Posted at 20:31h in Wine industry by Avi 0 Comments Decanter.com has reported that: “An army of marauding baboons has been terrorising wine growers in the Franschhoek Valley region of South Africa, raiding local farms and devouring grapes.” One winery reported that he had lost nearly 40% of his crop to the animals! In Israel, maybe grapes aren’t eaten by animals as exotic as baboons, but there are certain local animals that enjoy feasting on the fruit. On the Golan […]

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Posted at 12:35h in Wine industry by Avi 0 Comments The following post is reprinted from wines-israel.com In a unique event, Eli Ben Zaken hosted the main wine critics of Israel and four very special international guests to a vertical tasting of Castel’s finest wines. Domaine du Castel was founded in 1992 by Eli Ben Zaken at Ramat Raziel in the Jerusalem mountains, west of Jerusalem. His first vintage was a mere 600 bottles.He now produces over 100,000, and runs […]

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Posted at 08:57h in Events, Wines by David Rhodes 0 Comments This is a shortened list from a longer article for those who like lists rather than reading explanations. Some wines I consider the best of the expo, some sentimental favorites and some just intellectually stimulating and worth mentioning as being illustrative of emerging trends. A few special wines were all of the above 2009 Tishbi Single Vineyard Malbec 2009 Ramot Naftaly Malbec 2008 Teperberg “Terra” Malbec 2008 Yatir Petit […]

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This post includes the best Israeli wines I tasted in 2012 (for a more comprehensive list, including non-Israeli wines, check out my website). As with prior years, in addition to the “best” wines of 2012, I have also included a list of the most interesting and exciting wines I tasted this year – many of which give more pleasure than some of their “near-perfect” brethren who are included in the more prestigious list. The “Exciting/Interesting” list is also an indicator […]

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Posted at 13:16h in Wine industry by David Rhodes 0 Comments The Tishbi Winery recently released their newest addition to their Single Vineyard series their 2007 Tishbi Single Vineyard Old Vine Carignan. This 100% Carignan is from their 45 year old vineyards in Shefaya from which the Tishbi’s got their Hebrew name (an acronym in Hebrew) from renown Israeli poet Chaim Nacham Bialek which stands for “a resident of Shefaya in Israel”. With only 13% alcohol, low for an Israeli […]

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Sure, Yarden wines are kosher. But the Israeli wine producer doesn’t want kosher to define the product or the winery. One of the largest wine producers in the tiny nation wants to increase its exports and get out the message that no, these are not sweet wines. These are quality, food-friendly wines, comparable with wines of the United States or South America. They just happen to be kosher. Yarden’s lead winemaker, Victor Schoenfeld, recently presented wines at a tasting in […]

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The small Israeli wine world is in shock at the premature, untimely death of Tsina Avidan, the owner and winemaker of Avidan Winery, one of the country’s most up and coming, fastest improving boutique wineries. A boutique winery should almost by definition be characterful and highly individual. Avidan Winery certainly fits the bill. The wines are bold, the blends sometimes unconventional, the labels and brand names idiosyncratic. They were made in the image of Tsina who came from the Provence […]

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Posted at 10:41h in Wine 101, Wines by Avi 0 Comments Unfortunately most Israelis associate sweet wines with Kiddush and religious ritual, and therefore the very word ‘sweet’ has connotations of a cheap and nasty wine. Something which is to be avoided, at all costs. However some of the world’s most sought after and expensive wines are sweet, pudding wines. An Eiswein or Trockenbeerenauslese from Germany, Icewine from Canada or Sauternes from Bordeaux are sweet, but it would be a […]

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Posted at 16:09h in Wine industry by Avi 0 Comments This article first appeared on wines-israel.com and is reprinted with permission of the author. On Israel’s 64th Independence Day, it is worthwhile to look back at some of Israel’s most influential wines, which have helped to advance Israel’s image as a wine producing country of international quality. These are some of the wines that charted the progress of Israel in the international court of public opinion. The coming list is […]

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Posted at 22:44h in Wine industry by David Rhodes 3 Comments On Valentine’s Day, I found myself without a date, it does happen from time to time; but I did get to marry two of my favorite passions, food and wine as part of a wonderful evening featuring the wines of Israel’s Odem Mountain Winery and… Posted at 11:12h in Wineries, Wines by Avi 0 Comments This was the second year of the Best Value competition, organized by Studio Ben […]

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