A Traveler's Guide to the Turamzzyrian Empire
Turamzzyrian Wines
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The Turamzzyrian Empire has numerous mild coastal regions that
are rich in vineyards and fine wines. While each of these regions
are capable of producing several varietals, they have become famous
for one or two specialties.
The Aldora riesling wines are known
for their floral perfume. Depending on where they're made, they
can be crisp and bone-dry, full-bodied and spicy or luscious and
sweet. The small, white wine grape flourishes in the hot, harsh
climate of Aldora and vineyards struggle to expand production, using
every bit of rocky, barren hillscape they can find with sufficient
soil for rootings.
The silvery, effervescent champagne from Aldora is a result of
tenacious efforts of a small group of vintners. Though the grapes
seem to prefer the dry, warm climate compared to the cooler, damp
weather of several other regions, finding patches of land sheltered
from the extremes has proven difficult. This contributes to the
pricey cost of the bubbly wine, as well as the limited quantity
each harvest. In addition to its pale, silvery color, the champagne
is also of the dry variety.
The Selanthia marsanne is a rich
white wine imbued with an undertone resembling pears, citrus and
nuts. Light in both color and feel on the tongue, this delightful
dry wine is meant to compliment foods instead of overshadow them.
The verdant farmland of Selanthia, blessed with cool, moist fog along
the coast during the evening, makes an ideal growing zone for this
delicate grape.
The Selanthia merlot is a red wine with medium to full body and
herbaceous flavors. Typically softer in taste than other dry red
wines, merlot can be bottled as a stand-alone wine, or blended with
other red wines to create more complex varities. The foothills of
Selanthia are often terraced with the vineyards that produce this
wine, the lush green rows contrasting against the golden summer
fields.
Chastonia claret is a light,
red wine, created from a blend of local Chastonia grapes and small
percentages of neighboring regional red wines, giving this soft
but complex wine its unique flavor. Redolent of berry with a touch
of oak and grass, the claret reflects the temperate climate that
envelops the area and nourishes the vines.
Chastonia also produces a light and sweet blush wine, which gets
its rosy color from a very short period of contact with the grape
skins during the wine-making process. The temperate farmland of
Chastonia has helped the region create a niche market for blush
wines, especially with the sheltering mountains to the west, containing
the area's micro-climate.
The vineyards of Estoria provide
hardy grapes that produce a quality table wine for every-day use
each harvest. Without quite the finesse and polish of its pricey
cousins produced in other territories, the burgundy remains a local
favorite. Often served with mid-day and evening meals and during
festivals, the wine is particularly popular for the blessing of
the fleet as the fishing season begins, and the harvesting and crushing
of the grapes themselves.
The syrah grapes of Allace can produce
monumental red wines with strong tannins and complex combinations
of flavors including berry, plum and smoke. It makes tannic, age-worthy
wines easily identified by a very characteristic floral, black pepper
fragrance. Using the labor-intensive delestage, or rack-and-return
method of fermenting and development, the wine develops slowly and
spends a long time aging in oak barrels after delestage. Cool summer
weather, often a hazard for fertile vineyards near the Allace coastline,
can ruin an entire harvest or produce a winning crop.
The Allacian white muscat grape produces spicy, floral wines that
often do something most other wines don't: they actually taste like
grapes. Muscats can range from very dry and fresh, to sweet and
syrupy. The deep golden hue of the Allace varietal distinguishes
it from most white wines produced in the Imperial territories. Usually
savored alone or with dessert, the perfect blend of undertones can
be attributed to the close proximity to the coastline, where the
damp night air lengthens the growing season.
From Vornavis comes a dark mourverde,
a pleasant medium-weight wine with cherry and berry flavors. Offering
earthy aromas and a pleasing palate, this luscious grape produces
a good drinking wine from the rolling vineyard-striped hills of
Vornavis. A reserve vintage sits in oaken barrels in the wine cellar
of Baron Malwind, and is sometimes served at special celebrations.
The Vornavis chardonnay is a white wine that can range from clean
and crisp with a hint of varietal flavor to rich and complex oak-aged
wines. Chardonnay typically balances fruit, acidity and texture.
Winegrowers in Vornavis often keep the chardonnay vines to the more
level farmland areas, unlike the mourvedre vines which prefer hilly
locations.
Oire grenache is a red wine with a
fruity, spicy, medium body and evident tannins, that can stand up
to accompanying heavy, rich foods and meats. The often rough terrain
along the coast of Oire provides a challenging location for the
vines, creating a flavorful grape. The hearty, peppery wine can
be blended with white wine grapes, to produce a dry blush wine for
lighter fare.
Often growing side by side with the grenache vineyards, Oire's
production of muscat grapes creates a quality port with cherry undertones
and a slight chocolatey aroma. Often served to compliment complex
desserts that can stand up to the full-bodied wine, the dark port
has a beautiful, brilliant ruby hue when held up to the light. Whether
sipped alone or used in a sauce, this treasured port can often be
found in good quantity, while other vintages aged for a good many
years cost a pretty sum.
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