Posted at 16:33h in Events, Wine industry by 0 Comments
Israeli wine just got a bit of attention in Canada. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with private organizations, brings many different groups of people to Israel. I have personally been involved in a trip of bloggers, but they have also brought in entertainment/youth culture reporters, political leaders, and others.
The journalists included Tony Aspler, Jugen Gothe, Sheila Swerling-Spuritt, Sean Wood, Irvin Wolkoff, Alex Eberspaecher, Debbie Trenholm and Master Sommelier John Szabo. They visited wineries including Amphorae, Agur, Barkan-Segal, Bazelet ha Golan, Binyamina, Carmel – Zichron Ya’acov, Castel, Ch. Golan, Dalton, Ella, Flam, Galil Mountain, Golan Heights Winery, Karmei Yosef-Bravdo, Margalit, Pelter, Recanati, Saslove, Sea Horse, Tulip, Tzora, Vitkin and Yatir and ate at some of Israel’s finest restaurants. Of course, despite being brought by the government, they were able to be completely objective.
As a result, several new reviews of Israeli wines have been published in Canada,
including this review by Tony Aspler. Some highlights of that review (besides tasting notes, check out the article) include insights about the individual wineries. “”I hope people will appreciate Israeli wines as Israeli wines not kosher wines,” said Golan Flam, the winemaker of Flam – the largest non-kosher winery in Israel, making great wines.
Marc Andre Gagnon, an independent Quebec critic who was not on the trip, also came out with a review of three Israeli wineries. The original article is in French here (Tzora Vineyards 2004 Stone Hill Vineyard Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Winery 2004 Sandro, and Alexander Winery 2004 Gaston and Ella Valley Vineyards 2004 Chardonnay) and a translation of the tasting notes:
Tzora Vineyards 2004 Stone Hill Vineyard Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
“Pleasing aromas of small fruit and morello cherries. The same flavors re-appear on the palate. Juicy and supple. The tannins are light. With character, ripe and tender fruit. A pleasant cherry finish.
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 15 months in French oak barrels, a third of which are new. A kosher wine from the Samson region.
Serve cool at 14 degrees Celsius.
We don’t often encounter Israeli wines in Quebec. Yet there has been a strong increase in the wine production of this country over the past 20 years or so. It no longer produces only kosher wine. Many vintners studied abroad in California, France, Italy and Australia, and now work in more than 200 wineries.”
2 stars (85/100)
Source: Vin Quebec, October 26, 2007
Link: http://vinquebec.com/node/3291
Alexander Winery 2004 Sandro
“A dark red wine from Upper Galilee with a discreet nose that opens up slowly. Well-coated fruitiness. Quite unctuous. A warm finish. Pleasant tannins integrate nicely into the whole. Quite long. A delicate [cherry] pit flavor on the finish. It accompanied a mushroom steak very well.
Alcohol 14.5%. Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (27%) and 3% Sauvignon Blanc. Indeed! The producer poured his wine into a vat that still contained a bit of Sauvignon!
Alexander Winery, Israel.
A new product and a discovery. Very good.”
3 stars (87/100)
Source: Vin Quebec, November 22, 2007
Link: http://vinquebec.com/node/3437
Alexander Winery 2004 Gaston
“A very aromatic merlot from a warm country: Israel. A New World wine although it’s somewhat strange to use that term for the Galilee. In fact, the style is closer to European wines – France and Italy – than it is to Australia or America.
The wine is aromatic and fruity with hints of leather. It is full of body, quite unctuous and spicy. Gummy fruitiness. It’s warm, chewy and copious.
Varietals: 76% Merlot, the rest equal parts of Syrah and Grenache.”
2.5 stars (86/100)
Source: Vin Quebec, November 28, 2007
Link: http://vinquebec.com/node/3466
Chardonnay Ella Valley Vineyards Samson 2004
“This wine presents itself with pleasant aromas of wax and butter. The same flavors return on the palate along with a mineral touch. The wood is well-defined with an almond finish. A perfectly dry Chardonnay from Israel.”
2 stars (85/100)
Source: Vin Quebec, December 11, 2007
Link: http://vinquebec.com/node/3555
Apparently many of the wines are imported in Canada by IsraVin. If you live in Canada and can’t find them, contact IsraVin to get them on your shelves!
