Recently, I attended a press release in Tel Aviv of Binyamina Reserve wines for 2012. First we tasted the 2011 Binyamina Reserve Gewurztraminer with a suggested retail price of 64 NIS.  With 12 grams of sugar/liter, this semi-dry wine is proof positive why Gewurztraminer is becoming one of the most popular premium white grapes in Israel, even though its currently limited to small vineyard plantings. Every winery that produces it seems to sell out of what they make very early […]

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My buddy Ari Erle and his company, Israeli Wine Company, will be pouring Israeli wine in California at two events this week (including one TODAY): TODAY, Thursday June 4, 2009 at 6:30-9:00PM Holbrook-Palmer Park, Jennings Pavilion 150 Watkins Avenue Atherton, CA It’s a fundraising event, and tickets cost $150. The premier celebration of Israel and the Jewish community in the Bay Area. Join us for the hottest and freshest in Israeli music, food, film and more. NOTE: They can’t pour […]

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The following are words that I wrote in tribute of Daniel Rogov. I sent this to Rogov before he died. Rogov, you were a true mentor and will be missed. There are many people in the wine industry who have been greatly influenced by Daniel Rogov, who brought international standards to Israeli wine and brought the story of Israeli wine to the international audience. Daniel Rogov has been commended by many of the wine greats. At Rogov’s tribute evening, Howard […]

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I’m not the expert in wine and food pairings but I know a few basics. Like a Moscat/Moscato is a great wine for a sweet dessert like cake or ice cream, but not the appropriate wine for a hearty meal. Yet, as I mentioned in Friday’s post, many of my friends will serve moscato – especially the Golan Moscato — for the ritual blessings on the wine on Shabbat and holidays. Well, apparently this year’s blend – which is always […]

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Daniel Rogov’s Guide to Israeli Wines keeps on getting bigger and bigger. Rogov’s 2009 Guide to Israeli Wines, released last Thursday, is the largest guide yet to Israel’s growing wine industry. While the 2008 guide, including a chapter on wine storage not appearing in the 2009 edition, was a thick 455 pages, the newest edition is a whopping 527 pages and feels significantly heavier. The 2009 edition includes tasting notes for 2,350 wines (from several vintages) including over 700 new […]

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The London 2012 Olympics are about to start. England is known for frenetic, physical football, unique pubs, flat beer, tea with milk, fish and chips and the Queen. it is also a city which is known for being the center of the wine trade and has been so for over 200 years. It was there where Port, Sherry, Champagne and Bordeaux were first brought to the world’s attention. Most of the world’s best wine writers, apart from Robert Parker, are […]

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I have written previously about Israeli Wine Direct and the important work Richard Shaffer and his team are doing to bring small-quantity Israeli wine into the United States. IWD is making some of Israel’s best, small-production wine available to consumers in America. My only complaint is that it means less for me! Well, I have […]

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             The Jerusalem Wine Festival is the largest and most widely attended wine festival in Israel with tens of thousands attending over four nights. Traditionally, and now it’s in its 9th year, the festival is held at Jerusalem’s revered Israel Museum during the week of Tu Ba’av , which is both Jewish “Valentine’s […] The Jerusalem Wine Festival starts next week. In this episode of Rusty Mike Radio, David Rhodes gives a preview of the 2011 Jerusalem Wine […]

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(The following article is reprinted from wines-israel and reprinted with permission) Talk about the Rothschilds and you will automatically think of finance, the arts and philanthropy. However scratch below the surface and wine, the Jewish community and Israel comes to the fore as an ongoing thread through the family story. Their influence in the building the State of Israel is unparalleled Some of the most fundamental institutions in Israel were founded with financial support from this most famous of Jewish […]

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Marks and Spencer, the iconic British food and clothing retailer founded by two Jewish families, has chosen a special selection of wines from the Eastern Mediterranean. Following new interest in Eastern Mediterranean food, M&S has chosen fifteen wines from Croatia, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey and Slovenia. These will be available in their wine division, on line and will complement the Eastern Med foods in their deli, bakery and prepared food ranges. The wines will range between GBP 7.99 and GBP […]

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