HaKerem: The Israeli Wine Blog

David and Goliath (Ella Valley Winery)

Yossie Horwitz (www.yossiescorkboard.com) — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:09:21 +0000

Ella Valley Winery is located in the valley of Ella in the Judean Hills, which has been a viticulturally important area for 2000 years. While, from an historical point of view, the aesthetically stunning Ella Valley is primarily known for the monumental show-down between David and Goliath; it does have other claims to fame. As with many other Israeli wineries, an ancient wine press was discovered on the site of the winery providing additional visual confirmation that the area had been used to grow grapes and make wine for centuries. If the workers of these ancient presses were to look into what was going on in Ella Valley today, I think they would be very proud of the continued heritage being carried out by the winery resulting in the highest quality of wines possible in addition to enjoying the esthetically pleasing look of the vineyards and the winery. From day one this winery knew what it wanted to be – the very best in Israel, producing high-quality, unique wines. The first vineyards were very carefully planted in 1997 after extensive research as to best location and plots of land and used techniques imported from Napa Valley. The very attractive winery was constructed in 2001 (with the first vineyards planted at Aderet in 1998 and is located on Kibbutz Netiv Halamed Hey in the Judean Hills.

Over the last year or so the winery has undergone a number of management changes, the ramifications of which have yet to be seen, but which have the potential to change the winery’s destiny. First, the winery’s long-time, French-trained, winemaker Doron Rav Hon, who has been at the helm since the winery’s founding, left the winery and was replaced by Australian-trained (University of Adelaide) Lin Gold, whose prior experience includes stints at both Tabor Winery and Chateau Golan (non-kosher). Doron’s last full vintage will be the 2010 wines, some of which have already been released (like their amazing Sauvignon Blanc and always intriguing Chardonnay), and others for which we will have to wait (like the 2010 Cabernet Franc, consistently one of Israel best and, together with Four Gates’ version, the best kosher Cabernet Franc wines available). Doron was around for the 2011 harvest, assisting Lin, but the winemaking decisions for that vintage will be all Lin’s and her first wine will be the 2011 Sauvignon Blanc which I have not yet tasted and will be released soon (she is also responsible for the blending of the 2010 wines). It will be interesting to see what she comes up with in a year that most view as a “winemaker’s year” (meaning a vintage in which the best winemakers will make extraordinary wines while the less talented will struggle with the decisions necessitated by a slow maturation followed by periods of rain and cold matched by hot spells). I am also waiting to see whether Doron’s philosophy of making Burgundy-like wines of clean and pure fruit (more in their white wines than red) will continue, or whether Lin’s Australia training will create something new.

The second change, which followed a few months after Doron’s departure, was the resignation of Danny Valero as CEO of the winery and who was replaced by Udi Kaplan, the winery’s longtime manager. We will have to see whether Danny’s pet and vintage motorcycle collection remain on location at the winery or whether they find alternative decorative accents. Ironically, the rumor on the street is that Doron’s departure was at least partially a result of Danny who is now gone… We’ll have to wait and see where Doron ends up, but we will most likely be hearing about a new Israeli boutique winery opening up soon, and from which I am sure amazing wines will flow. Only question is whether he will decide to make it a kosher winery (while I am hopeful given his talents, it is more likely to be a non-kosher winery). Given that both Danny and Doron (together with Udi) have been around since the winery’s founding, these are substantive changes.

Ella Valley is currently producing around 220,000 bottles annually (with a smaller production of about 150,000 in the 2008 Shmittah year as the majority of Shmittah wines are not exported) with nearly 40% of the winery’s production designated for export. The winery has two main vineyards (which are wholly owned by the winery) both located in close proximity to the winery, with 400 dunam of vineyards at Aderet (located opposite the winery) which is considered the winery’s main vineyard and planted at 350 meter above sea level and approximately 250 dunam in the Nes Harim vineyard planted at 720 meters above sea level and where the majority of white wines and the Pinot Noir are sourced. Despite the fact that their Merlot is among the most interesting in Israel and they make what I feel is Israel’s best Cabernet Franc, the white wines of the winery are extra special with bright clean fruit that is elevated rather than dominated by oak (in the case of the Chardonnays) or manipulation (in the case of the Sauvignon Blanc) while remaining very well priced.

Having the winery and vineyards in such close proximity allows for a superior wine making process, providing both the ability to control every aspect of the planting, tending and harvesting and allowing for very minimal time between harvest and the beginning of the wine making process (i.e. fermentation). The approximately 750 dunams of vineyards owned by the winery are so vast that Ella Valley only uses approximately on third of their best grapes, selling the rest to many of the other local wineries (although the winery recently gave up approximately 100 dunam of vineyards located on the kibbutz itself in order to focus on their other premium vineyards).

The first vintage was in 2002 and despite it being a relatively poor vintage year in Israel; their first offerings were a resounding success. Starting with the 2003 vintage the winery created its reserve series – Vineyard’s Choice, and is currently producing excellent wines in three series: Vineyard’s Choice, Ella Valley and Ever Red. The winery also produces a private label wine for export – Hai. While the Vineyard’s Choice wines are truly top-tier and world-class, they, like many other top Israeli boutique wineries, carry rather hefty price-tags, especially in the US. The Ella Valley series wines are almost as good and much better priced. While not quite a value winery like Galil Mountain or Recanati, Ella Valley is consistently excellent and it’s a pretty safe bet that anything they make is going to be good (with the caveat that there are many vintages left on the shelves that have seen better days and are now well past their prime). Unfortunately they are not as well known as some other wineries, both as a result of their size and their distribution process, which is truly a crying shame as they produce some of the best and most interesting wines out there and are well worth your time, effort, palate and wallet. While 2010 is considered a potentially problematic vintage in Israel, both Doron and Lin are of the view that it was a spectacular vintage for Ella Valley and the 2010 wines I have tasted so far certainly bear out that premise. Listed below are some of their wines, most of which are available on the US market. For some of their other wines which I recently (and not so recently) reviewed, check out Ella Valley’s page on my website and stay tuned for some to-be-released treats including a sparkling wine a Vineyards Choice Chardonnay. Also, see if you can find some of the Personal 2008, a special blended wine made by Doron in honor of his departure which is a truly special wine.

Ella Valley Vineyards, Merlot, 2005: Just another example of how, notwithstanding their magnificent Cabernet Franc, Merlot is what helps set this winery apart from all others. An easy example of a regular series wine that fully deserves to be elevated to their upper-tier Vineyard’s Choice label, but it’s better for us this way since it stays eminently affordable. Muscular, robust, aggressive and bold are not your typical buzz words when talking about Merlot, but those traits combined with the wine’s elegance, depth, richness and complexity make for an absolutely killer combo – give this some time in your glass and it really comes together. Tons of blackberries, raspberries and tangy sharp plums backed by pepper, wood and nice hints of chocolate. A well balanced structure and a long caressing finish loaded with fruit and hints of dark chocolate round this delight out. A wine with the rare combo of being food-friendly and big, bold and powerful.

Ella Valley, Syrah, 2007: A wine that can be enjoyed on its own or with food although I prefer it with food. A medium to full bodied intense wine loaded with blackberries, plums, currants and raspberries on the nose with additional hints of bitter citrus peel and earthiness added on the palate. An incredible depth of flavor and nuance throughout with slightly spicy oak, asphalt and more black fruit on the mid palate, leading into a long finish of black forest fruit, graphite and more dark chocolate. While I don’t see the wine getting any better with age it will easily keep for another year or two.

Ella Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007: Ella Valley is one of the only Israeli wineries that actually blends their varietal Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot to punch it up (in this case, 15% of Merlot), but given their incredibly powerful Merlot, it makes sense and the addition does contribute nicely to the final wine, resulting in a rich and voluptuous similar to the Vineyards Choice version reviewed below with a little less retrained elegance. A rich ripe nose of black fruit with some red notes added including cassis, blackcurrant, blackberries and ripe plums, together with some spicy oak from the 16 months it spent French oak (a bit more new oak than the VC wine below), some mineral flintiness, crushed Mediterranean herbs and some bakers chocolate. Much of the same follow the round and mouth filling full bodied palate with plenty more crushed black fruit; toasty oak and slight notes of pleasing greenness all on a solid backbone of robust tannins that still need some time o settle down and play nice. Drinking nicely now, give the wine 15 minutes to open up in your glass first and then enjoy through 2015.

Ella Valley Vineyards, Vineyards Choice, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007: As benefits a true “Reserve” label, Ella Valley only releases a Vineyards Choice wine for vintages it feels will properly honor the label and this Cabernet Sauvignon does so with aplomb. While Cabernet Sauvignon has always been the weakest link in Ella Valley’s tremendous portfolio, they have redeemed themselves with the two versions from the 2007 vintage, both deliciously voluptuous wines, with a primal elegance I found extremely enjoyable. Blended with 10% Merlot and 5% Petite Sirah and aged in 30% new French oak for 17 months, this is a full bodied wine with muscular and silky (near-sweet) tannins wrapped around a juicy core of varietally true dense black fruit including blackberries, cassis and black cherries, together with plenty of toasty oak, a hint of kirsch, pure dark chocolate, oriental spices, a hint of eucalyptus, roasted espresso coffee and some earthy minerals leading into a long and luxurious finish that lingers. Deep, rich and complex, with layers of flavors and nuance, this is an elegant wine with plenty of power. Give this wine another year to develop in the bottle and cellar through 2017, perhaps longer.

Ella Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Franc, 2009: Given my public love affair with Cabernet Franc, it will likely not come as a surprise that this is one of my favorite wines from the winery, one I have been following since its first inception in 2003, and one that continuously ends up being one of Israel’s best and easily the one I enjoy the most. The 2008 vintage of this wine was spectacular (see my prior note) and the 2009 vintage is shaping up to be even better with an exceptionally elegant structure and a luscious medley of fruit, wood and green notes. A rich nose of mostly juicy red fruit including raspberries, cranberries and currants together with the characteristically true green pepper and notes of pine (although Doron takes pains to reduce the overt green notes) follows onto a palate of more fruit, spicy oak, near-sweet cedar, cured tobacco leaf and a mineral streak that is starting to become more prominent in many of Ella Valley’s wines. Amazing now, this wine will continue to develop in the bottle and should stick around for 4-5 more years through 2016.

Ella Valley Vineyards, Pinot Noir, 2008 (Shmittah): While not every wine I have tasted from the vaunted 2008 Israeli vintage is the superstar some would have us believe, this wine made from 100% Pinot Noir Grapes harvested from Ella Valley’s Aderet vineyard was really delicious and something special. An elegant wine and full bodied (yet so gentle) with plenty of black and red fruit on both the nose and palate including black cherries, cassis and strawberries with some spicy oak resulting from the 16 months in French oak leading into a strawberry and cherry-laced finish with a hint of tannin. Bold tannins that needed some time to settle down in the glass but with a stylish structure that bodes extremely well for the continued development of this wine. In an effort to pamper this fickle grape, Ella Valley actually erected a canopy over the vines to protect from the harsh Israeli sun. I don’t know if it helped but the proof is surely in the wine which is scrumptious. Great now, this wine should cellar nicely for 3-4 years.

Ella Valley Vineyards, Chardonnay, 2010: The Chardonnays from Ella Valley are always well made and exiting for their individuality. Doron was one of Israel’s first winemakers to produce an oaked and unoaked version in the same vintage year (a gauntlet Binyamina has now taken up with nice success) and despite their oakiness, many of these wines have a pleasing minerality to them which is somewhat unique among Israeli Chardonnays (although it is becoming less and less rare these days). I believe this is the first Chardonnay made by Ella Valley that went through malolactic fermentation and it consists of grapes from both Nes Harim and Aderet. This wine could still use some time for the wood to recede to the background, but it is very well made with nice tropical fruit and hints of citrus together with a pleasing bitter streak of minerals that promise to come together nicely in about six months or so (avoid overly chilling this wine – it will kill the delightful aromatics and blur the minerals making you miss out on half the fun). A huge nose of aromatic fruit including peaches, apricots, grapefruit and citrus with tart green apple and hints of pineapple on the nose together with toasty oak and some vanilla (just a bit). On the palate more tropical fruit, toasty oak and a mineraly streak present an elegant, round and mouth filling wine. As with the Chardonnay wines from the Golan Heights Winery, I’d give this one another 12 months or so in the bottle before opening and you will be rewarded for your patience with a real Israeli Chardonnay – something to write home about.

Ella Valley Vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc, 2010: While the 2011 vintage is to be released shortly in Israel, as is common in the United States we are a little behind and the 2010 is our current vintage. Fear not, as it’s quite a delightful and refreshing wine; a good one to be enjoyed with at least the first tease of Spring New York is currently experiencing. Doron’s philosophy has been to make a clean Sauvignon Blanc and not try to disguise it as a leaner Chardonnay and the results truly speak for themselves. Blended with 10% Sémillon (both grapes from the winery’s Nes Harim vineyards), this is a medium bodied wine with pure tropical fruit on the nose, including white peaches, pineapple and cantaloupe together with limes and other citrus notes, freshly cut grass and some minerals and nice acidity on the palate to keep things fresh and lively (despite the label, Lin tells me the wine didn’t see any oak and spent 9 months in stainless steel). At 12.5%, the wine is a nice match to food – enjoy over the next 12-18 months.

Return of The Ancient World

GuestPost — Sat, 05 May 2012 20:11:19 +0000

Marks and Spencer, the iconic British food and clothing retailer founded by two Jewish families, has chosen a special selection of wines from the Eastern Mediterranean. Following new interest in Eastern Mediterranean food, M&S has chosen fifteen wines from Croatia, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey and Slovenia. These will be available in their wine division, on line and will complement the Eastern Med foods in their deli, bakery and prepared food ranges.

The wines will range between GBP 7.99 and GBP 12.49 (pounds.)

There are two wines from Israel on the list, from Barkan Winery and Binyamina Winery. Barkan is Israel’s second largest winery, which is owned by Tempo Beer Industries, Israel’s largest brewery. Barkan is situated at Hulda, south east of Tel Aviv. Their Barkan Classic Sauvignon Blanc 2011 has been chosen.

Binyamina Winery, situated in the town of Binyamina, south of Haifa, is owned by the Hezi Hinam Supermarket Chain. It is Israel’s fourth largest winery. Their Binyamina Merlot 2010 is part of the selection.

Marks and Spencer is one of the UK’s main wine retailers, having a comprehensive range of wines situated within their food halls. In the past they have listed wines from both Carmel Winery and the Golan Heights Winery. Their wine buyer for Eastern Mediterranean wines, Emma Dawson, visited Israel for the IsraWinexpo exhibition in February.

The Eastern Mediterranean is one of the most ancient wine regions, which gave wine culture to the world. Recently the whole wine region has experienced a renaissance making it one of the most dynamic, fast changing of all wine regions. Recently wines from places like Greece, Lebanon and Israel have been receiving rave reviews and Turkish wines have also been creating enormous interest, particularly in their indigenous varieties. The wine trade spent many years focusing on the Old World. Then everyone became infatuated with New World wines. The latest interest, reflected by M&S’s praiseworthy initiative, is the rise again of the Ancient World!

The Benefits of Maturity (Old Vine Wines)

Yossie Horwitz (www.yossiescorkboard.com) — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:01:28 +0000

As I have often mentioned, while most wines are meant to be consumed early and don’t benefit from any additional time in the bottle, a few years of cellaring can make magic happen for a small percentage of quality wines (usually the most exciting ones). The additional time in the bottle gives the tannins, acid, fruit and flavors time to come together in the harmonious music the wine maker intended. However, this week I wanted to focus on another oenophilic area in which age can play a paramount role and be a big factor in the quality, flavor and perhaps most relevant, intensity, of the wine – the vines. Wine growers around the world have nothing but praise, adoration and love for their “old vines”, sometimes talking about them in language usually reserved for ones children. While not all growers (or wine drinkers) agree that the age of the vine makes a difference, most people feel that there is something special in a wine made from old vines.

First, what exactly constitutes an “old vine”? While there is no hard and fast rule governing this distinction, nor is its use on wine labeling heavily regulated, a lot depends on where in the world you are. For places like France, Spain or Argentina with many vines between 50-100 years of age, an old vine needs to be at least 50 years old. On the other hand, in relatively new wine growing regions like New Zealand, Oregon or Israel, a 25-30 year old vine is pretty darn old and already worthy of the title.

As a vine ages, at around the 20-year mark it starts to undergo a number of changes which directly effect the quality of grapes it produces. These changes include deeper and stronger roots, enabling the vine to benefit from a more diverse range of nutrients and minerals. In a rainy harvest season the deeper roots protect vines from excessive water which can lead to bloated grapes with a substantially reduced concentration of flavor, and in a dry season, the roots help the vines find the necessary moisture that might only exist deep below the surface. As the vine ages it starts to suffer from reduced circulation as well. This results in fewer nutrients being available, leading to a reduction in yield (usually between 1-3 tons per acre). As the vine now needs to service a smaller number of grapes, they benefit from increased concentration and flavor and provide for more nuance and complexity (although the added complexity tends to be more prominent as the wine in question ages and the bright fruit recedes into the background).

As with maturing adults, another benefit of old vines is their stability. While the wines produced from younger vines can change from harvest to harvest depending on the weather, with substantial shifts in the levels of sugar, acid and other phenolic compounds, old vines are much steadier from year to year and rarely produce unbalanced grapes. A grower may also have the ability to harvest a little earlier if necessary, as old-vine grapes often ripen earlier. While these attributes are less important in a warm growing climate like Israel, they can make or break a harvest in colder regions like France and are much appreciated by the growers.

Listed below are a number of old-vine wines currently on the market, all of which are worth seeking out. Included in the list are two wines (the Cave and Recanati Carignan) available only in Israel and in limited quantities, but very special wines, worth taking the time to seek out and bringing back a few bottles.

Binyamina, The Cave, Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007: I was never a big fan of Binyamina’s boutique Cave wines, finding them underwhelming and overpriced. This changed with the 2006 vintage that I loved and included it in my Pessach Shopping List. The party continues with this 2007 Single Version Old Vine version produced as a very limited edition (1,200 bottles) from the famed Kerem Ben-Zimra vineyard. I purchased a number of bottles based on Daniel Rogov’s recommendation and finally got a chance to taste one over the weekend – it was spectacular. A rich nose and palate of blackberries, plums and black cherries along with earthy notes of forest and cloves. Nice notes of sweet oak, tar, acid combine with well integrated yet powerful tannins for a deep, complex and rich wine with a long and caressing finish. I probably opened this wine a little too early which, while eminently enjoyable now, will continue to improve in the bottle for another for a few years and cellar comfortably for ten years or so.

Recanati, Carignan, Reserve, Kerem Ba’al, 2009: Given the success Carmel has had with its Old Vine Carignan (tasting note below), it was only a matter of time before another awesome expression of the varietal founds its way to the market. In addition to being over 30 years old, these are true bush vines from the Judean Hills, that have flourished since their planting without irrigation, pruning, support (known as the “goblet” system) or other methods of human meddling (Ba’al is loosely Hebrew for wild). As would be expected, these are low-yield vines of less than two tons per acre. A wine that gracefully straddles power and elegance. Muscular tannins that needed half an hour to an hour to soften up in my glass and allow the fruit and spice to shine through but very much in balance with the fruit. Plenty of blackberries, currents and other black forest fruit along with warm spices, chocolate, espresso, white pepper and anise on both the nose and palate, with a good jolt of balancing acidity leading into a medium finish that lingers nicely. The fruit is on the restrained side and elegant, which is consistent with Recanati’s recent direction away from fruit forward wines towards retrained Mediterranean elegance. Very different and delicious, this wine is another candidate for some serious cellaring. Another limited edition wine with about 5,900 bottles produced.

Capçanes, La Flor de Flor, 2007: As the Peraj Ha’abib from Capcanes has long been my one of my favorite wines, I was very excited when they released this 100% Garnacha wine, with grapes from vines that are between 85-105 years old. The wine manages to be full-bodied, elegant and feminine in one fell swoop, while remaining rich, deep and concentrated. Well integrated, near-sweet tannins provide a solid backbone for layers of black cherries, plums, violets and other flowers, spices and some dark chocolate, with hints of smoky oak and flinty minerals. A long finish rounds out this wine that will probably be at its best in a year or so and cellar for up to another eight years after that.

Carmel, Appellation, Carignan, 2007: The Carignan grape was probably a significant contributor to Carmel’s prior horrific reputation for terrible wines given that it was a major component in cheaper and unappealing wines. This wine really puts the much maligned grape in a whole new (favorable) light. Using grapes from 40 year old vines and blended with some Petit Verdot for good measure, this wine has great fruit and is slightly spicy with hints of espresso and a nice finish. Not many folks do well by this grape but Carmel certainly does.

Carmel, Appellation, Petite Sirah, 2007: The 2006 vintage of this wine won Decanter’s wine of the month last year and the 2007 is up to the challenge posited by its younger brother. While “old vine” means different things in different countries, these Petite Sirah vines are over 30 years old and produce a concentrated and full-bodied wine. The raspberries, blackberries, cassis and plums on both the nose and palate combine with warm spices, Mediterranean herbs and a tobacco leaf overlay, making for a delightful wine indeed. Another YH Best Buy.

Carmel Vintage, Fortified Petite Sirah, 2007: Made from 100% old vine Petite Sirah grapes and fortified with additional alcohol, this is a delicious dessert wine but one whose time has come so drink up any you have lying around. Aromas of raisins, plums, chocolate and spices are followed by mocha, coffee, sweet (and slightly tangy) jammy berries on the palate, with enough acidity and pleasant spiciness to balance the sweetness from becoming overpowering and flabby on the palate. Hints of slightly bitter almonds do a good job of keeping the sweetness honest and the entire wine in good balance. As opposed to the Porto Cordovero wine, I often enjoy this wine with food, as it pairs nicely with most sweet desserts.

Yom Hatzmaut – Looking Back

Avi — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:09:38 +0000

This article first appeared on wines-israel.com and is reprinted with permission of the author.

On Israel’s 64th Independence Day, it is worthwhile to look back at some of Israel’s most influential wines, which have helped to advance Israel’s image as a wine producing country of international quality.
These are some of the wines that charted the progress of Israel in the international court of public opinion. The coming list is a story of Israel through its wines – each one has contributed to the advance of Israel’s image in some way and each individual success was a stepping stone in the upward advance of the Israel wine industry. The list is made up from those wines that have drawn attention to Israel through awards, scores or recognition.

Carmel No. 1 1900
The first Israeli winner at a major wine show was the Carmel No.1 at the Paris World Fair at the beginning of the last century. It won a Gold Medal alongside the French First Growths. It confirmed the rebirth of a modern Israeli wine industry after 2,000 years.

Carmel Cabernet Sauvignon 1970 – Winemakers: Shimon Rosenthal/ Yaacov Avni
Israel’s first varietal wines – a Cabernet Sauvignon & a Sauvignon Blanc were first launched with the 1970 vintage. Golan Heights Winery introduced Merlot & Chardonnay in the late 1980’s.

Carmel Special Reserve 1976 – Winemaker: Feddie Stiller
This wine was Israel’s first really serious ‘fine’ wine. Aged in French oak barrels for two years and then aged in the bottle, it was only released in 1980. It was a long lasting wine, surprising connoisseurs, by being drinkable for up to 20 years. It was a definite milestone in the production of Israeli wine.

Yarden Sauvignon Blanc 1983 – Philip Steinschriber
This was the Golan Heights Winery’s first vintage and when this wine was launched it became known – particularly in America, as Israel’s first world class wine. The wine was a real breakthrough for Israel – light straw colored, aromatic and with good acidity – rather than the over oxidized, flabby, yellowing white wines that were produced up to then.

Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon 1984 – Mike Lake
This was the first Israeli wine to wine an international prize at the very highest level. It not only won the Gold Medal at the International Wines & Spirits Competition in London in 1987, but also The Winiarski Trophy (presented by Warren Winiarski of Stags Leap fame) as the best red wine in the competition. This was the first real proof to the wider wine world that Israeli wines were international class. To onlooking wine experts it was an astonishing result.

Yarden Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest 1988 – Andrew Star
Israel’s first special dessert wine made from grapes naturally affected by botrytis. It was probably the most unique wine ever produced in Israel. It was never duplicated. Dessert wines were always regarded previously as low quality – their sweetness being too reminiscent of kiddush (sacramental) wines.

Yarden Merlot 1988 – Andrew Star
This was a wine that won the Grand Prix d’Honneur at Vinexpo. It was the second Vinexpo in a row that the Golan Heights Winery won this prestigious trophy, and they were to win this three times in a row. It was arguably the best award received for an Israeli Merlot.

Yarden Katzrin 1990 – Peter Stern/ Victor Schoenfeld
Yarden Katzrin was Israel’s first super de luxe red wine. The first vintage was 1990. It was Israel’s first ever $50 bottle of wine and later vintages were Israel’s first ever $100 bottle of wine. Usually made by a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it is only produced in especially good vintages – to date 1990, 1993, 1996, 2000, 2003 and 2004. This wine took Israeli wine onto a new plain.

Castel Grand Vin 1992 – Eli Ben Zaken
This wine was famous because it was Eli Ben Zaken’s first vintage, but it was also the one ‘discovered’ by Serena Sutcliffe, Master of Wine and Head of the Sotheby’s Wine Department. She referred to it as the best Israeli wine she had ever tasted. This encouraged Eli Ben Zaken to build his beautiful winery and the whole boutique winery revolution in the 1990’s.

Margalit Cabernet Sauvignon 1993 – Yair Margalit
Yair Margalit gained a reputation as the first really international class boutique winery being founded in 1989. He was Israel’s best known winemaker at this stage. However it was the 1993 that was regarded as his greatest wine. The wine drew attention to the quality of a smaller, less commercial style of winery and gave notice of the coming boutique winery explosion that was to follow. Recent tastings show the wine is still going strong 15 years later.

Yarden Blanc de Blancs N.V. – Victor Schoenfeld
In 1996 a champagne method sparkling wine became the best bottle fermented sparkling wine winning the Trophy at the IWSC in London. The wine was then non vintage, but today it is made as a vintage sparkling wine. This showed that Israel could triumph on the world scene with another wine style. The Yarden Blanc de Blancs won this same Trophy on two subsequent occasions too.

Castel Grand Vin 1997 – Eli Ben Zaken
Castel drew attention to Israel when the Grand Vin 1997 became Decanter Wine of the Month. Decanter, only second to the Wine Spectator in importance, then rarely tasted Israeli wine, let alone writing anything positive about them. Castel’s success was therefore even more noteworthy and they went on to achieve this three times.

Flam Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2000 – Golan Flam
This was one of four wines which were first recognized in Tom Stevenson’s Wine Report as Israel’s one of the ‘100 Most Exciting Wine Finds’. Made from Upper Galilee fruit, this Flam wine signaled the new quality boutique wineries being formed in Israel, were good enough to receive international recognition.

Yatir Winery 2003 – Eran Goldwasser
The flagship wine of Yatir Winery made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, grown in the high altitude Yatir Forest vineyards in the southern Judean Hills. This wine finished in first place in the first ever tasting of Israeli wines held by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. It was awarded 93 points, which then equaled the highest score ever given for an Israeli, kosher or Eastern Mediterranean wine by Robert Parker, the world’s most famous wine critic.

Carmel Sha’al Gewurztraminer Late Harvest 2004 – Lior Lacser
A special dessert wine that received a gold medal at the IWSC and a double gold at Terravino, but it is not for this reason it is on the list. It also received a review of 95 points from Howard Goldberg of the New York Times, Decanter and The Wine News. It was the highest score ever given to an Israeli wine by an international critic.

Clos de Gat Harel Syrah 2004 – Eyal Rotem
This Syrah won the Regional Trophy at the Decanter Fine Wines Awards. It was significant in that it was the first Israeli Syrah to wine an international award and the first significant award given to Israel by the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards. It promises to be a variety suited to the Israeli climate.

Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 – Victor Schoenfeld
This was the first Israeli wine listed by the Wine Spectator’s as one of the top 100 wines of the year. It was a big breakthrough for Israel to be recognized on this prestigious list. The Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon has been one of the more consistent wines over the years and it was appropriate that this was the first Israeli wine to make it onto the Wine Spectator’s prestigious list.

“C” Blanc du Castel 2003 – Eli Ben Zaken
Though Israel as a country became mainly known for its red wines, this wine is arguably Israel’s finest Chardonnay. The 2003 became the first Israeli wine to receive over 90 points from the Wine Spectator, the most famous wine magazine in the world. The 2005 later became the highest scoring dry white wine in the Wine Advocate.

Carmel Single Vineyard Shiraz, Kayoumi Vineyard 2006 – Lior Lacser
This wine won both the Regional and International Trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards beating the finest Syrahs from France, Shiraz’s from Australia and southern Rhone blends like Chateauneuf du Pape. Decanter termed it ‘the sensation of this year’s competition, or indeed of any year’s competition.’ It was arguably the finest award ever made for an Israeli wine in such a prestigious competition.

Yarden Rom 2006 – Victor Schoenfeld / Zelma Long
The first Yarden Rom was a joint winemaking venture between Golan Heights Winery’s experienced winemaker, Victor Schoenfeld and Californian winemaking icon, Zelma Long. Zelma Long is the Golan’s winemaking consultant. This wine received 96 points from the late Daniel Rogov, Israel’s most famous wine critic. It was the highest score Rogov ever gave for a wine.

Yarden Chardonnay, Odem Vineyard 2009 – Victor Schoenfeld
This wine won the prestigious Grand Gold Award at Vin Italy along with the Yarden HeightsWine. It was also significant in that it was made from an organically grown vineyard. This performance ensured the Golan Heights Winery won the Best Winery Award at Vin Italy. Undoubtedly the best award ever made for an Israeli winery. It also showed the Golan’s consistency and versatility. They have won Grand Gold Medals at Vin Italy for white, red. sparkling and dessert wines.

Recanati Special Reserve 2008 – Gil Shatzberg
This wine won no less than four gold medals in quality international competitions. It flagged up with great consistency that Israeli was producing world class wines and was recognized as such in a number of different arenas. Recanati proved to be a very consistent collector of gold medals worldwide.

This record may not be of the best wines Israel has produced – even though many of them are – but their influence in spreading the word of the quality and variety of Israel wines can not be underestimated.

Easter Wine Tour

David Rhodes — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:49:51 +0000

When I moved to California from Massachusetts, I missed the embedded and concentrated layers of culture and history that New England had to offer over the American Southwest. Yet when moving to Israel, those hundreds of years of New England culture were overshadowed by thousands of years of civilizations that can be overwhelming to a resident as much as to a tourist exploring without a guide. I’ve half-kidded that with the right tour guide, you could easily walk every ten paces in Israel and have a history lesson of what happened here or there. Often in such a small country at the cross-roads of three continents (Asia, Europe and Africa) and trade routes, there are multiple stories of interest for every locale spanning at least four thousand years. I doubt there’s even one spot in Israel that doesn’t have dozens if not hundreds of captivating stories that could be told to have taken place in that spot; its just that some are more famous and better documented or lost in the passage of time.
As a Jew and recent immigrant to Israel, often I focus my own sojourns on sites that have more to do with the history of my own people although one could easily spend one’s recreation or vocation visiting or documenting Christian, Muslim or Bahai shrines, holy sites and places of interest that go back millennium or at least centuries. Never in the last 2,000 years has Israel been such an open place for religious freedom where former rulers and governing powers either actively or passively prohibited or oppressed any religion other than that of the foreign power. Israel today, even as a Jewish state, protects and celebrates its religious diversity better than any other country in the Middle East and rivaling the most liberal of Western democracies.

Such was the case when the Israeli government sponsored a trip for foreign journalists before Passover and Easter to visit two Christian shrines and two Israeli wineries. Although, I’m known more for my wine related articles today more than previous writing endeavors, I was a history and philosophy student in college so the Christian shrines intrigued me as part of the history of my new home and as we were visiting one familiar and favorite winery and one new one on the way all the better. So it was that we several writers hailing from the US, China, Germany and South Africa set off from Jerusalem for a day of potential cultural edification and inebriation.

Within a short drive east of Israel’s ancient & modern capitol, we first stopped at the Church of John the Baptist. This ancient site is thought to be where Jesus’s most influential disciple was born and raised in the house of his parents Zachariah and Elizabeth. Initially a Byzantine church was built on the site in the fourth century as a tribute to St Elizabeth before being destroyed in the seventh century by conquering Muslim hordes from the Arabian peninsula. The church would be rebuilt in the 16th century and survive under more tolerant Ottoman governors until today although signs of its ancient and older origins are evident to the trained eye or one listening to a trained guide. There is a vibrant neighborhood surrounding the church in Jerusalem’s outskirts so its a nice area to dine for lunch or as we did partake of some of Israel’s many amazing boutique ice cream and gourmet chocolate shops.

After soaking in the site and its tranquility, a welcome respite for anyone living and working in the hustle and bustle of modern Israel, we carried on to one of Israel’s most celebrated boutique wineries, Domaine du Castel, one of the first and one of the brightest stars in Israel’s recent renaissance of its resurgent wine industry. The Castel Winery, as its also called, was founded in 1992 by Egyptian born and European educated Eli Ben Zaken on what was then a family farm which raised chickens. The almost immediate success and recognition his wine was something special had him suspend his poultry production in 1996 and from then when he was producing about 2,000 bottles his winery now employs his two sons and daughter and now produces about 100,000 bottles a year of highly desirable and expertly crafted wine. Its one the most internationally recognized Israeli wineries producing principally three wines, two premium Bordeaux red blends and a Chardonnay and is often on most wine writer’s list as one of the top ten wineries in Israel and frequently mentioned as either one of the top one or two. Having written hundreds of articles about Israeli wine, when asked, Castel is always one of the wineries I mention as a favorite and it has been a benchmark for other aspiring Israeli boutique wineries to emulate for the last twenty years.

One such aspiring boutique is the Nachshon Winery, in the Ayalon Valley, located on Kibbutz Nachshon. This winery is still in its early stages and is currently making about 10,000 bottles of year although the kibbutz, a communal farm, grows most of its grapes for Israel’s 2nd largest winery and its largest exporter Barkan. They’re still finding their way but are showing promise experimenting with both red blends, which made `Castel famous, and with single varietal wines such a Cabernet Franc, a promising Bordeaux varietal, that about 20 wineries have released in the last ten years as an alternative to more typical Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot offerings.
As the Nachshon Winery is lesser known than Castel, so was our second shrine, Emmaus Nicropolis, lesser known than our first stop of the day. Adjacent to the ancient hot springs for which is was named (which have since dried up) is the site, though disputed, where Jesus’s apparition was first sighted after he was to have been resurrected on Easter three days after his crucifixion on Good Friday. The sprawling grounds and church were a serene respite for anyone out in about in Israel the week before the week celebrating Passover, the celebration of ending 400 years of bondage in Egypt and the Jewish people returning to Israel after 40 years in the wilderness.

All in all, the excursion was a welcome reminder of not only what I and other Jews value about Israel, or why I and other wine lovers are applauding Israeli winemakers but why such a small country like Israel is on the minds of so many in the Western world, Jews and Christians alike.

2012 Blind Israeli Cabernet tasting in Tel Aviv

David Rhodes — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 17:51:34 +0000

Recently, I participated in an unprecedented tasting of Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon wines in Tel Aviv in the garden of Chef Alon Gonen’s home. We had all been invited by wine writer Rani Rogel of Food & Beverage/Israel. Three panels of wine writers, enthusiasts and wine makers sampled 37 wines so each panel averaged about 12 wines with the wines divided into three price categories, under 70 NIS (under $20), 70 to 120 NIS ( $20 to $35) and over 120 NIS (over $35). The wines were all close in age ranging from four vintages 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010 with only one from 2011.
We, the chosen reviewers, were tasked evaluating the wines based on sight, smell and taste as well as place a value on each wine we were tasting and assign a value from 1 (worst) – 5 (best). It can be daunting to taste and evaluate so many wines in a short span of time yet we did so dutifully without hesitation since we knew a dinner awaited us cooked by our hosting chef. All the wines had been opened at least an hour prior to tasting and were poured blind from foil wrapped bottles.

In the first category, the Golan Heights Winery scored strongest with two of its entry level wines, the 2010 Golan Cabernet Sauvignon (43 NIS) scored best with a 4.3 with the more expensive 2008 Gamla Cabernet Sauvignon (69 NIS) scoring a slightly more modest 4.1. The newly kosher boutique Tulip winery scored almost as well with their 2010 Tulip Cabernet Sauvignon (4.2) in a close second place. The 2011 Tishbi Cabernet Sauvignon (formerly their “vineyard series”) at 48 NIS, the 2007 Carmel Appellation Upper Galilee Cabernet Sauvignon at 65 NIS and the 2009 Yogev Cabernet Sauvignon all scored equally well tying for third place with an impressive 4.0.

In the mid range Cabernets, scores generally improved as one might expect with the Golan Heights Winery once again gaining high score with a 4.5 for it’s 2008 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon at 110 NIS. It didn’t share top rung alone this time as the 2009 Psagot Cabernet Sauvignon also chimed in with a 4.5 yet at a more affordable 90 NIS. Tulip once again made a strong showing with 2008 Tulip Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve scoring 3.8 at 95 NIS. Third place went to the Eyal Winery with their 2008 Eyal Cabernet Sauvignon at 3.75 at a modest 75 NIS.
In the over 120 NIS top range, we had a lot of wines showing strong, with the Saslove Winery inching out many second place challengers. The 2008 Saslove Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve scored a 4.1 at 177 NIS and surely will make kosher consumers anxious to taste their 2010 Cab Reserve, their first kosher vintage, when it’s released in a couple of years. There was a four-way tie for second place with the Barkan, Adir, Assaf and Karmei Yosef wineries all contending. Each scored a 4 just shy of the highest scoring Saslove. The market powerhouse Barkan placed with its 2008 Barkan Cabernet Sauvignon Altitude 720 (125 NIS) while the Assaf Winery from the Golan Heights with its 2008 Assaf Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (130 NIS), the Galilee’s Adir Winery with 2009 Adir “Plato” Cabernet Sauvignon (180 NIS) and the Judean Hill’s Karmei Yosef 2009 Bravdo Cabernet Sauvignon (129 NIS) continued a strong showing for boutique wineries as higher end wines. The Judean Hill’s Ella Valley scored third with its 3.75 with its 2007 Ella Valley VC Cabernet Sauvignon though at a higher price of 210 NIS.

Generally, the scores would indicate that larger wineries (possibly because of an economy of scale) can produce better wines at lower prices than boutiques although there are many good values from boutique wineries in the mid range and up-end of the price scale outperforming the top-tier wines from larger commercial wineries.

These scores may have differed I guess if each wine was decanted as it seemed younger wines fared better than older vintages and there were some surprising under performers from some well-respected wineries who I suspect would have shined under different circumstances (which is why I leave them unnamed). Yet, it’s the nature of any scoring system or tasting regiment to have its limitations and the tasting was conducted with the utmost care and professionalism by Rani Rogel with the assistance of Chef Alon Gonen who extended the reward of a great tasting and amazing experience with a perfectly seasoned mouth-watering savory falling off the bone osso buco served over a bed of delicate yet wine soaking gnocchi.
I look forward to any other tastings Rani conducts of different styles and varietals in this manner as tasting wines of the same varietal or style side by side does offer a perspective otherwise difficult to duplicate and is an enjoyable and edifying way to calibrate one’s taste for wines.

Israeli Wine Revolution

Avi — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:39:46 +0000

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Passover Kosher Wine Buying Guide

Yossie Horwitz (www.yossiescorkboard.com) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:50:22 +0000

Holiday Shopping – Parts I & II

As you probably already know, the weeks leading up to Pessach are the US kosher wine industry’s busiest with more kosher wine being sold during this period than the rest of the year combined. As the popularity of quality kosher wine continues to increase, the quality and variety of wines available to the kosher wine consumer are truly astounding. While obviously a blessing, the tremendous choice can make for a somewhat stressful shopping experience. Also, and most unfortunately, there is a substantial amount of drek being pushed as quality wine and many stores and online purveyors are selling old, dead and tired wines so far past their optimum drinking windows that it’s practically criminal. Remember – in general (and there are exceptions), white wines shouldn’t be sold more than two years past their vintage and red wines three years (unless we are talking about the better and more expensive wines). As with every industry, caveat emptor.

During this busy buying season retailers bring out the big sales and almost every wine is on sale. Further, given the increasing competition and online availability of most top-notch kosher wines, most merchants will match any published price, so always ask your favored retailer to match any prices you have seen elsewhere and, if you aren’t happy with the price – ask for a discount. As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

As with every year and in order to assist with your holiday shopping, I am happy to present my ANNUAL PESSACH KOSHER WINE GUIDE.

As with every year, I have set forth recommendations across four price ranges: Under $16, between $16-29.99, between $30-50 and Moshiach Wines (otherwise know as those über-special wines I would proudly serve the Moshiach, were he ever to grace my table). Prices tend to fluctuate and might not always fall squarely into the tiers I have listed below which should merely serve as a guide. Also, note that Moshiach wines sometimes include older vintages that I have been storing for a while in my cellar or wines that are subject to otherwise limited availability, and which are not always readily available at your local retailer.

It’s important to none that these lists are not exhaustive, but rather a sampling of wines I enjoy and think you will enjoy as well.

Also, as you know by now, despite 2008 being a tremendous vintage for almost all Israeli wines, it was Shmittah and therefore most wines were not exported out of Israel. While there are some 2008 Israeli wines being sold, including a number from the Golan Heights Winery, Galil Mountain and Odem Mountain. As with most halachik issues, there are numerous opinions with respect to the different “types” of Shmittah wine produced, enjoying such wines outside of Israel (or at all) and one should consult their local Rabbi with any questions in this regard.

I note that the attached is not a comprehensive list of every wine I believe worthy of your consideration, but merely a selection of the better wines available in the different price ranges, all of which I recommend and believe are worthy of your Pessach table (or random wine glass). As the years go buy and the quality and quantity of top-notch kosher wine grows, the number of potential wines for this list get longer, and the difficulty in culling wines harder. Even so, and given that the collective Wine Buying Guide includes around 130 wines, I will be putting together a list of my top-ten wines in each of the four categories and posting it on my website next week.

While one of my favorite Jewish customs, the tradition to consume four full cups of wine at the Seder brings with it a host of dilemmas requiring serious thought and planning. The main problem is that four cups of wine is a lot of wine to be consuming at one sitting (even an up-to 5 hour sitting such as a traditional Seder), especially given the fact that the first two cups are typically imbibed on an empty stomach. Another issue is that for the Seder many folks tend to use the same silver goblets used for Kiddush. While during the year, the potential negative effect the silver has on wine is easily remedied by immediately pouring the wine into a proper wine glass following Kiddush; during the Seder the wine sits in the silver goblet for a far longer period of time. Other potential issues arise from a tradition to only drink red wine at the Seder and to avoid any Mevushal wine (further to multiple reader requests, I am putting together a list of recommended mevushal wines which I will later this next week).

Given ones desire to honor the Seder, people try to have the nicest and most expensive wines possible, typically full-bodied Bordeaux-blends or robust Cabernet Sauvignon wines. These wines typically take time to open up and evolve and are layered and complex liquid treasures, well-deserving on your time. However, the empty stomach with which most people approach the first two cups, the requirement to consume nearly an entire cup of wine rather rapidly and the need to keep little kids from wreaking havoc; all combine to significantly detract from ones ability to fully enjoy and appreciate the complexities, nuances of flavor and aroma of these typically magnificent wines.

As a result, I suggest (and do so myself), saving the bigger and more expensive wines for leisurely drinking during the actual Seder meal (and the multiple subsequent meals over the holiday), and finding other good wines to utilize for the four cups. Being a traditionalist, I am sticking with red wines for all four cups and choose my wines based on a few simple principles. It is still Chag and one in which we celebrate our freedom so top quality wine is still a pre-requisite. Therefore, I look for top quality, medium bodied and relatively simple wines. Some favorites of mine include Recanati’s Petite-Sirah/Zinfandel 2010, the Capcanes Peraj Petita or Domaine Netofa Red 2010. To the extent you are looking for well priced whites, Dalton’s Reserve Viognier, Yarden’s Gewurztraminer or Odem Chardonnay, Dalton’s Fume Blanc or Carmel’s Kayoumi Riesling are all good and affordable bets.

Under $16

While this list includes many good and enjoyable wines, as a general rule, the wines in this price range are not complex, cellar worthy or sophisticated (with a few exceptions). As oak barrels are a significant component of a wine’s cost, this list has plenty of white wines that typically spend little or no time in oak, resulting in lower prices. As a general rule, any wine in this price range from Recanati, Galil Mountain or Dalton is going to be good, as long as it’s not too old. Most of the wines on these lists qualify as YH Best Buys (wines I consider a particularly good way to spend your hard-earned cash).

(1) Barkan, Classic, Pinot Noir, 2010
(2) Binyamina, Bin, Merlot, 2010
(3) Binyamina, Reserve, Chardonnay (Unoaked), 2010
(4) Binyamina, Yogev, Cabernet Sauvignon-Petit Verdot, 2010
(5) Carmel, Private Collection, Chardonnay, 2010
(6) Carmel, Appellation, Cabernet Franc, 2009 (Petit Sirah & Carignan in same series are also good)
(7) Dalton, Canaan, Red, 2009
(8) Dalton, Fume Blanc, 2011
(9) Dalton, Moscato, 2011
(10) Elvi, Adar, Cava, Brut, n.v.
(11) Galil Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010
(12) Galil Mountain, Alon, 2009 (not yet available in the United States)
(13) Galil Mountain, Pinot Noir, 2010
(14) Golan Heights Winery, Golan, Moscato, 2011
(15) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Gewürztraminer, 2011
(16) Luria, Gewurztraminer, 2011 (available only in Israel)
(17) Recanati, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010
(18) Recanati, Rose, 2011
(19) Recanati, Yasmin, White, 2011
(20) Tabor, Galil, Shiraz, 2009
(21) Teperberg, Terra, Malbec, 2009
(22) Teperberg, Silver, Syrah, 2009
(23) Tishbi, Gewurztraminer, 2010
(24) Weinstock, Cellar Select, Petite Sirah, 2010

$16-29.99

This price range is the sweet spot for me. As the prices of kosher wine continues to rise to ridiculous levels, there are a number of wineries that maintain a tremendous level of quality without pushing prices out of the reach of most people. While the majority of truly great Kosher wines unfortunately reside in the over $30 price range, there are plenty of great ones here as well. In general, I find Ella Valley, Dalton, Carmel, Herzog Special Reserve and the Golan Heights Winery to be consistent players in this field of great wines under $30 (i.e. anything of theirs in this range is worth buying [unless it’s past its peak]), notwithstanding the fact that they all also have more expensive terrific wines as well.

(1) Alexander, Reserve, Gaston, Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Shiraz, 2007
(2) Alfasi, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, 2011
(3) Barkan, Reserve, Pinotage, 2010
(4) Binyamina, Reserve, Carignan, 2009 (the 2010 is the newest release in Israel)
(5) Binyamina, Reserve, Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, 2009
(6) Bodegas Flechas de los Andes, Gran Malbec, Mendoza, 2009
(7) Capcanes, Peraj Petita, 2009
(8) Carmel, Sha’al Vineyard, Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, 2007
(9) Carmel, Kayoumi Vineyard, Riesling, 2010
(10) Chateau Thenac, Fleur du Perigord, 2010
(11) Covenant, Red C, Sauvignon Blanc, 2011 (improvement over the very nice 2010)
(12) Dalton, Estate, Petite Sirah, 2010
(13) Dalton, Alma, Chardonnay/Viognier, 2010
(14) Domaine Netofa, Red, 2010
(15) Domaine Netofa, Lator, White, 2010
(16) Ella Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Franc, 2009
(17) Ella Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 (the 2007 Syrah is also delicious)
(18) Elvi, Herenza, Rioja, 2008
(19) Flam, Blanc, 2010
(20) Flam, Classico, 2010
(21) Galil Mountain, Avivim, 2009
(22) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Blanc de Blancs, 2005
(23) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007
(24) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Odem Organic Vineyard, Chardonnay, 2009
(25) Goose Bay, Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 (don’t let the screwcap scare you off)
(26) Goose Bay, Pinot Noir, 2010
(27) Hagafen, Lake County, White Riesling, 2010
(28) Herzog, Special Reserve, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008
(29) Herzog, Special Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon/Zinfandel/Syrah, 2009
(30) Odem Mountain, Volcanic, Shiraz, 2009
(31) Pacifica, Pinot Noir, 2010
(32) Porto Cordovero, Fine Ruby Port, n.v.
(33) Psagot, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 (also try their port-styled “Prat”)
(34) Psagot, Edom, 2009
(35) Recanati, Reserve, Syrah/Viognier, 2010
(36) Recanati, Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009
(37) Recanati, Reserve, Cabernet Franc, 2009
(38) Segal, Single Vineyard Dishon, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 (a truly great wine and a YH Best Buy)
(39) Shiloh, Barbera, 2009
(40) Teperberg, Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 (probably Teperberg’s best wine yet)
(41) Tulip, Just, Merlot, 2010
(42) Tulip, White Tulip, 2011
(43) Tzora, Neve Ilan, 2010
(44) Tzora, Judean Hils, 2009
(45) Tzuba, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007
(46) Vignobles David, Reserve, Cotes du Rhone Villages, 2010

$30-50

(1) 1848, Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. A delightful new arrival on the scene from a family that has been making wine in Israel for over 150 years.
(2) Barkan, Altitude, Cabernet Sauvignon +702, 2007. Each wine is the series is named for the respective altitude of the vineyard & all three are good. Together they make a great comparative tasting.
(3) Bazelet HaGolan, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. After a hiatus of a few years from top tier wines, Bazelet returns with a few good wines. This is one of them.
(4) B.R. Cohn, Trestle Glen Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008. The first kosher wine from the legendary Bruce Cohn and a resounding success – I wrote about the wine here.
(5) Capcanes, Peraj Ha’abib Flor de Primavera, 2009. One of my all time favorite wines and a spectacular vintage for this wine. The 2000 vintage is drinking amazingly now and is easily a Moshiach wine.
(6) Carmel, Single Vineyard Kayoumi, Shiraz, 2007. There is something special about the Kayoumi vineyard. The Cabernet is also really good and both could use a bit of aging before enjoying.
(7) Carmel, Mediterranean, 2007. One of Carmel’s attempts to create a wine with “Israeli” terroir. Different and delicious.
(8) Castel, Petit Castel, 2009. A “second” wine to the Grand Vin in price and name only – certainly not in quality.
(9) City Winery, Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. City Winery makes a number of delicious wines out of their SoHo facility which is worthy of a visit and the wines of your attention.
(10) City Winery, Spring Street Pinot Noir, 2009. Another top wine from City Winery and, while no longer the only kosher Oregon Pinot, it remains the best one.
(11) Covenant, Lavan (Chardonnay), 2010. A bit less oak than prior vintages allows the beautiful fruit to better express itself while still providing some muscle to this delicious wine.
(12) Dalton, Reserve, Shiraz, 2009. As with almost everything Dalton makes, this is a delightful wine (the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is also well worth trying).
(13) Drappier, Carte D’Or Champagne, n.v. A new and welcome arrival to the limited group of true kosher Champagnes. Crisp, layered and delicious.
(14) Ella Valley Vineyards, Vineyard’s Choice, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. Cabernet Sauvignon has been this winery’s weakest link (albeit a very strong one), an issue rectified by this wine. The Vineyard’s Choice Merlot 2005 is great (they just re-released the 2004 but I’d stick with the 2005).
(15) Elvi, El 26, Priorat, 2006. Together with the Mesorah listed below, these are Elvi’s two flagship wines who have earned that distinction. Simply delicious. The In Victa, a newly released white wine is also delightful.
(16) Elvi, Clos Mesorah, 2009. A limited release blend of Elvi’s new flagship wine. A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Old Vine Carignan yields a delightful result.
(17) Four Gates, Cabernet Franc, 2007. One of my favorite Cabernet Franc wines and a scrumptious wine. Four Gates is truly a tremendous winery whose wines are only available directly from the winery. Well worth the effort and make for fantastic pairing with food.
(18) Four Gates, Pinot Noir, 2009. Four Gates recently released a slew of news wines which are all incredible. The new cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah and delicious as well.
(19) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Single Vineyard–Elrom, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008. Almost everything they make is great. While some are a little overly jammy and oaky for my personal taste, this wine is rich, deep and delicious (and Shmittah) with great aging potential.
(20) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Single Vineyard-Ortal, Syrah, 2004. I drink tons of Syrah these days and this is an easy aged favorite which is still available at stores (just confirm the wines storage history).
(21) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Single Vineyard-Yonatan, 2007. A new and very welcome member of the Yarden Single Vineyard Series (and not only because it’s named after my oldest son).
(22) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, T2, 2008. Following their successful release last year of the Yarden 2T, a blend of two Portuguese varietals used in making Port, Yarden recently released a delicious port-Style wine from the same grapes. Only available in Israel but worth locating.
(23) Gvaot, Gofna Reserve, Pinot Noir, 2009. A few Gvaot wines are available in the US but they are overpriced. Gvaot is too amazing to miss out on so do yourself a favor and get some directly from Israel (most of them are really good).
(24) Hagafen, Prix, Pinot Noir – Fagan Creek, 2006. Hagafen makes two Pinot Noir wines in the Prix series (the other from the Soleil Vineyard). Both are delicious and make for a great comparative tasting.
(25) Hagafen, Prix, Zinfandel – Moskowite Ranch/Block 61, 2006. A big and powerful Zinfandel with plenty of fruit, spice and chocolate coming together magnificently.
(26) Karmei Yosef (Bravdo), Coupage, 2010. I was instantly smitten with the Karmei Yosef wines when I tasted the 2007 vintage and am ecstatic that the wine are now imported into the US at reasonable prices. Also highly recommended is the Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
(27) Livni, Sde Calev, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. A winery that has improved drastically over the last few years and this wine is rich and delicious. The 2009 Pinot is also well worth trying.
(28) Porto Cordovero, Late Bottled Vintage Port, 2004. The only true LBV kosher Port and a delicious and different dessert wine that is well worth trying.
(29) Recanati, Reserve, Kerem Ba’al, Carignan, 2009. One of the most interesting releases of the year in which Recanati showed its abilities once again. An ancient grape made awesome. Imported in limited quantities so get some as fast as you can. The 2010 is the current release in Israel.
(30) Recanati, Special Reserve, 2006. One of my all-time favorites and a severely underappreciated wine. Pricey but still a YH Best Buy.
(31) Shiloh, Secret Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. Over the last two years the consistency and quality of Shiloh has grown exponentially (stay tuned for a coming newsletter dedicated to the winery).
(32) Tzora, Misty Hills, 2007. Tzora’s flagship label which can be tough to find is terrific, reflecting the Judean Hills unique terroir and the winery’s abilities to create complex, layered and age-worthy wines.
(33) Yatir, Red Blend, 2007. As with everything else made by Yatir, this is a great wine well worth splurging on. The single varietal Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz wines are harder to find but worth the time, effort & expense to do so.

Moshiach Wines

Moshiach Wines are those wines that I would proudly serve the Moshiach, were he ever to grace my table. Please note that some of the Moshiach wines are older vintages that I have in my cellar or were acquired directly from Israel, and therefore may not be readily available at your local retailer. While they may be a tad difficult to lay your hands on, I promise you these are all worth the extra mile of effort or additional shekels! For your convenience, in instances where I have listed older vintages, I have also noted the current vintage of the wine and whether it is worthy of your consideration and wallet. I also note that this list has a very limited number of wines from Israel’s incredible 2008 vintage year as they are Shmittah and, for the most part not imported to the United States. That said, for my Israeli readers and those for whom this is not an issue, seek out any high-end wines from the 2008 vintage which are mostly A-M-A-Z-I-N-G (ping me for questions with respect to any particular wine). I have also limited references to many incredible wines that have been released in Israel and I have tasted over the last few months at Sommelier and IsraWinExpo as they are not available in the US or even widely available in Israel.

(1) Alexander, Alexander the Great, Amarolo, 2007. A new wine in a gloriously opulent label, styled after the fabled Amarone wines of Veneto and the only such kosher wine I know. Expensive but different and delicious.
(2) Barkan, Superior, Pinotage, 2007. An incredible effort with a somewhat obstinate grape. The Superior 2006 Shiraz and 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon are available and both delightful as well.
(3) Binyamina, Avnei HaChoshen-Diamond, 2007. An amazing blend and my favorite wine of this series (which can be hit or miss sometimes although consistency is improving and this wine being an easy hit). The Aquamarine 2007 (Cabernet Sauvignon) is also delicious.
(4) Binyamina, The Cave, Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. A new and limited release Cave that is delicious and tough to find but worth seeking out as it has more depth & complexity than the “regular” Cave (tasting the two side by side make for an interesting comparison).
(5) Bustan, Syrah, 2007. Bustan is unfortunately only available in Israel but, as with Gvaot and several other boutique Israelis that are overpriced in the US, well-worth the effort of obtaining directly from Israel.
(6) Capcanes, Flor de Flor, 2007. The Peraj Ha’abib is a long time favorite of mine and this relatively new wine is great as well. Now with some age on it, it is drinking beautifully. The 2010 vintage is the current release (and next released vintage after the 2007).
(7) Capcanes, Peraj Ha’abib Flor de Primavera, 2003. Once you taste this wine, the value of properly aging wine for future enjoyment becomes crystal clear (if it wasn’t already). The 2009 and 2010 are both available.
(8) Carmel, Limited Edition, 2005. Another example of Carmel’s gradual transition from showcasing power to elegance, from a vintage that is drinking beautifully right now. The 2007 and 2008 are the current releases; while both are great, they will benefit from further cellaring.
(9) Castel, Grand Vin, 2006. 2009 is the current vintage in the US and is also delicious but needs time. One of Israel’s most prominent wines in Old-World style.
(10) Château Guiraud, Sauternes 1er Cru, 2001. The best kosher dessert wine. Period.
(11) Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint Julien, 2005. One of the best kosher French wines from an awesome vintage for Bordeaux. A worthy splurge.
(12) Château Piada, Sauternes, 2006. A legitimate successor to the delightful 2001 vintage of this wine that I have enjoyed for years. Do yourself a favor, and try some real dessert wine from Sauternes.
(13) Château Le Crock, Saint-Estèphe, 2005. A great French wine from a terrific vintage. While the 2005 vintage doesn’t carry the YH Best Buy label this wine had for years, its still well-priced & delicious.
(14) Château Quinault, Saint-Émilion, 2005. This Château certainly picked the right year for their first kosher release. Bordeaux as Bordeaux was meant to be.
(15) Covenant, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005. The 2009 is the current vintage but, as with all vintages of this wine, needs plenty of time. Buy a few every year and give them the proper time in your cellar – I promise you will not be disappointed.
(16) Covenant, Solomon, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008. After many years, Leslie Rudd finally gave Jeff his wish and allowed a Covenant wine to be made from his acclaimed grapes. All I can say is – Wow! A huge wine with plenty of depth and complexity that will continue to develop and evolve for many years.
(16) Golan Heights Winery, Katzrin Red, 2004. After all these years the Katzrin is still the Israeli Rock Star of wine and the one with the longest aging ability (I drank my last 1990 a few months ago and still have a few 1993 vintages I am looking forward to). The 2007 is the latest release (w/ a 2008 expected soon) but isn’t ready to drink yet.
(17) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Elrom Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003. The 2001 inaugural vintage of this wine was earth-shattering (and an easy Moshiach wine in its own right) and still is but I am saving my remaining bottles for Yonatan’s Bar-Mitzvah. All released vintages of this wine are great but the 2003 is really special and truly a Moshiach Wine.
(18) Hagafen, Prix, Mélange, 2006. Available directly from the winery and one of Hagafen’s best wines ever (which is mevushal to boot).
(19) Herzog, Generation VIII, Cabernet Sauvignon, To Kalon, 2006. A wine well worthy of the famed To-Kalon name with tons of fruit, power, terroir and elegance all rolled into an awesome and very expensive package. A real treat if you can afford it but definitely not a QPR wine.
(20) Herzog, Special Edition, Chalk Hill, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008. For years, this wine was the premium Herzog wine. Despite multiple subsequent single vineyard-releases this wine still reigns supreme (other than the To-Kalon version which is more expensive)
(21) Laurent Perrier, Brut Champagne, n.v. True Champagne makes my heart sing and this version from Laurent Perrier is a magnificent specimen that will make you feel the same.
(22) Louis de Sacy, Grand Cru, Brut Champagne, n.v. Together with the Laurent Perrier Brut above, my go-to Champagne. Despite my love of Yarden’s Blanc de Blanc, there is no substitute for the luxury of true Champagne.
(23) Psagot, Single Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. An instant hit upon release that has aged nicely and is primed for enjoyment now. The 2009 is the current release.
(24) Segal, Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. Once hailed as the closest thing to a kosher Barolo, this wine is scrumptious. All past vintages, including the 2000 are drinking well (although the 2000 should be consumed soon).
(25) Shiloh, Mosaic, 2006. Shiloh’s 2009 vintage shows the immense progress the winery has recently made, but this wine from the 2006 vintage is great and drinking amazingly right now.
(26) Shirah Wines, Power to the People, Syrah, 2009. A delicious wine, blended with 3% Viognier from two wine-making brothers on the West Coast. Prior hits included my top-rated Syraph and they have a slew of new wines coming online. Available only directly from them & a bit pricy, these are voluptuous treats.
(27) Yatir, Forest, 2005. Perfection in a bottle. The current available vintage is the 2007 (and 2008 in Israel) which will be great in a few years but definitely needs some settling down time.

For additional Moshiach Wines, check out my Best Wines of 2011.

The Other White Meat…

David Rhodes — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:44:51 +0000

When moving to a new country, there are certain cultural changes one should expect. One might expect to adapt to new languages, politics, business practices, music, food and beverages. Coming from America, I was bit surprised on one dietary trend in Israel and that is the vast consumption of dog.

Dog eaten for breakfast, dog eaten for lunch, dog eaten for dinner served in all different ways in manners is quite popular in Israel. Now coming from America and being someone who tried to indulge in the full spectrum of culinary treats the world has to offer, I can say I frequently had dog in Asian restaurants and I especially liked the way it was prepared in Thai and Vietnamese establishments. Yet, dog for breakfast. Well, I’ve known smoked dog as a special breakfast treat so I’ve now been trying dog for breakfast here as well. It’s a surprisingly refreshing protein choice for the early morning, not as heavy in one’s gut as other fleshy protein alternatives.

Now, let me clarify one point before I continue. Kosher law is quite prevalent in Israel and those laws specified in the Torah and regulated and clarified by rabbis over the millennium specify that only certain kinds of dog qualify for Kosher consumption. So don’t be shocked that even though the availability of dog from market to market and restaurant to restaurant is bountiful you might not be able to find all the kinds of dog in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv that you might find if you were visiting Bangkok or Saigon.

Of course new international laws are consistently being introduced to make sure that dog populations are sustainable for future consumption though many countries are often at odds at their neighbors or even far away countries poaching dog from what’s considered sovereign territory. It might seem an odd thing to come to blows over but some countries take their dog consumption quite seriously. The Japanese are renown for their huge per capita consumption of dog and are hugely responsible for driving the prices on the international trading of dog flesh. It’s not uncommon for them to eat some dog while it’s still alive (something strictly forbidden by kosher law). Baruch Hashem for that.

Almost as disturbing as eating live dog is an Israeli tendency to serve the whole dog carcass, head to tail on the table. No matter how succulent a chef’s preparation, it’s as not if such a “face to face” meeting with the special of the day will result in an intriguing conversation. Personally, I find the eyes to have an accusatory stare as if the dog is waiting for my review of the meal.

Of course being someone who’s involved in wine education and commerce, I’m also challenged but entertained by pairing dog with wine. As a lighter white meat, dog goes quite well with white wines. A Sauvignon Blanc is a classic match but dry Rieslings are a good bet, too. Often the sauce or style of preparation the dog is served will dictate the wine pairing but I say certain reds can often be a nice match. A Pinot Noir or Beaujolais can often be light enough not to overwhelm the light and delicate flavors of more delicate fare yet complicated and poignant on the palette to match smoked or more gamey offerings.

I know many of you dog owners might be a bit squeamish about this subject and that once you have an animal as a pet it’s hard to have them on your menu; but, let’s be open minded and who knows over time you might find a way to enjoy both. Though I have to admit that after working on a dairy farm I couldn’t eat meat for months afterwards. Those calves were just so damn cute. Slowly, before you know it I was eating burgers again. I guess for some it’s a choice of one or the other: consumer or guardian. Pal or pate.

In closing, once one puts aside any trepidations over eating dog (as millions if not billions of people do) then enjoy eating dog as often as possible in every way imaginable. Most doctors agree it’s one of the healthiest protein sources offering many more nutrients than beef, lamb or chicken. If as a kosher diner you’re unsure of what dog is allowed or forbidden consult your rabbi . If in Israel it might be prudent to mention the more common transliteration of “dawg” or in America or the Commonwealth the English translation “Fish”.

April Fools!!!

David Rhodes is a certified Wine specialist and has been employed by wineries and restaurants in that capacity.

VIP Wine Tasting and Gallery Opening Reception in Ra’anana, Israel

David Rhodes — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:50:38 +0000

Sunday April 1st (No Fooling!!!) 7 PM to 8PM wine tasting and art gallery opening at Brill’s New Judaica Art Gallery
Rechov Ahuza 111
50 NIS (FREE with purchase of any wine bottle)
featuring the newly kosher wine of the Saslove Winery (at discounted prices for Pesach)
2010 was their first kosher vintage and five red wines will be tasted including their new artistic labeled Aviv series

this is the first release of these wines in Ra’anana
with special snacks and a guest appearance from artist Raphael Abecasses whose work is featured in the gallery
the gallery will remain open for the evening but the VIP meet and greet is limited to first 50 who register (and spots are going fast!!!)
call 09-760-1882 or e-mail to brillsjudaica@gmail.com to reserve your spot

Please tell them you saw the opening at HaKerem: The Israeli Wine Blog