Papazkarası
Also known as Papaskarası, Papaskara
East Thrace, Turkey
An old, late-ripening red from East Thrace, medium-bodied and high in acidity, with red fruit, floral notes and spice.
Sensory profile
Characteristics
Flavor & aroma
At a glance
Production facts
Prevalence
Rare
Climate
Moderate climate
Ripening
Late season
Wine styles
Still
Where it's grown
Geography
Shaded areas are the state, province or département(s) containing each region, so they run wider than the appellations themselves.
Turkey
Kırklareli and Edirne, Thrace
Its home: a long, warm season lets this late grape ripen into fresh, spicy reds.
Background
Origin & History
Papazkarası means priest's black. It is said to date back to the Byzantine era, and the grape is native to East Thrace, grown mainly around Kırklareli and Edirne. Genetic research suggests it is a natural cross between Prokupac and Alba Imputotato, neither of which is in this collection.
It ripens late, with harvest from mid-October to mid-November, and gives medium-bodied wines with high acidity and moderate tannin, with red fruit, flowers and spice at 11 to 13 per cent alcohol. It was traditionally blended with Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and is now increasingly made as a varietal wine, a rosé, and a blanc de noirs.
Lineage
Family tree
Parentage not recorded — Papazkarası is an old variety of unknown origin.
No crossings involving Papazkarası are documented in the collection yet.