With ISIS clamoring at the Syrian border and President Erdoğan at war with the Kurdish population of what should no longer be his country, things in Turkey are going to get ugly quick; I plan to see a bit more of it before they do. As a sendoff, Ayşegül’s mother Funda prepared an incredible dinner: mantı (Turkish ravioli), köfte (meatballs), steak, pasta, French fries, greens, red peppers, olives, tomatoes, four kinds of cheese, and wine: Kayra Buzbağ, a blend of öküzgözü and boğazkere from Diyarbakır in Southeastern Anatolia—the part of the country where people are blowing themselves up—the part I don’t plan to visit.
Buzbağ is a cloudy garnet color, with black olives and horsehair on the nose. The palate’s also dominated by black olives, with notes of tart cherry, tobacco, and unripe McIntosh rounding it out. This is a light-bodied, funky wine, with high acid from the öküzgözü and a medium finish, over which the boğazkere’s tannins announce themselves. I’d pair Buzbağ with sharp cheeses, organ meats, or—as Funda suggested—couscous. And when you’re drinking it, raise a toast to the people who make the stuff. Their neighbors aren’t exactly known for their alcohol tolerance, and they could probably use the good vibes right now.
Read about Kayra Wines online at http://www.winesofturkey.org/kayra/
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