Israel

• Judean Hills
• Galilee

This wine is made from Gewurztraminer using "an ancient Madeira style technology" using very ripe late harvest grapes.  One can only assume that means it was fortified and perhaps oxidized/heated as it was kept outside in barrels for 12 months.  It is 15% abv.  At the end of the day, it is a bit unusual, but very nice and if looking for a dessert wine that is Kosher for Passover, offerings are limited.  An unusual color and a pale orange with some light ruby notes, clear and bright.  The nose has lychee nuts but also a bit of orange peel, some vanilla, alcohol and a woody note.  Medium bodi

 This is a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot, and 4% Syrah from Israel.  Purple in color with a ruby rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, black cherries, plums, spice, slight chocolate and char.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, there is some complexity and depth.  This is tasty and easy to drink.  Flavors of black raspberries, black cherries, spice and char.  Good finish.  This drinks well on its own and will work well with many (non seafood) dishes.  A nice wine to serve with the main

This is  95% Syrah and 5% Petite Sirah from Israel.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, gravel, roasted meats,  and minerality.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is varietally correct.  Black raspberry fruit with gravelly minerality and slight char.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own and would be welcome with a brisket at a Passover Seder.  Drink over the next five to seven years. 

This is made from 100% Marawi grapes grown in the west bank (Palestine) Israel. Medium golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is interesting with apricots, slight citrus and a bitters note.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this has a bit of depth and complexity.  Slight apricot notes.  Dry.  Good finish.  This works better with food and went nicely with a vegetarian Matzoh Ball soup.  Drink over the next couple of years.  

Very pale slivery/clear/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with yellow grapefruits, salinity, and slight green herbal notes.  Light bodied.  Slightly creamy texture.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, this has some fruit but not sweet nor ripe.  Grapefruits with a bit of green.  Good finish.  This is easy drinking but is better with food.  It would work well with gefilte fish and did go well with "vegetarian gefilte".  Drink over the next couple of years.  

This is a sparkling wine from Israel.  It is a blend of 73% Chardonnay and 27% Pinot Noir.  Pale pink with some orange hues in color.  A nice mousse with a fair amount of very small bubbles.  Clear and bright.  The nose is nice with strawberries, toast, and slight red apple notes.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is dry. Flavors of strawberries with some apple and char.  Nice finish.  This is lovely on its own and worked well with "Mock" Liver and Roasted Nuts.  It was a great way to start a Passover Seder.  

This is my favorite Israeli wine.  It is Kosher and it can hold its own among the best Bordeaux  blends anywhere.  It is a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petite Verdot.  Ruby in color, purple at the core.  The nose has cassis, dust, black cherries and slight chocolate.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cassis, black cherries, spice and slight char.  Slight heat on the finish.  This is young and needs some air or cellaring to sort out.  Hold for as couple and then drink for ten after that.  It would pair nicely with brisket at a

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.  

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.   

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