I have just returned from a wonderful week in Istanbul judging and commentating on Turkish wine at what is dubbed the ‘Masters of Wine Weekend’.

Aside from being smitten by the languorous yet attractively edgy currents of Istanbul, I was  impressed by a number of wines, particularly the Syrah / Shiraz category among the international varieties and more so, by the beguiling elegance of certain wines made with the indigenous Turkish grape, Kalecik Karasi (KK).

Mehmet Ozbek, a grape grower, grasps a bunch of Kalecik Karasi, a highly praised black grape grown in central Anatolia, in Uyurca village, 100 kilometers ( 62 miles ) north of Ankara, Turkey, Sept. 19, 2000. Pic: AP.

KK boasts lifted red-fruit aromas reminiscent of PinotNoir, Grenache or Nerello Mascalese, with the better examples also offering a sort of sous-bois complexity, or a hint of mulch. The tannins are slightly fibrous and not quite as silky perhaps as Pinot, yet the better wines are no worse for it. The more expressive styles are largely light to medium bodied, with a sappy vinous texture and thus, real drinkability.

While some producers appeared to get carried away with a ‘bigger is better’ ethos, bludgeoning their wines with too much (poor quality) oak and over-extracting, others sought to express the aromatic delicacy of the variety. Sensitive producers use little to no oak, extract judiciously and pick at propitious levels of ripeness rather than too late, by which time the grapes have entered what I call the ‘dead fruit zone’.

The best example that I tasted and possibly the finest wine shown during the event, was Vinkara Mahzen Kalecik Karasi 2009. Vinkara is a large producer situated near Ankara with vineyards at some altitude. The wine boasts carnal aromas of red cherry, damson plum and a hint of sarsaparilla on a light to mid-weighted frame. There is a lovely tension between the expressive fruit, juicy acidity and gentle tannins and the wine would surely win over many a fan in the iconoclastic wine-bars that abound in New York, San Francisco, Melbourne and Sydney. In my mind’s eye I can see sommelier Paul Greico of New York’s ‘Terroir’, pouring it by the glass!

The wine is certainly a ‘hand-sell’ yet long, energetic and captivating; it made me reach for more than three glasses. Let’s hope that we find it in Asia soon.