂 We had several tastings with friends as well as had a chance to try some amazing wines at our home. This month, we tasted more foreign wines in our tastings, that’s why we have fewer Turkish wines than in January’s list.
*The highlighted photo is from our trip to South Africa in September 2023. This photo is taken at Gerakaris Family Wines, which has a really cute boutique winery at one of the delightful places in the middle of the chaos of Johannesburg.
Here are our top picks from February 2025:
Local Wines of Türkiye
2013 Kayra Cabernet Franc Versus Dedeçeşme – Türkiye, Thrace (2/7/2025)
The color has turned slightly brick-red, with significant sediment. The nose is exceptionally intense, offering aromas of cassis, spices, earth, black fruits, blueberries, dried plums, violets, and green pepper. It has a perfumed character that makes the mouth watery.
On the palate, flavors of black pepper, flint, violets, and cassis stand out. The finish is long with outstanding aroma intensity and complexity. This is an outstanding wine.
It is at its peak for drinking today—smooth and highly enjoyable. Tannins are still present but silky, acidity is high, alcohol is well-balanced with the palate, and barrel integration is well done. The body is medium+.
It’s a Cabernet Franc with an aroma profile remarkably close to Carmenere. The explosion of flavors on the palate makes you want to keep drinking. (94 points)
2011 Château Kalpak Twin – Türkiye, Thrace (2/20/2025)
The color is deep dark ruby. The bottle has a few sediments as it is an aged one. It has a strong aromatic intensity on the nose and opens up beautifully after some aeration, revealing notes of blueberry, blackberry, and cassis. Pleasant oak-derived aromas of vanilla, tobacco, and coffee are also present.
On the palate, it is well-matured, with still-powerful tannins and even a slight firmness. Acidity is high, the body is full, and the finish is long. Additional flavors on the palate are: clove, cinnamon, smoked meat, black olive, and dried fig.
I didn’t get the tertiary aromas I expected from aging, but other than that, it’s a very satisfying wine. It will continue to age well, but drinking it now wouldn’t be a loss either. (92 points)
2004 Kavaklıdere Narince Tatlı Sert – Türkiye, Northeastern Anatolia (2/9/2025)
The color is amber. On the nose aromas of coffee and caramel are quite highly noticeable. On the palate, there are very nice port-style caramel and lovely tawny aromas. Alcohol is quite high, it burns a lot, but the drinking experience is quite enjoyable in a different style. Chocolate, coffee, and caramel are the dominant aromas. It paired perfectly with white chocolate and honey cake.
Balanced, high aromatic intensity, long finish, complex. Superbly lightened, the alcohol doesn’t feel heavy at all comparing to its level, very enjoyable to drink. (92 points)
2019 V’Asbos Grenache Expression Edition 1 – Turkey (2/19/2025)
The aromatic intensity on the nose is excellent, with subtle smoked meat notes, and additional spices such as mint, thyme, and menthol. On the palate, the tannins are well-softened, and the acidity-alcohol balance is well-executed. The aromatic structure on the palate is remarkable, featuring spices and a sweetness derived from the fruit. It is well-balanced, with strong aromatic intensity and a medium+ finish. A complex wine. One of the most successful and complex Grenache wines I’ve ever had.
(92 points)
Wines from Abroad
2013 Matuško Royal Selection Barrique Dingač – Croatia, Dalmatia, Srednja i južna Dalmacija, Pelješac (2/14/2025)
The color is deep garnet. A Strong aromatic intensity on both the nose and palate. Prominent aromas are: baby biscuits, coffee, licorice, caramel, brick, dark cherry, vanilla, tobacco, and dried fig. On the palate, there is a noticeable fruit sweetness, particularly from the dried fig. The tannins are firm, with a slight angularity, but they may soften and balance out with further aging. Barrel integration is well-executed.
It is a well-balanced, full-bodied, and complex wine with a long finish. It can age for at least another 10 years, but it is also quite enjoyable to drink now. (95 points)
1988 Moselhaupt Gondorfer Fuchshöhle Optima Beerenauslese – Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2/17/2025)
The color is brown but lightish. The nose is quite floral with high intensity: Notes of cucumber, linden, honey, coffee, honeysuckle, and quince. On the palate, it has significantly softened, and the sweetness has mellowed considerably, I would say it’s dry on a blind tasting. The alcohol is almost imperceptible. The flavors remain vibrant, with a beautiful intensity on the palate. The aromas from the nose are also present in the taste. The body is medium, slightly lacking due to the low alcohol content.
A well-balanced, highly intense, medium-plus finish, complex wine. It would be even better with a slightly higher alcohol level, but the richness of aromas is outstanding. Well aged. (93 points)
2019 Villa Mottura Primitivo di Manduria Stilio – Italy, Puglia, Primitivo di Manduria (2/9/2025)
The color is purple, quite intense. On the nose, the intensity is superb with the aromas of black pepper, and caramel. On the palate, caramel, baby biscuits, cherry tart, black olives, espresso, and latte. It is quite complex on the palate. The finish is long.
Long finish, complex, high intensity of aromas, and balanced. It is fine wine compared to the price. (93 points)
2014 Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve – Chile, Aconcagua Valley (2/9/2025)
The color is quite dark. On the nose, cassis, green pepper, roasted red pepper, mint, eucalyptus, coffee, and dark chocolate are highly noticeable with high aromatic intensity. Black fruits are quite prominent. Very complex on the nose as well as well-developed on the palate. Black pepper, cassis. A clear Carmenere touch is also present. It’s very nice to drink today as the tannins have softened. The aromatic structure is beautiful. The only drawback is medium+ finish. It is a well-balanced, enjoyable to drink, and complex wine. (92 points)
2023 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Vermentino Casanova della Spinetta Toscana IGT – Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (2/25/2025)
The color is golden yellow. On the nose, the intensity is quite strong. Pronounced aromas are melon, pear, peach, honeysuckle, and jasmine. On the palate, minerality is quite pronounced. High acidity, with strong aromatic intensity on the palate as well. Minerality, florality, and fruitiness are in harmony. Medium+ body, long finish. Extremely enjoyable and easy to drink. Well-balanced. (92 points)
For more tasting notes:
Cellar Tracker Profile – Özgür: Link
Cellar Tracker Profile – Gülfiye: Link