2020 Recanati Yasmin Red, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$14.00USD

This is a kosher wine from Israel.  It is an 80/20 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot for this vintage.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, some black raspberries, cherries, and slight milk chocolate.  Full bodied.  Light to medium tannins.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, this drinks easy.  Cherries and black cherries.  OK Finish.  This drinks easy and will work well on its own, for the Seder, or with Chicken or Brisket.  Drink now.  

2020 Recanati Yasmin White, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$13.00USD

This is an inexpensive Certified Kosher (OU) wine from Israel.  It is a 60/40 blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  On the nose, there is a bit of gooseberry and slight alfalfa.  Light bodied.  Easy drinking.  Slight acidity.  On the palate, this is refreshing.  Nice as an aperitif or with fish (Gefilte?).  Drink now.   

2018 Cremisan Cellars Star of Bethlehem Hamdani/Jandali Bethlehem, Israel, West Bank, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

One of the more unique wines tried.  This is from a winery in the West Bank (Palestinian Authority) of Israel.  The winery was founded in 1885 and run by Salesians since 1891.  The grapes Hamdani and Jandali are indigenous to the region and grown near Bethlehem and Hebron.  Golden in color with some green hues, clear and bright.  The nose is fragrant with stone fruits, green apple and some citrus.  It is a heavier wine although the grapes are grown in a cooler microclimate at 2,600 feet.  Moderate acidity.  Nice, slightly oily texture.  On the palate, some peach, slight pineapple but also s

2020 Dalton Levantina, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$27.00USD

This is a blend of 40% Petite Sirah, 30% Grenache, 10% Shiraz, 10% Petite Verdot, and 10% Carignan.  Kosher for Passover.  Inky purple/blue in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with boysenberries, black cherries, blueberries, spice and slight smoke.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this has some depth.  Plenty of fruit; black cherries, black raspberries and some blueberries.  Good finish.  This drinks well on its own and will pair well with meat dishes.  A nice wine for a Seder meal.  Drink over the next five to ten years.  

NV Domaine Netofa Fine Ruby, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Score: 
86
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$45.00USD

This is made in the style of a Ruby Port.  Made from Touriga Nacional and Tempranillo grapes.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, cherry candy, and slight raisins.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet.  Cherries and Craisins.  Balance.  Moderate finish.  It was a nice way to end our Passover Seder.  It needs plenty of air at this stage but then drank well.  Nice on its own, this worked nicely with chocolate Macaroons.  

2016 Flam Classico Judean Hills, Israel, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
89
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

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.  

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