Chateau Musar is one of the great wineries of the world.  Add to that the idea of making wine in Lebanon and its even more remarkable.  This wine is outstanding.

Castel is probably the consistently best top winery in Israel.  Although modern Israel wine is a very young industry, so this is always changing.  Castel has a proven track record.  The Grand Vin is the best wine that they make.  This is quite young and just not giving up much right now.  After a couple of hours of air, it had improved but its best days are at least five years in the future.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has nice baking spices along with some cherries.  On the palate, firm tannins.  Black cherries.  Monolithic at present.  It is tasty but needs time develop a complexity

This was served in a Sukkah before an Israel wine tasting.  Fun.  Light yello/gold in color.  The nose has nice limes, lemons and slight wax.  It is a blend of 65% Gewurztraminer and 35% Sauvignon Blanc.  The Gewurtz was not identifiable and this drank like a Sauvignon Blanc.  That said, it is a nice wine.  The palate has nice minerality with some lemons and a bit of tropical fruit (Guava?).  Good finish.  It is not mevushal but it is kosher.  

This is the top bottling from this winery.  This is a gorgeous Napa Cab that should get even better with about five to seven years of cellaring.  Purple in color, deep ruby at the rim.  Opaque and bright.  The nose is classic with cassis, spice and char and slight touch of fresh cut lumber (that should fade quickly).  On the palate, this is deep and complex.  Firm tannins at the moment.  Nice juicy acidity/fruit - black raspberries over a bit of char.  Long finish.  This is delicious and really demands ones attention.  If opening before 2027, give it a good decant.  This will work with gril

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, black cherries and an interesting iodine note.  This is of course young with firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries over a bit of charred wood.  A very long finish with some warmth.  This wine should start opening up around 2023 and be good for around ten years after that.  If drinking before, give it a good decant.  It will drink well on its own but will need bigger food for now.  Think roasted meats.  

This is the first year that this wine was made.  It is a blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah.  At age 20, this seems to be at peak.  It is drinking great with no signs of being over the hill.  Deep ruby in color, purple at the rim (a nice sign of youth).  The nose is all about boysenberries along with hints of black pepper and some charred wood.  On the palate, this is slightly soft with no tannins left.  It is almost seamless.  Deep and complex.  Boysenberry fruit over a bed of char and dry earth.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This will go with a wide range of medium and heavier fo

This is a blend of 87% Syrah and 13% Petite Sirah.  At age ten this is just starting to come into its own.  We drank this side by side with a 1999 which was illustrative.  Deep ruby in color with some purple swirls.  The nose is big with black raspberries, char and minerals.  A wonderful, full bodied texture.  Black raspberry fruit over a char/mineral/earthy base.  Tight layering with moderate tannins.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This does have some upside as it mature and comes together.  If opening now, give it a few hours in a decanter.  This drinks great on its own and will work well wit

This is a great value in Port wines.  Is it an amazingly complex Port?  No, but its also less than $20.  It is a tasty and warming beverage that is a crowd pleaser.  Purple in color.  The nose has chocolate, raspberries and slight raisins.  On the palate, this is more like chocolate covered cherries.  It is viscous and slightly sweet.  There is some depth and complexity.  Warming on the finish.  This is great on its own, but use a small pour as there is a lot of alcohol.  It will also work great with a chocolate dessert.  

It was nice to revisit this wine that I had tried twice about a year ago.  At the time it was a love it or hate it wine, so I was curious what a year of ageing had done.  It really hadn't done much.  The wines was still about in the same place.  Served to a crowd, it was indeed, love it or hate it.  That was fun.  Magenta in color with some purple swirls.  The nose has cassis, bourbon barrels and is dusty.  On the palate, I found it sweet although others did not.  Loads of black cherry fruit and char.  It is smooth and certainly different.  Probably better on its own than with food.  It doe

This is the top cuvee from one of the top producers in Beaujolais.  Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has a significant amount of barnyard on it.  While I enjoyed it, this may be off putting to some.  Also, plenty of cherries, black cherries, and charred wood.  On the palate, the cherries come thru along with some sour cherries, and a bit of earthiness.  Plenty of depth.  Great acidity.  Still showing very young with light tannins.  Nice finish.  This probably needs another three to five years if well stored.  It will work well with casseroles and stews as well as roas