Erdel Winery Öküzgözü-Syrah Çal Turkey 2020

• Buy 12 for $15.29 each and save 10%

Blend of  Öküzgözü and Syrah. Deep ruby‑red colour with a hint of purple at the rim, suggesting both ripe dark fruit and freshness. On the nose there’s an expressive bouquet of blackberry and dark cherry (from the Öküzgözü), layered with black pepper, violet floral notes and a whisper of cocoa and smoked meat (from the Syrah). The primary flavours bring forward juicy black‑cherry, ripe raspberry, and bramble fruit; the secondary notes show subtle cedar, pencil‑shaving and tobacco leaf from barrel ageing; and tertiary hints of leather, forest‑floor and a mild balsamic edge begin to emerge with time in glass. It is fully dry, with a bright medium‑plus acidity that keeps the fruit lively and the profile fresh. The tannins are medium‑plus in strength and offer good structure, fairly fine in granularity (more smooth‑grain than coarse gritty), giving a firm backbone without being overly aggressive. The body sits at medium to medium‑plus, the flavour intensity is medium‑high, and the finish is long and persistent: the dark‑berry fruit fades into peppery spice, latent oak and a mineral‑tinged aftertaste that stays on the palate.

Food Pairing: Grilled lamb with pomegranate glaze, spiced harissa chicken, roasted beet and walnut salad, smoked eggplant baba ganoush, truffle mushroom risotto, aged manchego with fig jam, peppercorn-crusted duck breast, braised short ribs with cherry compote, roasted root vegetables with za’atar, sun-dried tomato and olive tapenade crostini, lamb kofta with yogurt drizzle, dark chocolate and black cherry tart.