This wine Wednesday I am compelled to write about a Turkish wine that I had recently at a local neighborhood restaurant, Turkuaz, in New York City.

I like Turkish food but the reason I went this time was for the belly dancing, oddly enough. I just started a class on belly dancing and have been so surprised by how difficult it is. The professionals make it look very easy but I can assure you, it is much more difficult than it looks.

Naturally at a Turkish restaurant, I’m going to try a wine that has indigenous varieties rather than the requisite Cabernet and Merlots on the list.

Yakut is the most popular red wine in Turkey made from Bogazkere, Okuzgozu, Carignan and Alicante. It is a fruit forward friendly red wine that works with the local dishes on the menu. It is a little spicy and pairs well with grilled meats.

In addition to working on my belly dancing, I am trying to brush up on the pronunciation of Turkish varieties, another challenge.