Comments on my notes

Red

2009 Doluca Cabernet Sauvignon Sarafin Thrace

8/19/2015 - SmoothPalate wrote:

90 points

Dark red with good vibrancy. A bold and ripe nose, as expected. On Day 1 it was very fruity with ripe dark berries and a spicy frame. On Day 2 it improved and showed more complexity, more spiciness mingling with the fruit, and tones of undergrowth and roasted coffee. The oak is perfectly integrated in the wine. On the palate, this is full-bodied, fruity and spicy with a prune-like tendency, good presence on the mid-palate and a medium finish. Excellent balance and fine tannins. Ready now but definitely structured for another 5-7 years cellaring, this is a very good example of Turkish Cabernet Sauvignon.

SmoothPalate commented:

8/19/15, 2:23 PM - I purchased it in Turkey in early 2012 for what was (then) the equivalent of $21. Probably that was a discounted price. More recent vintages of the same wine are selling for about $22-26 in Turkey today.

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Red

2004 Kavaklıdere Boğazkere Prestige Diyarbakir

1/25/2014 - ericindc Likes this wine:

88 points

First turkish wine... and first wine from the Bogazkere grape. This was really good. Simply amazing QPR at $4. Nicely mature with a nose of cocoa powder, black fruits, some light cedar and earth. Taste was straighforward but good with black fruits, earth, leather, strong minerality and softened tannins. I suspect this was monolithic when new but age really softened it.

SmoothPalate commented:

2/10/14, 9:25 AM - Hi Eric. Nice to read your note on this wine. I'm just wondering how you found this wine for $4? That sounds very low. I bought a bottle in Turkey for about $22 back in early 2011, and that was with a 25% discount (normal price was around $30). Turkish taxes are high and explain the high wine prices in Turkey, still the price would probably be the same (if not higher) if this bottle was exported. So I'm just wondering where and how you could get hold of this for just $4?...

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Red

2009 Concha y Toro Merlot Marqués de Casa Concha Peumo

8/26/2012 - SmoothPalate wrote:

86 points

Very dark crimson colour. Nose is dominated by coffee and vanilla tones; there is dark, plummy fruit underneath, not yet fully emerging to the surface. Palate is almost full bodied and is well balanced; it also has that New World type of sweetness that I am not a big fan of. Good length. Well made wine, tastes good, but it is just so predictable and lacks originality. Almost like drinking perfume.

SmoothPalate commented:

11/29/12, 9:56 AM - Thanks for the comment. Yes indeed there are qualities in this wine. It is a good wine, otherwise I would not rate it 86 points. That doesn't mean that I can't have a critical eye as well. In this case, my criticism relates to the fact that all these wines taste almost the same. They are very fruity and heavily oaked and there is nothing profound about them.
SmoothPalate commented:

11/30/12, 6:27 AM - Of course this note reflects my own taste. Generally speaking I am more into OW than NW. I am just trying to be fair in my notes, recognizing qualities even in wines that are not my favourites. About this Marques de Casa Concha Merlot 2009, it's the kind of wine I'd drink without having to focus too much on it, it drinks easily, it is already mellow, already expressive, and has nothing intriguing or extremely special about it. I don't think it will improve with cellaring, maybe open up a little, but not actually improve. For the price (15€), I think I'd rather go for a St Emilion.

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