Yossie's Corkboard

As promised, I am happy to announce that the Leket Wine Club has finally launched and is fully operational. Please check it out at www.leketwineclub.com and sign-up early as there is a special bonus for signing up by August 20th (which will also guarantee delivery of your first shipment in time for Rosh Hashanah).

While all of the Wine Club details are available on the website above, I wanted to mention a few things about the Wine Club that I thought would interest you. First, currently delivery is only available within the United States and only to those states where legally permitted. However, the Wine Club would obviously make an awesome gift for anyone, so hopefully my Israeli-based readers will find this of interest as well, and folks will find a kosher Wine Club membership an attractive and unique gift. Second, I will personally be selecting all of the wines for each quarterly shipment and only wines that I personally recommend and enjoy will be provided in each shipment. Lastly, and as with every other aspect of my oenophilic endeavors, I will not be receiving any benefits whatsoever, in any form or fashion (other than having the opportunity to assist a great charity).

Each shipment will include a collection of Israeli wines from a specific wine-growing region, winery or varietal and a write-up from me about the wines and their provenance together with my personal tasting notes for each wine. The wines will include both old favorites (although I wouldn’t hold my breath for any of Bartanura’s Moscato D’Asti) and other new and interesting wines that you might not otherwise think to purchase on your own but will be wines that I think you will enjoy.

Leket has partnered with Skyview Wine and Spirits – located in Riverdale and a great source of top-notch kosher wines – to provide the wines and handle all commercial aspects of the Wine Club. Skyview will be offering Wine Club members additional discounts and special offers throughout the year, including the ability to purchase additional quantities of all Wine Club selections at discounted prices so check out the various links and pages on the Wine Club’s website.

About Leket
Leket Israel (formerly Table to Table Israel), is Israel’s leading food-rescue network and also operates as its national food bank and. Leket rescues excess food from varying food sources (producers, caterers, farmers, etc.) all over Israel and redistributes it to hundreds of not-for-profit organizations all over the country which provide food to those in need positively impacting the lives of over 30,000 Israelis daily. I volunteered with Leket for a while when I was living in Israel, helping get their Jerusalem operations off the ground and have continued to be actively involved with them in a variety of ways since moving to New York including by sitting on the board of the American Friends of Leket Israel. For more about Leket check out their website at http://www.leket.org/english/.

Hope you enjoy and, as always, please feel free to email me any wine-related questions. For any technical and/or commercial aspects of the Wine Club, please use the “Contact” links on the sites which will yield a far more knowledgeable (and presumably helpful) response.

Listed below are notes from two wines I enjoyed this past weekend. While I don’t usually enjoy two wines of this caliber on a random Shabbat, we were planning on being away for the weekend and I had selected these two incredible wines from my cellar in honor of my host. When we ended up not making it out these for the weekend, I felt “obligated” to enjoy these wines on my own which, as you will see from the notes, was no great hardship.

Stay tuned for my regular edition coming at the end of the week.

Best and Le’Chaim,
Yossie

Hagafen, Prix Reserve, Mélange, Napa Valley, 2004: Hagafen’s Prix Reserve wines are only available directly from the winery and you must belong to their Prix wine club as well. Joining their club carries my highest recommendation since the Prix wines, while somewhat expensive, are always hits. The Mélange was created as the flagship of the Prix series and, given its standing as the best Hagafen wine I have yet to taste, it does not disappoint. Now, while I am not a big believer in wine scores, thinking that the actual tasting notes holds much more information that the score itself which is sometimes taken out of context; I believe this wine received one of the highest scores a kosher wine has ever received from Daniel Rogov and, boy was it well deserved. An excellent, rich ruby colored wine with muscular but somehow supple and well-integrated tannins this wine is a massive delight. Full-bodied, with loads of cassis and red forest fruit on the initial nose tempered slightly by a gentle oak influence. Black and white pepper are easily recognizable and they serve to provide an interesting accompaniment to the delightful fruits, cinnamon, espresso, mint, eucalyptus and vanilla on both the palate and nose. All this goodness leads into a long, slightly smoky, finish. By far the best mevushal wine I have ever tasted, this wine is incredible now after a couple years of good bottle aging but will continue to develop nicely over the next 5-10 years.

Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Ortal Vineyard, Syrah, 2004: As I have mentioned in the past, the Golan Heights Winery seems to have struck oenophilic gold with their Single Vineyard Series. I had this wine pretty recently over Pessach but was more than happy to get another go at it since it’s finally starting to come into its own resulting in the most delicious Israeli Syrah I have tasted yet. Even at release the wine was delicious (I couldn’t resist opening a bottle as soon as the package from Avi Ben in Israel arrived at my doorstep). The structure and balance of the wine’s tannins, fruit and wood made it clear that an even more amazing wine awaited and all it was asking in return was for a bit of patience. The time in the bottle and my dark and cool wine cellar has definitely done well by this wine. A full bodied wine best described as lusciously opulent and exceedingly elegant. Layers and layers of complex and slightly spicy fruit on the nose and palate which gives way to plums, cherries, currants and tangy raspberries all backed up beautifully with earthy tones and plenty of cloves and other warm spices.

#136 – July 25, 2010

Anyone who has ever bought a gift for someone else knows the difficulty and amount of thought required to procuring an appropriate gift that will not be met by BSD (a term coined by Mark Oldman which stands for the “Barely Concealed Displeasure” expressed by a gift recipient when presented with an unwanted or inappropriate gift). It is a tough skill to achieve but, as anyone who has successfully presented that perfect gift and been met by true appreciation and thanks can attest too, one well worth the effort to perfect. As difficult as finding an appropriate gift may be, such difficulty is magnified many times over when it comes to providing a bottle of wine or other wine-related gift. As you all know, many folks view the word of wine as a snobby and intimidating environment in which they are sometimes at a complete loss. Making matters worse, a bottle of wine has become the de rigueur gift when invited for a meal (Shabbat or otherwise) and many people feel ill equipped to pick the right bottle, even more so when the host is someone they know to enjoy or appreciate wine.

In the event that you decide to bring a bottle of wine as a gift, there are a few things to keep in mind. First [warning – shameless plug coming], you have hundreds of recommendations available to you at any and every price point from my newsletters. I don’t write about wines that I don’t like so any wine mentioned on these pages is probably a safe bet. Another guaranteed success is not to ever, under any circumstance, buy the blue-bottled abomination that is Bartanura Moscato D’Asti. It’s actually better to come empty-handed than to bring a bottle of that (or a white zinfandel). Even if the hosts want such a wine, a little paternalistic/big-brother action is in order to save them from themselves.

The best type of wine gift for the casual wine drinker is something interesting but not too adventurous or niche. Before attempting to introduce someone to the lychee flavors of a Gewürztraminer I’d aim for a nice, crisply dry Rose or a sophisticated yet approachable dessert wine which are two, less common, types of wine. Some other good choices would be a deliciously creamy Viognier, a number of which were recommended a few weeks ago, or a well-made Zinfandel like the one Hagafen makes in its Prix series. A good Zinfandel can provide the same big wine feel as a bold Cabernet Sauvignon but in a different package. Any good, Muscat-based, dessert wine like the Golan Height Winery’s Moscato will quickly and efficiently erase any thought of the blue-bottle from anyone’s mind. Another nice choice would be a sparkling wine. While most people still associate Champagne as a celebratory wine to be opened solely on special occasions, we all know that its extreme versatility and food-friendliness make it a great “anytime” wine and bringing it as a gift is a great way to spread the gospel on this.

Dressing the wine in a nice bag or other stylish wrapping is a nice touch. Providing a “note” on the wine, either a detailed tasting note of your own or from Daniel Rogov, myself or anyone else together with a recommended time frame for consumption a fun but classy touch as well.

One of the important things to keep in mind when gifting a bottle of wine is that you shouldn’t expect your host to share the bottle with you. It’s not like bringing a dessert to a potluck dinner – the bottle is a gift for the host, not for you. All that said, if you are the host, it’s the gracious thing to do and shows admirable generosity (especially if it is obvious that significant time and expense was put into choosing the bottle at hand).

If the thought of bring a bottle which will not be shared is too much to bear, there are many other wine-related gifts that will fulfill the job quite nicely. One of my favorite gifts to give is a membership in a wine club. It is one of the best way to introduce people to new types of wine on a regular basis and will typically assist in enhancing the recipient’s wine appreciation. Wine related toys are can also make cool gifts. Some good suggestions are a top-notch corkscrew or aerator. In recent years there has been an explosion of various gadgets whose purpose is to “open-up” a bottle of wine providing the same result as you get when decanting or simply leaving the wine to open up on it’s own or in your glass. While I personally prefer the more old-fashioned method of time; I have it on good authority that some of these gadgets work as promised and provide the ability to ready a tight wine for drinking quickly when time is short.

When visiting a more serious wine connoisseur the challenge is much greater. While it does happen from time-to-time, in the world of kosher wine it is sometimes difficult to find a previously unknown wine that nobody had heard of. That said, new kosher wineries are opening all the time so the opportunity to provide your host with an undiscovered “wow” wine is growing. In lieu of bringing a special bottle of wine, buying a large-format bottle of a good wine is always a surefire path to success. Impressive looking, stately and very practical for larger meals, large-format bottles (Magnums – equal to two regular sized bottles – the most common), provide a lively conversation piece. One of the main benefits to a large-format bottle is, given the reduction in the wine-to-air ratio, the increase in the wine’s potential longevity.

Another cool gift is a bottle from a meaningful vintage year (i.e. from a couple’s anniversary, year of their first child or similar life-events). Unfortunately, the world of quality kosher wine is still in it’s infancy and it is impossible to find a bottle of kosher wine alive that was born prior to 1987 so birth year wines for grown-ups is still a difficult task – the 1990 Katzrin is probably your oldest safe bet today. Thankfully, from the way things are currently looking, 20 years from now this will be a much easier endeavor than it is today. Another cool gift is to provide a thoughtful wine and food pairing (hard cheese or a well-matched dessert with the appropriate bottle of wine). If you are in the mood to splurge, an awesome gift is an actual wine-barrel, which can be used as a side table or ornament and are über-cool.

Below are some recent tasting notes from a number of wines currently available in Magnum size – all worth seeking out.

Capcanes, Peraj Ha’abib, Monsant, 2005: This is probably my favorite non-Israeli wine of all times and is an incredible wine – hands down!! The usual blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and three Spanish varieties of grapes, this wine is a full bodied, complex, elegant and layered wine, consistently excellent, year after year. One to drink slowly and taste how the flavors change in the glass over the course of 10 minutes to half an hour. Flavors and aromas of black forest fruit and berries, coffee, oak and vanilla with toasty wood notes and then more blueberries and herbs on mid-palate. The wine finishes with a flourish leading into an extremely long and slightly minty finish. An absolute and unmitigated pleasure and one that will probably be around for another decade or so in Magnum format.

Bustan, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003: The sound bite I would use to describe this winery would be “understated elegance with a unique winemaking style. Having enjoyed a regular sized bottle over Pessach, I was excited to see how it’s Magnum sibling was holding up and boy was I well rewarded. As with the regular bottle the wine is eminently drinkable right now but will probably continue to improve for another year or so and will keep nicely for another 4-5. A full-bodied wine that is soft, round and delicious with well integrated tannins and a significant dose of wood that manages to enhance the blackberries, currants and gooseberries on a spicy background with hints of chocolate and smells of autumn. A bottle that reinforced why Bustan continues to be an old favorite to which I find myself continuously returning.

Castel, Grand Vin, 2006: While I prefer a slightly different style, the Grand Vin continues to be one of the very best Israeli wines available today and the 2006 is one of their best ever. An excellent Bordeaux-type wine with a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, serves up a distinctly different wine than most versions of Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine provides a delightful experience wrapped in a full-bodied, rich, supremely elegant and complex wine. A silky smooth wine with velvety tannins coating the palate and opening up in the black forest fruits, plums and a spicy underlay. Give the wine a few minutes and you will be rewarded with plums, wet forest floor, along with Mediterranean herbs and some green pepper backing them up. A very long finish that carries a hint of mint along with the earthy overtones and some bitterness. The magnum bottle helps alleviate the Achilles heel of this winery – lack of long-term cellarability, and the 2006 vintage was a pretty good one. Give the wine at least 6-7 years that are 3-4 more than the regular bottle.

As I have often mentioned, while most wines are meant to be consumed early and don’t benefit from any additional time in the bottle, a few years of cellaring can make magic happen for a small percentage of quality wines (usually the most exciting ones).  The additional time in the bottle gives the tannins, acid, fruit and flavors time to come together in the harmonious music the wine maker intended.  However, this week I wanted to focus on another oenophilic area in which age can play a paramount role and be a big factor in the quality, flavor and perhaps most relevant, intensity, of the wine – the vines.  Wine growers around the world have nothing but praise, adoration and love for their “old vines”, sometimes talking about them in language usually reserved for ones children.  While not all growers (or wine drinkers) agree that the age of the vine makes a difference, most people feel that there is something special in a wine made from old vines.

First, what exactly constitutes an “old vine”?  While there is no hard and fast rule governing this distinction, nor is its use on wine labeling heavily regulated, a lot depends on where in the world you are.  For places like France, Spain or Argentina with many vines between 50-100 years of age, an old vine needs to be at least 50 years old.  On the other hand, in relatively new wine growing regions like New Zealand, Oregon or Israel, a 25-30 year old vine is pretty darn old and already worthy of the title.

As a vine ages, at around the 20-year mark it starts to undergo a number of changes which directly effect the quality of grapes it produces.  These changes include deeper and stronger roots, enabling the vine to benefit from a more diverse range of nutrients and minerals.  In a rainy harvest season the deeper roots protect vines from excessive water which can lead to bloated grapes with a substantially reduced concentration of flavor, and in a dry season, the roots help the vines find the necessary moisture that might only exist deep below the surface.  As the vine ages it starts to suffer from reduced circulation as well.  This results in fewer nutrients being available, leading to a reduction in yield (usually between 1-3 tons per acre).  As the vine now needs to service a smaller number of grapes, they benefit from increased concentration and flavor and provide for more nuance and complexity (although the added complexity tends to be more prominent as the wine in question ages and the bright fruit recedes into the background).

As with maturing adults, another benefit of old vines is their stability.  While the wines produced from younger vines can change from harvest to harvest depending on the weather, with substantial shifts in the levels of sugar, acid and other phenolic compounds, old vines are much steadier from year to year and rarely produce unbalanced grapes.  A grower may also have the ability to harvest a little earlier if necessary, as old-vine grapes often ripen earlier.  While these attributes are less important in a warm growing climate like Israel, they can make or break a harvest in colder regions like France and are much appreciated by the growers.

Listed below are a number of old-vine wines currently on the market, all of which are worth seeking out.  Included in the list are two wines (the Cave and Recanati Carignan) available only in Israel and in limited quantities, but very special wines, worth taking the time to seek out and bringing back a few bottles.

Binyamina, The Cave, Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007:  I was never a big fan of Binyamina’s boutique Cave wines, finding them underwhelming and overpriced.  This changed with the 2006 vintage that I loved and included it in my Pessach Shopping List.  The party continues with this 2007 Single Version Old Vine version produced as a very limited edition (1,200 bottles) from the famed Kerem Ben-Zimra vineyard.  I purchased a number of bottles based on Daniel Rogov’s recommendation and finally got a chance to taste one over the weekend – it was spectacular.  A rich nose and palate of blackberries, plums and black cherries along with earthy notes of forest and cloves.  Nice notes of sweet oak, tar, acid combine with well integrated yet powerful tannins for a deep, complex and rich wine with a long and caressing finish.  I probably opened this wine a little too early which, while eminently enjoyable now, will continue to improve in the bottle for another for a few years and cellar comfortably for ten years or so.

Recanati, Carignan, Reserve, Kerem Ba’al, 2009:  Given the success Carmel has had with its Old Vine Carignan (tasting note below), it was only a matter of time before another awesome expression of the varietal founds its way to the market.  In addition to being over 30 years old, these are true bush vines from the Judean Hills, that have flourished since their planting without irrigation, pruning, support (known as the “goblet” system) or other methods of human meddling (Ba’al is loosely Hebrew for wild).  As would be expected, these are low-yield vines of less than two tons per acre.  A wine that gracefully straddles power and elegance.  Muscular tannins that needed half an hour to an hour to soften up in my glass and allow the fruit and spice to shine through but very much in balance with the fruit.  Plenty of blackberries, currents and other black forest fruit along with warm spices, chocolate, espresso, white pepper and anise on both the nose and palate, with a good jolt of balancing acidity leading into a medium finish that lingers nicely.  The fruit is on the restrained side and elegant, which is consistent with Recanati’s recent direction away from fruit forward wines towards retrained Mediterranean elegance.  Very different and delicious, this wine is another candidate for some serious cellaring.  Another limited edition wine with about 5,900 bottles produced.

Capçanes, La Flor de Flor, 2007:  As the Peraj Ha’abib from Capcanes has long been my one of my favorite wines, I was very excited when they released this 100% Garnacha wine, with grapes from vines that are between 85-105 years old.  The wine manages to be full-bodied, elegant and feminine in one fell swoop, while remaining rich, deep and concentrated.  Well integrated, near-sweet tannins provide a solid backbone for layers of black cherries, plums, violets and other flowers, spices and some dark chocolate, with hints of smoky oak and flinty minerals.  A long finish rounds out this wine that will probably be at its best in a year or so and cellar for up to another eight years after that.

Carmel, Appellation, Carignan, 2007:  The Carignan grape was probably a significant contributor to Carmel’s prior horrific reputation for terrible wines given that it was a major component in cheaper and unappealing wines.  This wine really puts the much maligned grape in a whole new (favorable) light.  Using grapes from 40 year old vines and blended with some Petit Verdot for good measure, this wine has great fruit and is slightly spicy with hints of espresso and a nice finish.  Not many folks do well by this grape but Carmel certainly does.

Carmel, Appellation, Petite Sirah, 2007:  The 2006 vintage of this wine won Decanter’s wine of the month last year and the 2007 is up to the challenge posited by its younger brother.  While “old vine” means different things in different countries, these Petite Sirah vines are over 30 years old and produce a concentrated and full-bodied wine.  The raspberries, blackberries, cassis and plums on both the nose and palate combine with warm spices, Mediterranean herbs and a tobacco leaf overlay, making for a delightful wine indeed.  Another YH Best Buy.

Carmel Vintage, Fortified Petite Sirah, 2007:  Made from 100% old vine Petite Sirah grapes and fortified with additional alcohol, this is a delicious dessert wine but one whose time has come so drink up any you have lying around.  Aromas of raisins, plums, chocolate and spices are followed by mocha, coffee, sweet (and slightly tangy) jammy berries on the palate, with enough acidity and pleasant spiciness to balance the sweetness from becoming overpowering and flabby on the palate.  Hints of slightly bitter almonds do a good job of keeping the sweetness honest and the entire wine in good balance.  As opposed to the Porto Cordovero wine, I often enjoy this wine with food, as it pairs nicely with most sweet desserts.

The weeks leading up to Pesach are among the busiest for the US kosher wine industry with more wine sold during this time than the rest of the year combined. As the popularity of quality kosher wine continues to increase, the choices available to the kosher wine consumer are truly astounding and are continuously on the rise. To assist with all this decision-making, I have prepared a two-part Pesach Wine Buying Guide with approximately 100 recommendations of wines in all price ranges. You can see these lists and sign up for my weekly newsletter at www.yossiescorkboard.com.

One of the Wine Club’s primary goals is to assist Leket Israel in promoting and fulfilling its mission of food rescue for the benefit of Israel’s poor and hungry. As we lovingly select our Pesach wines and prepare our Seder tables to celebrate this festival of freedom, participation in the Wine Club is assisting in freeing the 1.7 million Israelis (including 850,000 children) who still suffer from a form of bondage this Pesach—the bonds of hunger.
The other primary goal of the Wine Club is to introduce new Israeli wineries, wines and varietals. In furtherance of this goal, I have included in this shipment a delicious blend from the famous and newly kosher family winery of Flam, a Carignan (which is enjoying a massive resurgence in Israel) from Binyamina (a winery enjoying its own resurgence), a well-made Riesling from Carmel, an incredible and well-priced Chardonnay and an impressive Cabernet Sauvignon from one of my favorite wineries – Ella Valley. I hope you enjoy these wines as much as I do.

While delightful, the Jewish custom of consuming four full cups of wine at the Seder brings with it a host of dilemmas requiring some serious thought and planning. Chief among these is that four cups of wine is a lot of wine to be consuming at one sitting, especially given the fact that the first two cups are typically imbibed on an empty stomach. Another issue is that at the Seder most of us will use the same silver goblets we use for Kiddush and, while during the year the negative effect silver has on your wine is easily negated by pouring the wine into a proper wine glass after Kiddush, during the Seder the wine stays in your silver goblet for a far longer period with potentially negative effects on its flavor. Other considerations include the tradition of only drinking red wine and avoiding any Mevushal wine at the Seder.

Given one’s desire to honor the Seder in the best possible manner, people try to have the nicest and most expensive wines, which are typically full-bodied Bordeaux-blends or robust Cabernet Sauvignon wines. However, the empty stomach with which most people approach the first two cups and the requirement to rapidly consume nearly an entire cup of wine, combine to detract from one’s ability to fully enjoy and appreciate the complexities of these typically magnificent wines. As a result, I suggest and have, in recent years, done so myself, saving the bigger and more expensive wines for leisurely drinking during the actual Seder meal (and the subsequent meals over the holiday) and finding other good wines to utilize for the four cups. Being the traditionalist that I am, I have decided to stick with red wines for all four cups and will be looking for top quality, medium-bodied, relatively simple and inexpensive wines. Some perennial favorites include Recanati’s Reserve Petit Sirah-Zinfandel, the Capcanes Peraj Petita from Spain or a relatively new arrival from Israel – the Domaine Netofa 2010. To the extent you are looking for well priced whites, Yarden’s Odem Chardonnay (included in this shipment), Binyamina’s unoaked Chardonnay or Dalton’s Sauvignon Blanc Fume are all good and affordable bets.

Happy Passover, Chag Samaech and L’Chaim,
Yossie

BINYAMINA WINERY

Over the last few years Binyamina has made tremendous strides in the quality of its wines, and is currently producing many great wines across a multitude of labels. Binyamina’s two winemakers, Sasson Ben-Aharon (who recently added the title of winery manager to chief wine maker) and the funny and gregarious Assaf Paz, produce both top quality wines in their flagship labels and really nice wines at their lower labels.

The winery currently produces wines in four major labels – Avnei Hachoshen, Reserve (from which the Carignan included in this shipment hails), Yogev and Teva. They also produce a potpourri of other entry-level wines under the Tiltan, Kramim, and Caesaria labels. Binyamina also owns the popular “Cave” label and recently released a spectacular “Old Vine” version for the 2007 vintage, but prefers to promote it as a stand-alone wine for marketing purposes.

Avnei Hachoshen is Binyamina’s flagship label, with seven wines in the series all named for a gemstone on the breastplate of the Cohen Gadol (the High Priest). The Reserve series has some really great wines, including the Zinfandel provided in this shipment and late harvest Gewürztraminer. Tiltan (Hebrew for clover) blends varietal wines across three vintages and is made in very limited quantities but is worth trying. The “Yogev” series (which is “farmer” or “man of the soil” in Hebrew) includes six blends and was created to honor the folks growing the grapes and lists the names of the actual growers on each label.

Binyamina, Reserve, Carignan, 2009: Carignan has quite a history in Israel and until recently was not anything to talk about publicly. As Israel tries to find its rightful place in the wine world, moving away from California-styled wines to its Mediterranean roots, creative Israeli winemakers like Assaf Paz are finding that there might have been a good reason for all that Carignan planting that went on in Israel over the last 100 years and this delicious wine is the result of his explorations. This vintage is the inaugural Reserve Carignan for Binyamina and is another rousing success for this rising phoenix of a winery. Made from 100% Carignan grapes that spent 12 months in oak, this is a full bodied and muscular wine whose power has been nicely reined in with gentle, near caressing tannins that play nicely with the black cherries, fruit and warm spices creating a near-elegant wine (with plenty of brawn throughout), which is surprising for a varietal not known for its elegance. A nice touch of earth, roasted coffee beans and leather joins the fruit, tar and smoke on the palate leading into a nice medium finish that pleases. Drinking really nicely now, this wine will cellar nicely and improve a bit through 2016 [both shipments].

CARMEL WINERY

Carmel was established in 1882 with the help of Baron Rothschild, owner of the famed Château Lafite, as a vintner’s cooperative in Rishon Lezion. While Carmel has a rich history with 120 harvests under its belt (they have never missed a harvest which is pretty impressive considering Israel’s history over the last 120 years) and multiple Israeli luminaries holding early positions there including Prime Ministers from Ben Gurion to Olmert, for most of its storied history it produced mainly sweet sacramental wines, grape juice and pure plonk. However, over the last ten years, Carmel underwent major financial, administrative and winemaking changes and moved into brand new facilities, all of which have resulted in its rebirth as a top notch wine making powerhouse, producing magnificent wines such as its flagship Limited Edition Bordeaux-type blend and single vineyard wines from the magnificent Kayoumi (and other) vineyards including the inaugural release of the Kayoumi Riesling included in this shipment.

Today Carmel accounts for just under 50% of Israel’s total wine production, producing approximately 15 million bottles a year across many series and price ranges, from grapes grown on over 3,000 acres spread across the country. In addition to the Limited Edition and Single Vineyard series, they produce wines under the following labels: Appellation (Regional), Private Collection, Ridge, Selected, Young Selected and a few other miscellaneous wines.

Carmel, Single Vineyard, Kayoumi, Riesling, 2010: Riesling is one of those magical grapes that seems to have been made to enjoy with food and this wine, with a touch of residual sugar and plenty of balancing acidity, is sure to please. The last release of this wine was back in 2006, but our thirst can now be slaked again with this release. As with every other wine Carmel’s winemaker Lior Lacser coaxes out of the magical Kayoumi vineyard, this wine is a near perfectly-crafted one, with a very aromatic nose and generous balancing acidity. Ever-so-slightly off-dry with plenty of peach, apricot, grapefruit, blooming flowers and hints of minerals on a crisply acidic background that lends itself to great food-pairing. A really delicious wine and definitely worth seeking out [Eshkol shipment only].

ELLA VALLEY WINERY

Ella Valley Winery is located in the valley of Ella in the Judean Hills, which has been a viticulturally important area for 2000 years. While, from an historical point of view, the aesthetically stunning Ella Valley is primarily known for the monumental show-down between David and Goliath, it does have other claims to fame. The first vineyards were very carefully planted in 1997 after extensive research as to best location and plots of land and used techniques imported from Napa Valley and the very attractive winery was constructed in 2001.

Ella Valley is currently producing around 220,000 bottles annually with nearly 40% of the winery’s production designated for export. The winery owns its two vineyards located in close proximity to the winery. Despite the fact that their Merlot is among the most interesting in Israel and they make what I feel is Israel’s best Cabernet Franc, the white wines of the winery are extra special with bright clean fruit that is elevated rather than dominated by oak (in the case of the Chardonnays) or manipulation (in the case of the Sauvignon Blanc) while remaining very well priced.

Starting with the 2003 vintage the winery created its reserve series, Vineyard’s Choice, and is currently producing excellent wines in three series: Vineyard’s Choice, Ella Valley and Ever Red. The winery also produces a private label wine for export – Hai. Over the last year or so the winery has replaced both its CEO and longtime winemaker, Doron Rav Hon, who had been with the winery since its founding. The winery’s current releases all “belong” to Doron and we will have to wait and see what impact Lin Gold, Ella’s new winemaker will have on the winery’s current releases but for now, lean back and enjoy this incredible Cabernet Sauvignon from Ella Valley as well as nearly almost every other bottle of theirs you can find.

Ella Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007: Ella Valley is one of the only Israeli wineries that actually blends their varietal Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot to punch it up (in this case, 15% of Merlot), but given their incredibly powerful Merlot, it makes sense and the addition does contribute nicely to the final wine, resulting in a rich and voluptuous wine similar to the Vineyards Choice version reviewed below with a little less retrained elegance. A rich ripe nose of black fruit with some red notes added including cassis, blackcurrant, blackberries and ripe plums, together with some spicy oak from the 16 months spent in French oak (a bit more new oak than the recently released Vineyards Choice version), some mineral flintiness, crushed Mediterranean herbs and some bakers chocolate. Much of the same follow the round and mouth filling full-bodied palate with plenty more crushed black fruit; toasty oak and slight notes of pleasing greenness all on a solid backbone of robust tannins that still need some time to settle down and play nice. Drinking nicely now, give the wine 15 minutes to open up in your glass first and then enjoy through 2015 [both shipments]

FLAM WINERY

Flam has been one of Israel’s darling boutique wineries since its founding in 1998, with brothers Golan (the winemaker) and Gilad (head of marketing and business development) running the show. In the true fashion of any family business, their mother Carmi assists with the bookkeeping and they benefit from the incredible and sage advice of their father, Israel Flam, one of the patriarchs of the Israeli wine industry who served as a winemaker at Carmel for over 30 years (about half of them as head winemaker and a fascinating figure in all respects with an incredible story to tell). After years of gazing upon the winery from afar, as it won accolades in Israel and around the world, in 2010 Flam went kosher along with two other formerly non-kosher top tier boutiques – Saslove and Tulip, a decision that we are the direct beneficiaries of.

Located in the amazingly beautiful Judean Hills, an Israeli wine-growing region whose prominence continues to grow in leaps and bounds, the Flam winery is another Israeli winery (similar to Castel) making old-world wines with a Mediterranean twist. Currently producing approximately 130,000 bottles a year, the winery has three kosher releases on the market including the Classico included in this shipment and reviewed below. The Flam Blanc is a refreshing and crisp unoaked blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and the Flam Rosé is a Cabernet Franc-based wine (what is there not to like) that is an incredible summer and food-friendly wine, perfect for the spring weather coming our way.

Flam, Classico, 2010: This wine is Flam’s first kosher release of a red wine (together with the Rosé and Flam Blanc which are also hitting the market these days) and it is a wine well-worthy of the venerable Flam name. A medium to full-bodied blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot that spent six months in French and American oak, the wine has a rich nose of primarily black fruit including blackberries, cherries and cassis together with a nice streak of minerals, forest floor, toasty oak and some baker’s chocolate. Much of the same follows the palate which is loaded with tannins that need some time to integrate, more wood, some crushed herbs and a nice array of ripe fruit which is kept in check by the tannins and acid backbone. A long lingering finish of oak and chocolate rounds out this delightful wine that certainly bodes well for the coming releases of the winery’s upper-tiered 2010 wines which we should see in a year or so [Kerem shipment only].

GOLAN HEIGHTS WINERY

Regardless of my adoration for the smaller wineries, the Golan Heights Winery remains the gold standard for Israeli wineries. Historically, this winery kick-started the kosher wine quality revolution. Their Cabernet Sauvignon wines in the Yarden series, whose vintages dating back to the early 90s, are still drinking very well and remain the most consistently good and reasonably priced ageable Israeli wine on the market today.

Until recently, the Golan Heights Winery produced wines under three labels – Yarden, Gamla and Golan. In 1990 they introduced a flagship red wine, the Katzrin blend, and followed with a Katzrin Chardonnay a few years later. The 2001 vintage yielded another ultra-premium single vineyard label, with a Cabernet Sauvignon from the El-Rom vineyard and a Merlot from the Ortal vineyard. These days, they are producing multiple single vineyard wines and have added Syrah to the range of varietals. A few years ago, they introduced another flagship label – Rom that was launched to rave reviews by the late Daniel Rogov and sold out rapidly. The winery currently produces three Chardonnay wines under the Yarden/Katzrin labels which include the “regular” Yarden Chardonnay, the high-end Katzrin Chardonnay and the included wine, the Odem Vineyard Chardonnay, which comes from the organic section of the Odem Vineyard and is consistently my favorite of the three (and among my all time favorite Israeli Chardonnay wines). With rich notes of clean fruit boosted by a relatively light hand with the oak, it is also a YH Best Buy to boot. All three wines are exceptions to the rule with respect to the ageability of Israeli white wines and they all get better after 1-2 years of age (although this wine doesn’t need any time to show its greatness).

Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Odem Organic Vineyard, 2010: Grown in the organic Odem vineyard, this is one of the few white wines that actually benefits from a year or two of aging. An interesting tasting experiment is to taste this side by side with the “regular” Yarden Chardonnay and the Katzrin Chardonnay from the same vintage which helps one appreciate the different styles and flavors that can be achieved from the same grape with different wine making styles. A rich and fruity wine with loads of fruit on the nose including apricots, pineapple, pear, green apple and mango with hints of citrus, all complemented by a bit of toasty oak and a decent jolt of acidity. More fruit and wood follows on the palate which is augmented by a nice streak of minerals running through. While the wine is drinking nicely now, give it a year or so in the bottle and you will be rewarded with additional complexity [Kerem shipment only].

Holiday Shopping – Parts I & II

As you probably already know, the weeks leading up to Pessach are the US kosher wine industry’s busiest with more kosher wine being sold during this period than the rest of the year combined. As the popularity of quality kosher wine continues to increase, the quality and variety of wines available to the kosher wine consumer are truly astounding. While obviously a blessing, the tremendous choice can make for a somewhat stressful shopping experience. Also, and most unfortunately, there is a substantial amount of drek being pushed as quality wine and many stores and online purveyors are selling old, dead and tired wines so far past their optimum drinking windows that it’s practically criminal. Remember – in general (and there are exceptions), white wines shouldn’t be sold more than two years past their vintage and red wines three years (unless we are talking about the better and more expensive wines). As with every industry, caveat emptor.

During this busy buying season retailers bring out the big sales and almost every wine is on sale. Further, given the increasing competition and online availability of most top-notch kosher wines, most merchants will match any published price, so always ask your favored retailer to match any prices you have seen elsewhere and, if you aren’t happy with the price – ask for a discount. As with every year and in order to assist with your holiday shopping, I am happy to present my ANNUAL PESSACH KOSHER WINE GUIDE.

As with every year, I have set forth recommendations across four price ranges: Under $16, between $16-29.99, between $30-50 and Moshiach Wines (otherwise know as those über-special wines I would proudly serve the Moshiach, were he ever to grace my table). Prices tend to fluctuate and might not always fall squarely into the tiers I have listed below which should merely serve as a guide. Also, note that Moshiach wines sometimes include older vintages that I have been storing for a while in my cellar or wines that are subject to otherwise limited availability, and which are not always readily available at your local retailer.

It’s important to none that these lists are not exhaustive, but rather a sampling of wines I enjoy and think you will enjoy as well.

Also, as you know by now, despite 2008 being a tremendous vintage for almost all Israeli wines, it was Shmittah and therefore most wines were not exported out of Israel. While there are some 2008 Israeli wines being sold, including a number from the Golan Heights Winery, Galil Mountain and Odem Mountain. As with most halachik issues, there are numerous opinions with respect to the different “types” of Shmittah wine produced, enjoying such wines outside of Israel (or at all) and one should consult their local Rabbi with any questions in this regard.

I note that the attached is not a comprehensive list of every wine I believe worthy of your consideration, but merely a selection of the better wines available in the different price ranges, all of which I recommend and believe are worthy of your Pessach table (or random wine glass). As the years go buy and the quality and quantity of top-notch kosher wine grows, the number of potential wines for this list get longer, and the difficulty in culling wines harder. Even so, and given that the collective Wine Buying Guide includes around 130 wines, I will be putting together a list of my top-ten wines in each of the four categories and posting it on my website next week.

While one of my favorite Jewish customs, the tradition to consume four full cups of wine at the Seder brings with it a host of dilemmas requiring serious thought and planning. The main problem is that four cups of wine is a lot of wine to be consuming at one sitting (even an up-to 5 hour sitting such as a traditional Seder), especially given the fact that the first two cups are typically imbibed on an empty stomach. Another issue is that for the Seder many folks tend to use the same silver goblets used for Kiddush. While during the year, the potential negative effect the silver has on wine is easily remedied by immediately pouring the wine into a proper wine glass following Kiddush; during the Seder the wine sits in the silver goblet for a far longer period of time. Other potential issues arise from a tradition to only drink red wine at the Seder and to avoid any Mevushal wine (further to multiple reader requests, I am putting together a list of recommended mevushal wines which I will later this next week).

Given ones desire to honor the Seder, people try to have the nicest and most expensive wines possible, typically full-bodied Bordeaux-blends or robust Cabernet Sauvignon wines. These wines typically take time to open up and evolve and are layered and complex liquid treasures, well-deserving on your time. However, the empty stomach with which most people approach the first two cups, the requirement to consume nearly an entire cup of wine rather rapidly and the need to keep little kids from wreaking havoc; all combine to significantly detract from ones ability to fully enjoy and appreciate the complexities, nuances of flavor and aroma of these typically magnificent wines.

As a result, I suggest (and do so myself), saving the bigger and more expensive wines for leisurely drinking during the actual Seder meal (and the multiple subsequent meals over the holiday), and finding other good wines to utilize for the four cups. Being a traditionalist, I am sticking with red wines for all four cups and choose my wines based on a few simple principles. It is still Chag and one in which we celebrate our freedom so top quality wine is still a prerequisite. Therefore, I look for top quality, medium bodied and relatively simple wines. Some favorites of mine include Recanati’s Petite-Sirah/Zinfandel 2010, the Capcanes Peraj Petita or Domaine Netofa Red 2010. To the extent you are looking for well priced whites, Dalton’s Reserve Viognier, Yarden’s Gewurztraminer or Odem Chardonnay, Dalton’s Fume Blanc or Carmel’s Kayoumi Riesling are all good and affordable bets.

Under $16

While this list includes many good and enjoyable wines, as a general rule, the wines in this price range are not complex, cellar worthy or sophisticated (with a few exceptions). As oak barrels are a significant component of a wine’s cost, this list has plenty of white wines that typically spend little or no time in oak, resulting in lower prices. As a general rule, any wine in this price range from Recanati, Galil Mountain or Dalton is going to be good, as long as it’s not too old. Most of the wines on these lists qualify as YH Best Buys (wines I consider a particularly good way to spend your hard-earned cash).

(1) Barkan, Classic, Pinot Noir, 2010
(2) Binyamina, Bin, Merlot, 2010
(3) Binyamina, Reserve, Chardonnay (Unoaked), 2010
(4) Binyamina, Yogev, Cabernet Sauvignon-Petit Verdot, 2010
(5) Carmel, Private Collection, Chardonnay, 2010
(6) Carmel, Appellation, Cabernet Franc, 2009 (Petit Sirah & Carignan in same series are also good)
(7) Dalton, Canaan, Red, 2009
(8) Dalton, Fume Blanc, 2011
(9) Dalton, Moscato, 2011
(10) Elvi, Adar, Cava, Brut, n.v.
(11) Galil Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010
(12) Galil Mountain, Alon, 2009 (not yet available in the United States)
(13) Galil Mountain, Pinot Noir, 2010
(14) Golan Heights Winery, Golan, Moscato, 2011
(15) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Gewürztraminer, 2011
(16) Luria, Gewurztraminer, 2011 (available only in Israel)
(17) Recanati, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010
(18) Recanati, Rose, 2011
(19) Recanati, Yasmin, White, 2011
(20) Tabor, Galil, Shiraz, 2009
(21) Teperberg, Terra, Malbec, 2009
(22) Teperberg, Silver, Syrah, 2009
(23) Tishbi, Gewurztraminer, 2010
(24) Weinstock, Cellar Select, Petite Sirah, 2010

$16-29.99

This price range is the sweet spot for me. As the prices of kosher wine continues to rise to ridiculous levels, there are a number of wineries that maintain a tremendous level of quality without pushing prices out of the reach of most people. While the majority of truly great Kosher wines unfortunately reside in the over $30 price range, there are plenty of great ones here as well. In general, I find Ella Valley, Dalton, Carmel, Herzog Special Reserve and the Golan Heights Winery to be consistent players in this field of great wines under $30 (i.e. anything of theirs in this range is worth buying [unless it’s past its peak]), notwithstanding the fact that they all also have more expensive terrific wines as well.

(1) Alexander, Reserve, Gaston, Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Shiraz, 2007
(2) Alfasi, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, 2011
(3) Barkan, Reserve, Pinotage, 2010
(4) Binyamina, Reserve, Carignan, 2009 (the 2010 is the newest release in Israel)
(5) Binyamina, Reserve, Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, 2009
(6) Bodegas Flechas de los Andes, Gran Malbec, Mendoza, 2009
(7) Capcanes, Peraj Petita, 2009
(8) Carmel, Sha’al Vineyard, Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, 2007
(9) Carmel, Kayoumi Vineyard, Riesling, 2010
(10) Chateau Thenac, Fleur du Perigord, 2010
(11) Covenant, Red C, Sauvignon Blanc, 2011 (improvement over the very nice 2010)
(12) Dalton, Estate, Petite Sirah, 2010
(13) Dalton, Alma, Chardonnay/Viognier, 2010
(14) Domaine Netofa, Red, 2010
(15) Domaine Netofa, Lator, White, 2010
(16) Ella Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Franc, 2009
(17) Ella Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 (the 2007 Syrah is also delicious)
(18) Elvi, Herenza, Rioja, 2008
(19) Flam, Blanc, 2010
(20) Flam, Classico, 2010
(21) Galil Mountain, Avivim, 2009
(22) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Blanc de Blancs, 2005
(23) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007
(24) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Odem Organic Vineyard, Chardonnay, 2009
(25) Goose Bay, Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 (don’t let the screwcap scare you off)
(26) Goose Bay, Pinot Noir, 2010
(27) Hagafen, Lake County, White Riesling, 2010
(28) Herzog, Special Reserve, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008
(29) Herzog, Special Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon/Zinfandel/Syrah, 2009
(30) Odem Mountain, Volcanic, Shiraz, 2009
(31) Pacifica, Pinot Noir, 2010
(32) Porto Cordovero, Fine Ruby Port, n.v.
(33) Psagot, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 (also try their port-styled “Prat”)
(34) Psagot, Edom, 2009
(35) Recanati, Reserve, Syrah/Viognier, 2010
(36) Recanati, Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009
(37) Recanati, Reserve, Cabernet Franc, 2009
(38) Segal, Single Vineyard Dishon, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 (a truly great wine and a YH Best Buy)
(39) Shiloh, Barbera, 2009
(40) Teperberg, Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 (probably Teperberg’s best wine yet)
(41) Tulip, Just, Merlot, 2010
(42) Tulip, White Tulip, 2011
(43) Tzora, Neve Ilan, 2010
(44) Tzora, Judean Hils, 2009
(45) Tzuba, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007
(46) Vignobles David, Reserve, Cotes du Rhone Villages, 2010

$30-50

(1) 1848, Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. A delightful new arrival on the scene from a family that has been making wine in Israel for over 150 years.
(2) Barkan, Altitude, Cabernet Sauvignon +702, 2007. Each wine is the series is named for the respective altitude of the vineyard & all three are good. Together they make a great comparative tasting.
(3) Bazelet HaGolan, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. After a hiatus of a few years from top tier wines, Bazelet returns with a few good wines. This is one of them.
(4) B.R. Cohn, Trestle Glen Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008. The first kosher wine from the legendary Bruce Cohn and a resounding success – I wrote about the wine here.
(5) Capcanes, Peraj Ha’abib Flor de Primavera, 2009. One of my all time favorite wines and a spectacular vintage for this wine. The 2000 vintage is drinking amazingly now and is easily a Moshiach wine.
(6) Carmel, Single Vineyard Kayoumi, Shiraz, 2007. There is something special about the Kayoumi vineyard. The Cabernet is also really good and both could use a bit of aging before enjoying.
(7) Carmel, Mediterranean, 2007. One of Carmel’s attempts to create a wine with “Israeli” terroir. Different and delicious.
(8) Castel, Petit Castel, 2009. A “second” wine to the Grand Vin in price and name only – certainly not in quality.
(9) City Winery, Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. City Winery makes a number of delicious wines out of their SoHo facility which is worthy of a visit and the wines of your attention.
(10) City Winery, Spring Street Pinot Noir, 2009. Another top wine from City Winery and, while no longer the only kosher Oregon Pinot, it remains the best one.
(11) Covenant, Lavan (Chardonnay), 2010. A bit less oak than prior vintages allows the beautiful fruit to better express itself while still providing some muscle to this delicious wine.
(12) Dalton, Reserve, Shiraz, 2009. As with almost everything Dalton makes, this is a delightful wine (the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is also well worth trying).
(13) Drappier, Carte D’Or Champagne, n.v. A new and welcome arrival to the limited group of true kosher Champagnes. Crisp, layered and delicious.
(14) Ella Valley Vineyards, Vineyard’s Choice, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. Cabernet Sauvignon has been this winery’s weakest link (albeit a very strong one), an issue rectified by this wine. The Vineyard’s Choice Merlot 2005 is great (they just re-released the 2004 but I’d stick with the 2005).
(15) Elvi, El 26, Priorat, 2006. Together with the Mesorah listed below, these are Elvi’s two flagship wines who have earned that distinction. Simply delicious. The In Victa, a newly released white wine is also delightful.
(16) Elvi, Clos Mesorah, 2009. A limited release blend of Elvi’s new flagship wine. A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Old Vine Carignan yields a delightful result.
(17) Four Gates, Cabernet Franc, 2007. One of my favorite Cabernet Franc wines and a scrumptious wine. Four Gates is truly a tremendous winery whose wines are only available directly from the winery. Well worth the effort and make for fantastic pairing with food.
(18) Four Gates, Pinot Noir, 2009. Four Gates recently released a slew of news wines which are all incredible. The new cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah and delicious as well.
(19) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Single Vineyard–Elrom, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008. Almost everything they make is great. While some are a little overly jammy and oaky for my personal taste, this wine is rich, deep and delicious (and Shmittah) with great aging potential.
(20) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Single Vineyard-Ortal, Syrah, 2004. I drink tons of Syrah these days and this is an easy aged favorite which is still available at stores (just confirm the wines storage history).
(21) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Single Vineyard-Yonatan, 2007. A new and very welcome member of the Yarden Single Vineyard Series (and not only because it’s named after my oldest son).
(22) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, T2, 2008. Following their successful release last year of the Yarden 2T, a blend of two Portuguese varietals used in making Port, Yarden recently released a delicious port-Style wine from the same grapes. Only available in Israel but worth locating.
(23) Gvaot, Gofna Reserve, Pinot Noir, 2009. A few Gvaot wines are available in the US but they are overpriced. Gvaot is too amazing to miss out on so do yourself a favor and get some directly from Israel (most of them are really good).
(24) Hagafen, Prix, Pinot Noir – Fagan Creek, 2006. Hagafen makes two Pinot Noir wines in the Prix series (the other from the Soleil Vineyard). Both are delicious and make for a great comparative tasting.
(25) Hagafen, Prix, Zinfandel – Moskowite Ranch/Block 61, 2006. A big and powerful Zinfandel with plenty of fruit, spice and chocolate coming together magnificently.
(26) Karmei Yosef (Bravdo), Coupage, 2010. I was instantly smitten with the Karmei Yosef wines when I tasted the 2007 vintage and am ecstatic that the wine are now imported into the US at reasonable prices. Also highly recommended is the Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
(27) Livni, Sde Calev, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. A winery that has improved drastically over the last few years and this wine is rich and delicious. The 2009 Pinot is also well worth trying.
(28) Porto Cordovero, Late Bottled Vintage Port, 2004. The only true LBV kosher Port and a delicious and different dessert wine that is well worth trying.
(29) Psagot, Edom, 2009. Other than the Single Vineyard, this is Psagot’s flagship label and a consistently delicious blend year after year. Well priced to boot.
(30) Recanati, Reserve, Kerem Ba’al, Carignan, 2009. One of the most interesting releases of the year in which Recanati showed its abilities once again. An ancient grape made awesome. Imported in limited quantities so get some as fast as you can. The 2010 is the current release in Israel.
(31) Recanati, Special Reserve, 2006. One of my all-time favorites and a severely underappreciated wine. Pricey but still a YH Best Buy.
(32) Shiloh, Secret Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. Over the last two years the consistency and quality of Shiloh has grown exponentially (stay tuned for a coming newsletter dedicated to the winery).
(33) Tzora, Misty Hills, 2007. Tzora’s flagship label which can be tough to find is terrific, reflecting the Judean Hills unique terroir and the winery’s abilities to create complex, layered and age-worthy wines.
(33) Yatir, Red Blend, 2007. As with everything else made by Yatir, this is a great wine well worth splurging on. The single varietal Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz wines are harder to find but worth the time, effort & expense to do so.

Moshiach Wines

Moshiach Wines are those wines that I would proudly serve the Moshiach, were he ever to grace my table. Please note that some of the Moshiach wines are older vintages that I have in my cellar or were acquired directly from Israel, and therefore may not be readily available at your local retailer. While they may be a tad difficult to lay your hands on, I promise you these are all worth the extra mile of effort or additional shekels! For your convenience, in instances where I have listed older vintages, I have also noted the current vintage of the wine and whether it is worthy of your consideration and wallet. I also note that this list has a very limited number of wines from Israel’s incredible 2008 vintage year as they are Shmittah and, for the most part not imported to the United States. That said, for my Israeli readers and those for whom this is not an issue, seek out any high-end wines from the 2008 vintage which are mostly A-M-A-Z-I-N-G (ping me for questions with respect to any particular wine). I have also limited references to many incredible wines that have been released in Israel and I have tasted over the last few months at Sommelier and IsraWinExpo as they are not available in the US or even widely available in Israel.

(1) Alexander, Alexander the Great, Amarolo, 2007. A new wine in a gloriously opulent label, styled after the fabled Amarone wines of Veneto and the only such kosher wine I know. Expensive but different and delicious.
(2) Barkan, Superior, Pinotage, 2007. An incredible effort with a somewhat obstinate grape. The Superior 2006 Shiraz and 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon are available and both delightful as well.
(3) Binyamina, Avnei HaChoshen-Diamond, 2007. An amazing blend and my favorite wine of this series (which can be hit or miss sometimes although consistency is improving and this wine being an easy hit). The Aquamarine 2007 (Cabernet Sauvignon) is also delicious.
(4) Binyamina, The Cave, Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. A new and limited release Cave that is delicious and tough to find but worth seeking out as it has more depth & complexity than the “regular” Cave (tasting the two side by side make for an interesting comparison).
(5) Bustan, Syrah, 2007. Bustan is unfortunately only available in Israel but, as with Gvaot and several other boutique Israelis that are overpriced in the US, well-worth the effort of obtaining directly from Israel.
(6) Capcanes, Flor de Flor, 2007. The Peraj Ha’abib is a long time favorite of mine and this relatively new wine is great as well. Now with some age on it, it is drinking beautifully. The 2010 vintage is the current release (and next released vintage after the 2007).
(7) Capcanes, Peraj Ha’abib Flor de Primavera, 2003. Once you taste this wine, the value of properly aging wine for future enjoyment becomes crystal clear (if it wasn’t already). The 2009 and 2010 are both available.
(8) Carmel, Limited Edition, 2005. Another example of Carmel’s gradual transition from showcasing power to elegance, from a vintage that is drinking beautifully right now. The 2007 and 2008 are the current releases; while both are great, they will benefit from further cellaring.
(9) Castel, Grand Vin, 2006. 2009 is the current vintage in the US and is also delicious but needs time. One of Israel’s most prominent wines in Old-World style.
(10) Château Guiraud, Sauternes 1er Cru, 2001. The best kosher dessert wine. Period.
(11) Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint Julien, 2005. One of the best kosher French wines from an awesome vintage for Bordeaux. A worthy splurge.
(12) Château Piada, Sauternes, 2006. A legitimate successor to the delightful 2001 vintage of this wine that I have enjoyed for years. Do yourself a favor, and try some real dessert wine from Sauternes.
(13) Château Le Crock, Saint-Estèphe, 2005. A great French wine from a terrific vintage. While the 2005 vintage doesn’t carry the YH Best Buy label this wine had for years, its still well-priced & delicious.
(14) Château Quinault, Saint-Émilion, 2005. This Château certainly picked the right year for their first kosher release. Bordeaux as Bordeaux was meant to be.
(15) Covenant, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005. The 2009 is the current vintage but, as with all vintages of this wine, needs plenty of time. Buy a few every year and give them the proper time in your cellar – I promise you will not be disappointed.
(16) Covenant, Solomon, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008. After many years, Leslie Rudd finally gave Jeff his wish and allowed a Covenant wine to be made from his acclaimed grapes. All I can say is – Wow! A huge wine with plenty of depth and complexity that will continue to develop and evolve for many years.
(16) Golan Heights Winery, Katzrin Red, 2004. After all these years the Katzrin is still the Israeli Rock Star of wine and the one with the longest aging ability (I drank my last 1990 a few months ago and still have a few 1993 vintages I am looking forward to). The 2007 is the latest release (w/ a 2008 expected soon) but isn’t ready to drink yet.
(17) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Elrom Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003. The 2001 inaugural vintage of this wine was earth-shattering (and an easy Moshiach wine in its own right) and still is but I am saving my remaining bottles for Yonatan’s Bar-Mitzvah. All released vintages of this wine are great but the 2003 is really special and truly a Moshiach Wine.
(18) Hagafen, Prix, Mélange, 2006. Available directly from the winery and one of Hagafen’s best wines ever (which is mevushal to boot).
(19) Herzog, Generation VIII, Cabernet Sauvignon, To Kalon, 2006. A wine well worthy of the famed To-Kalon name with tons of fruit, power, terroir and elegance all rolled into an awesome and very expensive package. A real treat if you can afford it but definitely not a QPR wine.
(20) Herzog, Special Edition, Chalk Hill, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008. For years, this wine was the premium Herzog wine. Despite multiple subsequent single vineyard-releases this wine still reigns supreme (other than the To-Kalon version which is more expensive)
(21) Laurent Perrier, Brut Champagne, n.v. True Champagne makes my heart sing and this version from Laurent Perrier is a magnificent specimen that will make you feel the same.
(22) Louis de Sacy, Grand Cru, Brut Champagne, n.v. Together with the Laurent Perrier Brut above, my go-to Champagne. Despite my love of Yarden’s Blanc de Blanc, there is no substitute for the luxury of true Champagne.
(23) Psagot, Single Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. An instant hit upon release that has aged nicely and is primed for enjoyment now. The 2009 is the current release.
(24) Segal, Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. Once hailed as the closest thing to a kosher Barolo, this wine is scrumptious. All past vintages, including the 2000 are drinking well (although the 2000 should be consumed soon).
(25) Shiloh, Mosaic, 2006. Shiloh’s 2009 vintage shows the immense progress the winery has recently made, but this wine from the 2006 vintage is great and drinking amazingly right now.
(26) Shirah Wines, Power to the People, Syrah, 2009. A delicious wine, blended with 3% Viognier from two wine-making brothers on the West Coast. Prior hits included my top-rated Syraph and they have a slew of new wines coming online. Available only directly from them & a bit pricy, these are voluptuous treats.
(27) Yatir, Forest, 2005. Perfection in a bottle. The current available vintage is the 2007 (and 2008 in Israel) which will be great in a few years but definitely needs some settling down time.

For additional Moshiach Wines, check out my Best Wines of 2011.

#203 – February 3, 2012

Carignan has been planted in Israel for over 100 years but it is only recently that this difficult grape has started to yield delightful results, proving that Israel’s early settlers might have been onto something after all, even if it took 100 years for their plans to come to fruition.

Believed to have originated in Spain where it historically was used in Rioja wines, it has been a primary part of Israel’s wine industry for almost 130 years. After Algeria achieved independence from France in 1962 and the French were deprived of the massive amounts of cheap Algerian Carignan, it was widely planted throughout France to compensate, ultimately becoming a contributor to France’s “wine lake” (see newsletter #200). In today’s France it is mostly utilized for their vin de pays (table wine). Recent years have seen it gain renewed prominence in Spain where concentrated wines from old bush vines are making beautiful music in the Priorat region.

While relatively lacking in flavor and personality, Carignan has a number of attributes that contributed to its prominence and abundant plantings including its prominent color and high levels of tannin and acid which make it a good blending agent. However, its high yield was the primary factor in Carignan being so widely planted during the 1880s through the mid 1970s (when it represented more than 50% of all grapes planted in Israel) despite the valiant attempts by the Baron Rothschild to get the burgeoning Israeli wine industry to plant the noble Bordeaux varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In those days quality was less important than the quantity needed to provide sufficient grape juice and sacramental wines. As a late bloomer, Carignan requires a warm climate to fully ripen and is truly fit for Israel’s Mediterranean climate. However, in many ways it is a difficult grape being highly susceptible to mildew and rot and with thick gnarly vines that make mechanical harvesting extremely difficult.

As the trend in Israel has shifted towards more Mediterranean (or Rhone) varietals such as Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Grenache and Mourvedre to name a few, Carignan started to look better and better to many local winemakers and they started revitalizing existing Carignan plantings and drastically reducing yields. As I have mentioned a number of times in the past, I think it could be one of Israel’s needed “signature grape” and it’s certainly as close to an indigenous varietal as Israel has. With the added benefit of having relatively (for Israel) old vines available, winemakers started creating high-end Carignan wines that surprised and delighted – both blends (typical blending partners being Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre) and single-varietal wines. Carmel kicked off the trend with their old-vine Carignan released under the Appellation label (the 2007 vintage of this wine is reviewed below) followed more recently by Recanati, Binyamina, Yaffo and Gat Shomron (a number of non-kosher wineries produce it as well including Vitkin and Avidan).

In general, the older the vine the more concentrated the wines and with Carignan the extra aging allows the grapes to develop both flavor and personality. Carignan may also be considered a “wine maker’s grape” as it is a good reflector of terroir and its high tannins and acid make it a challenge to coax finesse and elegance out of it. It also suffers from excessive oak, matching a more recent trend of many Israeli wine makers to try and diminish the amount of oak influence in many wines.

Listed below are a number of Carignan wines I enjoy, both single varietal wines and a few blends with high levels of Carignan.

Recanati, Reserve, Kerem Ba’al, Carignan, 2009: Given the success Carmel has had with its Old Vine Carignan (reviewed below), it was only a matter of time before more awesome expressions of Carignan found its way to the market. In addition to being over 30 years old, these are true bush vines from the Judean Hills, that have flourished since their planting without any irrigation, pruning, support (known as the “goblet” system) or other methods of human meddling (Ba’al is loosely Hebrew for wild). As would be expected, these are low-yield vines of less than two tons per acre and Gil and Ido have produced a wine that gracefully straddles power and elegance. Muscular tannins that needed half an hour to an hour to soften up in my glass and allow the fruit and spice to shine through but very much in balance with the fruit. Plenty of blackberries, currents and other black forest fruit along with warm spices, chocolate, espresso, white pepper and anise on both the nose and palate, with a good jolt of balancing acidity leading into a medium finish that lingers nicely. The fruit is on the restrained side and elegant, which is consistent with Recanati’s recent direction away from fruit forward wines towards retrained Mediterranean elegance. Very different and delicious, this wine is another candidate for some serious cellaring. A limited edition wine with about 5,900 bottles produced. Drink now through 2015.

Carmel, Appellation, Carignan, 2007: The Carignan grape was probably a significant contributor to Carmel’s prior horrific reputation for terrible wines since it was a major component in cheaper and unappealing wines (i.e. sacramental wine). This wine really puts the much maligned grape in a whole new (favorable) light. Using grapes from 40- year-old vines and blended with some Petit Verdot for good measure, this wine has great fruit and is slightly spicy with hints of espresso and a nice finish. Not many folks do well by this grape but Carmel certainly does. While this wine will cellar nicely through 2013 at least, it is drinking beautifully right now and there isn’t any reason to wait to enjoy it.

Binyamina, Reserve, Carignan, 2009: Carignan has quite a history in Israel (see newsletter #162), and until recently was not anything to talk about publicly. As Israel tries to find its rightful place in the wine world, moving away from California to its Mediterranean roots, creative Israeli winemakers like Assaf Paz are finding that there might have been a good reason for all that Carignan planting that went on in Israel over the last 100 years (Recanati’s Gil Shatsberg is another one and we benefited from his creativity with their recent release of a special wine reviewed in newsletter #186)) and this delicious wine is the result of his explorations. The first time Binyamina released a Reserve Carignan and a[nother] rousing success for this rising phoenix of a winery (discussed in newsletter #158). Made from 100% Carignan grapes that spent 12 months in oak, this is a full bodied and muscular wine whose power has been nicely reined in with gentle, near caressing tannins that play nicely with the black cherries, fruit and warm spices creating a near-elegant wine (with plenty of brawn though), which is surprising for a varietal not known for its elegance. A nice touch of earth, roasted coffee beans and leather joins the fruit, tar and smoke on the palate leading into a nice medium finish that pleases. Drinking really nicely now, this wine will cellar nicely and improve a bit through 2016.

Yaffo, Carignan, 2009: Another relatively newly kosher winery from the Judean Hills, I have recently enjoyed a number of Yaffo’s wines and picked this one up on whim to be enjoyed over Shabbat on a recent trip to Israel. A rich a deep purple color as benefits the varietal, this medium bodied wine has a rich nose of blackberries, black cherries and purple plums together with some spiciness and rich tannin. More of the same dark fruit on the palate along with a hint of spicy oak, some cedar and warm crushed herbs lead into a medium finish that lingers nicely with some pleasing bitterness. Enjoyable now, the wine should cellar for another year or so.

Carignan-Heavy Blends

Carmel, Mediterranean, 2007: Over the last couple of years, one of the hot discussion topics among Israeli/kosher wine aficionados has revolved around marketing practices for promoting the excellent Israeli wines beyond their current and natural “kosher” niche. Current prevailing wisdom is that in order to succeed, Israel needs to find an Israeli varietal that would help Israeli wines be promoted as Israeli/Mediterranean (as opposed to Israeli/kosher) – i.e. wines from Israel that are representative of Israel’s unique terrior and characteristics. Additionally, Carmel (together with other Israeli wineries) is following the worldwide trend of moving away from internationalized powerhouse wines to a more elegant style. As mentioned above, Carmel is at the forefront of this revolution and this wine (evidenced by its name) is a premier example. An interesting and elegant blend of 37% Carignan, 26% Shiraz, 20% Petit Verdot, 15% Petite Sirah and 2% Viognier, with the various varietals coming together beautifully. The sum is far greater than the parts as each grape contributes some of its unique persona to a great wine. Loads of fruit on the nose including plums, raspberries, cranberries and cassis, together with velvety and near sweet tannins. The palate mostly follows the nose with the pleasing addition of milk chocolate, earthy forest floor, cedar box, warm spices and tobacco leaf, which all blend together into an extremely well balanced and pleasing medley flavors. A long and caressing finish rounds out this delightful wine.

Binyamina, Yogev, Rosé, 2010: While I feel like Binyamina’s Yogev series is a mixed bag with different wines being better in different vintage years (my more-or-less consistent favorite being the Cabernet Sauvignon-Petit Verdot), their Rosé is usually a good bet for something good but a little different. As it was with last year’s vintage last year, the wine is comprised of a blend of 60% Malbec (yet another varietal that is having some recent success in Israel) and 40% Carignan. A medium bodied wine with a nice nose redolent of tangy raspberries, black cherries and some spices all of which continue on a refreshing palate of fruit, some leather and a healthy dose of acid that keeps things refreshing and presents a Rosé unlike “all them other Rosé s” –in a good way. A medium long finish rounds this one out. This wine has the added benefit of being relatively cheap earning it a YH Best Buy.