A Syrah from Turkey

We were flying in business class on a Turkish Airlines flight from Brussels to Istanbul. Upon entering the aircraft we first saw an apprentice chef wit white jacket and white chef’s hat. This was a different experience than on other carriers. After reaching cruising elevation, the chef passed out menus and took our drink order. I said I never had a Turkish wine and he suggested a 2012 Kalecik Karasi Syrah. The first course had an assortment of Turkish appetizers. The tray was quite versatile. There were an assortment of bite-sized cheeses, olives, green beans marinated in olive oil, slices of turkey and eggplant served with pine nuts, tomato and lettuce and a small chocolate covered cream puff.

Turkish style grilled minced beef served with sautéed zucchini, red peppers and bulgur

For the main course, I choose a Turkish style grilled minced beef served with sautéed zucchini, red peppers and bulgur. The Syrah matched well with many of the foods including the hard cheeses, bulgur and Turkish style grilled minced beef. The wine was a dark ruby color and offered black fruit notes on the aroma. The taste included plum and blackberries. The tannins were noticeable but just a tad short of bold. The finish was fruit forward until the aftertaste. Then the spices kicked in especially pepper. The Turkish Syrah was 14.5% alcohol.

This was a very nice lunch and since it has been awhile since I have had a Syrah, I enjoyed the pairing of wine with different foods. I will fly Turkish Airlines again and see if they offer the same as on this flight or have different wines and foods.

Cheers,
Terry