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Ripe black and ripe fruits with intense tannins balanced with vibrant acidity. Full bodied.

Rinse blackberries, cherries, and plum. Pit the cherries and slice the plum thinly. Place all fruit in a medium non-reactive bowl or saucepan.

Prepare fruit

Zest the lemon and half the orange over the fruit to capture oils. Juice the lemon and add the juice to the fruit. Reserve the remaining orange half for garnish or tasting if desired.

Zest and juice citrus

In a small saucepan combine the water, demerara sugar, and honey. Warm gently over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Do not boil. Remove from heat.

Make quick syrup

While the syrup is still warm, add the whole black peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Let steep for 10 minutes to draw out aromatics, then strain the syrup to remove solids. Return the syrup to room temperature.

Infuse spices

Pour the cooled syrup over the prepared fruit. Use a muddler or wooden spoon to gently macerate the fruit—crush enough to release juices but leave some pieces intact for texture. Allow to sit 20–30 minutes for flavors to marry.

Macération

Place the 750 ml bottle of red wine in a large pitcher or non-reactive container. Strain the macerated fruit and any syrup into the wine, pressing gently on solids to extract liquid. Discard large solids (or reserve a few pieces for garnish). Stir gently to incorporate.

Blend

Taste the mixture. If it feels overly tannic or sharp, add up to 1 tbs additional honey or 1–2 tbs water to soften. If it lacks brightness, add a splash (1–2 tsp) of lemon juice. The goal is ripe black fruit intensity with vibrant acidity and balanced tannin.

Adjust balance

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours to let flavors integrate. For immediate serving, serve slightly chilled over ice; for deeper integration, rest longer at cool cellar temperature.

Chill or rest

If serving chilled, fill wine glasses with one or two ice cubes (optional). Gently pour the wine-fruit blend into glasses, distributing fruit pieces evenly. For a smooth pour, strain once more and spoon out a few fruit pieces into each glass as garnish.

Serve

Float a fresh thyme sprig in each glass. Optionally, very lightly drizzle about 1/4 tsp (a few drops) of extra virgin olive oil on the surface of each glass to add silky mouthfeel and a savory counterpoint to the fruit (this is optional and should be used sparingly).

Garnish and add savor

Serve immediately. The finished Haziran, Kuzubağ should present ripe black and dark fruit aromatics, pronounced tannic backbone softened by the syrup and olive oil, and a lifted acidity from lemon zest and juice.

Final tasting note

Full-bodied red wine (blend with ripe black fruit character, e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon/Öküzgözü blend)

Fresh blackberries (ripe)

Fresh black cherries (pitted, ripe) or frozen if out of season

Thinly sliced ripe plum

Lemon (zest and juice)

Orange (zest)

Demerara sugar or turbinado

Honey (mild, e.g., wildflower)

Water (for simple syrup)

Whole black peppercorns

Cinnamon stick

Dried bay leaf

Good-quality extra virgin olive oil (for a single drizzle to add savory texture; optional)

Fresh thyme sprigs (for garnish)

Ice (optional, for serving chilled)

Haziran, Kuzubağ

Make Haziran, Kuzubağ Recipe in just 1h 30m. Ripe black and ripe fruits with intense tannins balanced with vibrant acidity. Full bodied.

Haziran, Kuzubağ

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

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