2017 Domaine Du Castel La Vie Rouge du Castel Jerusalem - Haute Judee, Israel, Wine Review

Domaine du Castel is one of the best wineries in Israel. This is their value wine made in both red and white. Of course, this is the red and it truly is a very good value. This was originally purchased for Passover 2020, but due to Covid, opened in 2021. Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright. The nose has black cherries and some cassis with a bit of dust and earthiness. Medium bodied. This drinks easily with light tannins and fresh black cherry fruit. Good balance. This probably should be consumed in the next few years, but for around $20, this is a nice Cab. It graced our Passover Seder and worked well with the meal.

Grade:

A-

Score:

Vintage:

2017

2016 Domaine Du Castel Jerusalem - Haute Judee La Vie, Israel, Wine Review

Vintage:

2016

Score:

Grade:

A-

Current Price:

$20.00USD

This is a really good bottle of wine and for $20, it is a great value. We opened a few of these for our Passover Seder, but I would happily drink this Bordeaux blend any time. Purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, cherries, slight coffee and spice. On the palate, this is medium bodied. Light tannins. The black raspberries and cherries carry thru. Some underlying spice as well. Good balance. Nice finish. This works with a wide variety of food. Tasty. Seems like it should easily do five more years. It probably won't get better though.

2017 Domaine du Castel Grand Vin Judean Hills, Israel, Wine Review

Vintage:

2017

Score:

Grade:

A-

Current Price:

$75.00USD

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

2017 Domaine du Castel Petit Castel Kosher Judean Hills, Israel, Wine Review

Vintage:

2017

Score:

Grade:

A-

Current Price:

$43.00USD

This is the second wine of Domaine Castel. It is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, plums, chocolate and slight black olives. Nice texture. On the palate, sour black cherries, some black raspberries over char and earth. Medium tannins. This needs a couple of years to sort itself out and then should be good for a decade. A nice choice for roasted meats, fowl and veggies.

2016 Flam Classico Judean Hills, Israel, Wine Review

Vintage:

2016

Score:

Grade:

B+

Current Price:

$36.00USD

This bottle was left from our Seder in 2021 so we added it to this year's. It is a Bordeaux blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 16% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot and 7% Syrah. While still drinking well, it is showing a bit of age and has dropped some of its fresh fruit notes (the prior note is on this site). Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has cassis, black cherries, tobacco, and dust. On the palate, this has nice cherry fruit with some cassis over dry roasted earth. Easy drinking. Food friendly. It is not a big wine, but worked great with our meal dur

2008 Yatir Yatir Forest, Israel, Negev, Wine Review

Vintage:

2019

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$110.00USD

During our Seder, my son commented that he was surprised they made wine in the Negev desert in southern Israel. i told him that not only did they make wine, they made some great wines. This bottle, which we had purchased in Israel a few years back, was brought up and opened. It needed some air, so we decanted and gave it some vigorous swirling before serving. Even then, it really needed more air and a glass in the decanter the next day was the best. The wine is made from 58% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, 32% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot grapes, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. Purple in color

2017 Domaine Du Castel La Vie Rouge du Castel Jerusalem - Haute Judee, Israel, Wine Review

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