Red Wine in North Cyprus. Looking for cheap but palatable

BlueButterfly


Joined: 03/11/2011
Posts: 160

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 08:03

Until recently, I used to enjoy a couple of glasses of wine at home in the evening. My usual is a full bodied, fruity, medium sweet red, available locally at 32tl for a 5ltr box. Lately ,I have found it to be full of what I can only describe as grit. I have tried decanting it into a 5ltr bottle, through a fine mesh sieve, but the grit even goes through this.



I am having to throw away about 2 litres, I can,t afford to go out at night so this is my little indulgence. Does anyone know what this gritty stuff is and is it harmful.



I have seen simony advertised at 32tl for 5ltrs, does anyone know, do they do a medium sweet red, and, has anyone tried it.

MaggieAndBernie



Joined: 26/07/2008
Posts: 2012

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 08:14

Having tried most of the local Turkish wine I've settled for Dikmen, A very drinkable medium red. Comes in bottles (with cork) and 1 litre screwtop bottles (about 8.5tl a litre) They also have a medium dry white version called Kavak.



Serefe!



Maggie

Deniz1


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 3829

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 08:33

The "Grit" is sediment left behind by the grapes fermenting its not harmful but unpleasant to drink. The wine trade call it lees.

crofter


Joined: 16/12/2008
Posts: 1035

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 08:38

Apparently Angora red is a good wine and there are the Black Box range who do a red.

andrew4232



Joined: 04/07/2009
Posts: 1543

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 08:42

take the box back where you bought it from and ask them to change it am sure its not meant to be like that

Jovial_John


Joined: 31/01/2009
Posts: 1024

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 09:08

andrew4232

This sedimentation is a natural process and the reason why expensive wines are often decanted. The store owner (if he understands this) would be perfectly justified in declining to change the box. Also it is likely that all other boxes from the same batch are the same.



BlueButterfly

Try using Melitta coffee filters (I doubt the filters that home winemakers use are available here). The 'grit' will not get through although I imagine it will be rather a slow process.

However, by decanting 5 litres at a time you are oxidising the wine and will change its taste considerably - oxygen damages wine which is why wine boxes have collapsible bags inside. (The term 'corked' doesn't mean there is cork in the wine but that the cork has shrunk and allowed air to reach the wine - wine should be kept on its side to keep the cork moist). But if you decant just a couple of glasses for your evening the Melitta filter should not take too long and the wine will keep its flavour.

Just an i

judyr


Joined: 07/07/2009
Posts: 956

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 10:02

ditto message 2 - Dikmen for red wine, Kavak for white at around 8.5 tl per litre!

fatboy



Joined: 05/11/2008
Posts: 244

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 13:09

Cape Elephant is a decent red. Some restaurants use it for house wine, comes in 5lt boxes from Astro.

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 13:20

msg 1 What is your definition of Cheap but palatable....There are some really good Australian wines available at around 15 to 20tl....Cheap and very palatable....

mikelapta



Joined: 20/11/2008
Posts: 2186

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 13:30

Try a box of Trivento...a mixture of Shiras and Malbec,aboui 25tl



Never had any lees.



Just trying new box......Serife !!!!



Mike

Glasbury


Joined: 13/08/2010
Posts: 268

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 13:57

Which dry white wine would members recommend in NC ?

tonyf


Joined: 29/03/2009
Posts: 153

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 14:11

Go to Starlings supermarket they have some very good budget cabernet sauvignon, and shiraz at between 4 and 8tl. Same wines you can buy at Lidl for 3-5 euros

rocky


Joined: 17/10/2007
Posts: 1749

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 15:03

u get wot u payz for

Smity



Joined: 14/09/2009
Posts: 826

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 16:50

Angora always drink this when I am over its a palatable red and for the price well worth it. I have found it also keeps well from one vista to the next if unopened that is. 7/10 is my mark

phylray



Joined: 21/09/2007
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 19:05

I like Cankaya, and my young nephew and wife like it very much and drink only that as white wine

while in Kibris. It is now over 13 tl a bottle but is on offer from time to time at around 8.50

Angora is quite nice too.

Ossie


Joined: 19/01/2008
Posts: 311

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 20:46

At the end of the day wine like a lot of drinks etc is down to the individual taste.What one persons taste is not necessary anothers and just because it costs a fortune doesn't mean its any better than something that cost a couple of quid.Experiment with the various wines available.Your taste buds all differ.

Glasbury


Joined: 13/08/2010
Posts: 268

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 21:12

Thanks for your response phylray

BlueButterfly


Joined: 03/11/2011
Posts: 160

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 21:55

Thank you everyone for your advice and suggestions.

slatnumber7


Joined: 25/08/2010
Posts: 299

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 23:03

Smartshop RoC Med sweet red 1 litre 1 euro 60 cents, blend it with the red dry to your taste also the same price!

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
13/11/2011 23:07

buckie is best , you may need to dilute it according to ones pallet , but at £1 per litre its not so bad .