Each time I start writing an article about our endemic grapes I realize that the article turns into a story about how that grape was saved from extinction at the last moment. Is it not a clear proof of how we betrayed the soil? When we look at the grapes that were saved at this last minute, also wonder what we were not able to save. In fact, we will not be able to reach many grapes, perhaps because we never noticed their existence and did not put them on the record.
As you probably have noticed, we are side-tracking WAYANA Wine Routes Tasting Series and every week we are focusing on an endemic grape of the same region. Now that we are around Aegean Region, Muscat of Bornova (Bornova Misketi) is the selected variety of the week. Again, with a tearful expression, let us share with you the information that the Muscat of Bornova, which almost disappeared in the 1970s, came back to life with the rescue plantings of Bornova Municipality on a five-decare vineyard area. They also applied to register the grape for Geographical Marking and completed the process in the same time-frame. So Muscat of Bornova has been saved.
In the "Wine Grapes" encyclopedia prepared by three authors who are the authorities in their field, the title of Bornova Misketi directs us to the article "Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains". According to the explanations here, the first appearance of the Muscat grape in the records is 1304. Indicated as Muscatellus in Latin, the grape entered Italian as Moscadella.
But when we look at the Muscat (muscat) grape from the Anatolian side, we see a different story. Herodotus, whom we accept as the ‘Father of History’, is one of our reliable witnesses. In one of his articles about Izmir (formerly Smyrna), the "moskhatos wine with rose and honey scent" that he recommends to those who visit the city, is actually nothing but the Muscat of Bornova, which we saved from extinction at the last moment. It is estimated that both Foca Karasi and Muscat of Bornova are among the vine saplings taken from Anatolia by Phocaians, who lived in today's Foça, more than two thousand years ago.
Muscat of Bornova is the most powerful aromatic wine among Turkish grapes. When you put your nose close to the glass, you will feel as if all the alarms in your olfactory center start to go off and say, "You cannot find wine like this anywhere else, smell it as much as you can".
Our wineries make excellent Muscat of Bornova white wines; both dry and semi-sweet. We are serving quite a range of Muscat of Bornova in WAYANA Wine Menu. Perdix Winery from Urla region, Lermonos from Gallipoli, Mor Salkim from Mugla region are waiting for you to taste their dry whites. Urla Winery also has a semi-sweet Bornova Misketi wine called Symposium. And you also know that all the wines we serve at WAYANA can be ordered by the glass. So it is up to you to compare and choose the one that suits you best.
For Muscat of Bornova producers:
Lermonos
Mor Salkim Wines
http://www.morsalkimbagcilik.com.tr/
