Tasting notes:

Yedi Bilgeler Vineyards produces impressive wines just north of Kirazli in Turkey.The wines are named after the seven sages, 6th-century BCE philosophers basedin Ephesus, Miletus and Priene. This Merlot, carrying the Bias (from) Prienename, is an excellent expression. The wine has a fairly deep ruby colour withplums and chocolate-covered dark cherry, accented by lead pencil and sweet redpepper notes. Dry, the palate has lively acidity and velvet tannins to support theconcentrated fruit and spicy wood with a white pepper hint. A delicious exampleof what the best Turkish producers can do, the wine with pair nicely with Turkishor Greek traditional dishes, for example lamb kleftiko.(Patricia Stefanowicz MW)