Turkish Wine of the Week - Viktor Levi Agandon

I completely blanked yesterday and missed posting this for Wine Wednesday. I got some bad news from home that completely threw me off my wine game. At least I can take comfort in good memories and good wine!

On one of the gorgeous days we had in February E and I ventured over to the Asian side to meet another friend for lunch. As much as I love riding the ferries it usually takes something pretty extraordinary to get me over to the Asian side. Turns out that the Viktor Levi Wine House in Moda, Kadiköy is just such a place.

I was lured to Viktor Levi by the promise that the restaurant makes and serves its own wine so imagine my surprise when we ordered a bottle and the foil showed that the wine had been made by Kavaklıdere! I read the 'about us' section on the website but remain confused. As best as I can tell, Viktor Levi went off and studied the fine art of making wine, came back to Istanbul where he tried to sell it to the four existing wine houses here but they didn't want to pay him what he thought his wine was worse so, in a strop and to teach them a lesson, started his own wine house. Then he died, something about a cousin going to America, and the wine house reopened in 1999. No mention of Kavaklıdere. Maybe it's like fashion? You know-how Karl Lagerfeld is a famous designer in his own right but designs under the Chanel label?

To begin, it's a great restaurant, you really have to respect the commitment to wine that leads someone to make their stairs look like wine barrels. And speaking of wine...we had the Kavaklıdere Viktor Levi Agandon with is a Kalecik Karasi-Shiraz blend. It's a lovely purply red with a nose of forest and red berries and spice. In the mouth the medium tannins and slightly higher acid end with a long finish. The berries come through on the palate as do some cherries, possibly eucalyptus, and baking spices. I was not blown away but it was nice enough to warrant ordering a second bottle!

I will definitely go back to Viktor Levi Şarapevi and try more of the wine with its confusing providence. Next time I'll ask someone what the deal is and find out if Viktor Levi is to Kavaklıdere what Lagerfeld is to Chanel. I'll also order another steak. The restaurant has a pretty extensive menu but seems to excel at steaks if the half dozen on the menu were any indication. I must say the one I had that came smothered in porcini mushrooms was glorious. Steak and good red wine; I don't need much else!

Viktor Levi Şarapevi
Caferağa Mahallesi
Moda Caddesi Damacı Sokak 4
Moda, Kadıköy

Turkish Breakfast Review - Münhasır

Recently I met a couple friends at Münhasır for its breakfast. Münhasır, located just down the street from Istanbul's iconic Galata Tower is a charcuterie with an impressive selection of meats and cheeses, many of which are included in the big breakfast platter. None of us were in the mood for the big breakfast though so I need to go back for that another time.

First, I loved the feel of Münhasır. It's charming, feels welcoming and relaxed, and staff were nice (and English-speaking). Münhasır isn't big but it's a bright, comfortable space with nice little decorative touches, like distressed paper menus and orderly displays of its products.

Not that I could ever get tired of the traditional Turkish breakfast but I have been feeling the need to branch out so I selected Münhasır's yogurt and granola bowl: a generous portion of yogurt topped with crunchy home made granola, chunks of pear, pomegranate seeds, and slices of green apple. It was fantastic. While the flavor combination was really well-balanced and scrummy I definitely needed the combination. The yogurt Münhasır uses is goat-milk yogurt and while my palate loves a wide range of goat-milk cheeses I still shy away from other goat-milk products. And this was a strong flavored yogurt, like licking the actual goat strong.

I can't say I would ever choose to eat the yogurt on its own but I would probably eat anything if it were topped with Münhasır's granola. Thumbs up!


Münhasır
Şahkulu, Serdar-I Ekrem Cd. No. 23
Galata, Beyoğlu

Turkish Wine of the Week - Chamlija 2014 Papaskarası

How much do I love Chamlija? A whole lot in case that rhetorical question wasn't obvious.

I'd never heard of the Papaskarası grape before seeing this bottle at La Cave (65 TL). It's a very old grape varietal, it's been around for some 1,500 years. The "forgotten king of Thracian grapes" produces a table-style wine similar to Pinot Noir and traces likely roots (haha see what I did there?) to Prokupac grapes which have been grown in Serbia and Macedonia since the 5th century.

The nose was very promising, cherry, plum, forest berries, I think I got a little dried rose towards the top of the glass. I'm guessing this probably hasn't spent much or any time in oak as I did not detect a great deal of spice. The longer I swirled the more one scent rose to the top: chocolate covered cherries.

The first sip was unexpectedly tart; somewhat shockingly so. I was not expecting that at all. Happily after the initial sip the rest went down much more smoothly to reveal (sour) cherries, young plums, a ribbon of spice. There were no tannins to speak of but a fairly high amount of acid which is likely why it was so tart. It felt very silky in the mouth and once I got accustomed to all the acid it was really lovely.

Another winner with another beautiful label from Chamlija!

Turkish Wine of the Week - Suvla 2013 Behramlı

Not even the Suvla shop in Cighangir has this! I found it at the Macro Center in Levent for about 15TL and M got a bottle at the big Migros at Cevahir for 19TL. We must find it closer to home though because it was pretty darn marvelous.

We started our evening with a pricey Vino Dessera and this inexpensive Suvla was so much better. So much better. I was pouring the Vino Dessera for everyone else to avoid drinking it and then plotting how to get more of the Suvla Behramlı for myself. So let's talk about why it's so good.

Suvla's 2013 Behramlı is a big blend starring Cabernet Sauvignon and Karasakız supported by Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and the dreaded Merlot. Cherry red, clear to the rim the nose was full of red forest fruits, maybe some cherry, and baking spices. I suspect this spent at least some time in oak.

'Wine is Life' in case you forgot

When I taste wine I usually feel it before I taste it. The Behramlı is smooth and velvety with medium high tannins, medium acid, and a long finish during which the baking spice flavors really pop. Ont the palate I found the red forest fruits to be more dominate but with a nice spine of those baking spices. We maybe have to field trip a little to get our hands on more of this bottle but it will be worth it.

Before I moved to Turkey I firmly believed that you did not have to spend a lot of money to get a good wine; but then I came here where alcohol and import taxes are insanely high and my median bottle price increased by about 300%. In Turkey where even mediocre wine often costs an arm and a leg Suvla seems be [one of] the only company selling truly great wine at very affordable prices.

Bravo.

Turkish Breakfast Review - Cuma

I hate winter. Hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.  It would take more hands than I have to count the number of reasons why I left Michigan nearly 15 years ago but winter would be counted a couple times. Istanbul winters are never predictable. Last February we got buried under what was really not all that much snow but enough to shut down the city for several days. This February was far more to my taste-warm enough to barely warrant wearing a sweater. A few weeks ago it was so nice that E and breakfasted outside in only our long-sleeve shirts. For this occasion we chose Cihangir's Cuma, a lovely little cafe tucked away on Çukurcuma, the street famous for its antique shops.

E trying to hide from the camera

To begin with, Cuma makes amazing bread. Amazing. And, local secret, if you pop in earlier in the day and ask to buy a loaf or two they'll make extra to sell to you. I imagine it's fantastic on the toasts and sandwiches. I'll need to go back sometime soon for lunch and find out! My neighbors have also vouched for the yumminess of the cakes and pastries that can be found inside the cafe.

For such a small place the breakfast menu is pretty extensive including the ubiquitous full breakfast and a compliment of eggs. We ordered the full breakfast and while the olives all went to E (I like them about as much as I like winter) we both dug enthusiastically into the tomato paste, rose hip preserves, something that tasted like Fruit Roll-Up spread, a variety of cheeses, and of course, the bal kaymak.

Cuma also does çıldır, the yogurt-smothered poached eggs I fell in love with at Kahve 6 which we had to order. Kahve 6's were a bit more garlicy I think but Cuma's were still gorgeous and E and I had a mini battle over who got to send the dish to the Clean Plate Club.

A warm February day and a gorgeous Turkish breakfast are both excellent reminders as to why I put up with this city!

Cuma
Firuzağa Mahallesi
Çukurucuma Caddesi, No 53/A 
Beyoğlu, İstanbul