2020 Netofa Latour White, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$29.00USD

This is Chenin Blanc and was served at our Passover seder meal.  Kosher and non-mevushal.  It sees ten months in barrel.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with lots of minerality but also slight citrus and some peach.  Medium bodied.  Slightly viscous.  On the palate, this is a rounder wine that works better with a bit of food.  In our case, it worked well with Matzoh Ball soup.  Some citrus, slight spice and underlying minerality.  Nice finish.  Drinking nicely now, this should go another three to five years.  

2019 Recanati Chardonnay Reserve, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$32.00USD

Another winner in the Recanti Reserve lineup.  Served with our 2023 Seder meal.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has some grapefruit, slight vanilla and peach.  Full bodied.  On the palate, yellow grapefruits, slight spice and vanilla.  This vintage is starting to show a bit of age but still drinking just about at peak.  This is nice on its own and worked well with Roasted vegetables with an avocado cilantro sauce.  Drink over the next few years.  

2018 Recanati Petite Sirah Reserve, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$33.00USD

What a nice showing for this wine.  We served it as the red wine for our Passover Seder 2023.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is correct with boysenberries, char, and a bit of swisher cherry cigars.  Full bodied.  Nice depth.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is smooth.  Boysenberries with underlying char.  Long finish.  Tasty.  This is drinking well now and should continue for the next five to ten years.  Nice on its own, this worked well with Charoset, Bitter herbs, etc. (and also Eggplant Parmesan).  

NV Golan Heights Winery Gilgal Brut, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

This is a sparkling wine from northern Israel.  It is Kosher for Passover.  A blend of 50/50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  Light golden in color with just a hint of pale ruby.  A nice mousse of small bubbles.  The nose is nice with lemons, minerals, slight strawberries and a slight almond note.  Medium bodied.  11.5% abv.  On the palate, this drinks easily.  Lemons with some minerality.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own and would work with most foods.  It went well with "mock" liver at our Seder.  Drink over the next few years.  

2011 The Cave Winery, The Cave, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$150.00USD

This is a Bordeaux blend from Israel of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 4% Petite Verdot.  It is one of the more expensive bottlings coming out of Israel.  It is a very nice wine but whether it is worth the money is another question.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is earthy with black cherries, some cassis, slight bell pepper and spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, the black cherries come thru with a streak of bell pepper over and earthy/charred bed.  It drinks like classic Bordeaux.  Nice balance.  Light tannins.  Solid finish.  This seems to be at peak and should be

2013 Adir Ben Zimra Plot Ninety Eight, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$53.00USD

This is a "Port" styled wine made in Israel from 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Shiraz.  Made more in a tawny style but not quite.  It is very interesting an certainly good.  Deep brick red in color, clear and bright.  The nose has toffee, slight cassis and a bit nutty.  Full bodied and viscous.  On the palate, this is sweet but not overt.  Toffee, chocolate and raspberries.  Slight warmth on the finish.  This is Kosher.  It is hard to say how long this will last.  My guess is that it should be consumed over the next five years, but it might last much longer.  It went very well with pecan r

2016 Tulip Winery Syrah Reserve, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$38.00USD

Opened at a holiday party to join in the fun with a "Chanukah" wine as it is made in Israel.   Israel is making some excellent wines these days and this is an outstanding Syrah.  Deep purple in color with ruby swirls.  The nose is very meaty with black raspberries, bacon fat, and black pepper.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is somewhere between a Rhone style Syrah and one from California.  It is delicious but slightly restrained fruit.  Black raspberries over roasted meat and earth.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This will work well with stews and roasts.  It should drink well for the

2017 Dalton Crimson Cabernet Alma

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$28.00USD

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has cassis, cherries, slight chocolate, char and spice.  On the palate, this is soft, accessible and easy drinking.  Layers of black cherries, cassis and char.  Light tannins.  Medium finish.  This probably should be consumed over the next five years.  It will go great with burgers, ribs or pasta.  

2014 Tulip Winery Black Tulip, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$70.00USD

This is the best Israeli wine I have had.  It is a blend  of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petite Verdot.  Purple in color with a thin ruby line at the rim.  The nose is very nice with spice, black raspberries and tobacco.  With air, some milk chocolate comes out.  On the palate this has a lovely texture.  Medium tannins.  Black raspberry fruits, cherries with a forest floor base.  Great balance.  Long finish.  This seems just a touch young but is drinking very well.  Probably about five to seven years from peak and should be good for another ten to twenty a

2016 Recanati Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve David Vineyard, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$26.00USD

Purple in color, shimmering bright.  The nose has some volatile acidity along with cassis and a slight earthiness.  Nice texture.  Slightly tart and slightly bitter cherry fruit.  A bit of chocolate on the finish.  This is a solid, easy quaffing wine.  It is probably best drunk in the next few years.  it should  work well with medium bodied foods like pizza, pasta or burgers.  

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