Posted at 17:52h in Events, Wineries, Wines by Avi 1 Comment
The following is from wines-israel.com and reprinted with permission
El Al, Israel’s national airline, submitted wines to the annual wine tasting organized by the Global Traveler, along with 28 other international airlines. The competition was for wines served to First Class & Business Class passengers.
To the surprise of those present, an Israeli wine was declared the winner of the category for ‘International First Class White Wines’, finishing ahead of German, French and Californian wines. The winning wine was Carmel Winery’s Appellation Gewurztraminer 2009. It was described as “the outstanding white wine.” The Global Traveller reports: “It was a wine heaped with praise as spicy, expressive, and thinking it was from the grape’s homeland, ‘Alsace at its best.’“
The Appellation Gewurztraminer 2009 was made 100% from Gewurztraminer grapes grown in the Upper Galilee. The wine was harvested early and cold fermented to preserve the unique Gewurztraminer aromas. The wine is off dry and aromatic, with an aroma of lychee, rose petal and a touch of sweetness, but also has a good, refreshing acidity.
Carmel’s Appellation label is for regional wines, which offer an expression of varietal flavors from specific sub regions. The wines are distinguished by their attractive labels featuring a variety of fauna from Biblical Israel, in hand drawn cartoon style. The Gewurztraminer may be recognized by a desert fox on the label. Carmel Winery, founded in 1882 by the Rothschild family, is the historic winery of Israel offering wines which range from the prestigious Carmel Limited Edition, one of Israel’s finest wines, to Selected, Israel’s largest selling brand.
The competition, which is organized annually, is called: ‘Wines on the Wing’. A panel of no less than 31 judges tasted and rated the wines served by international airlines.
Apart from El Al, the airlines taking part included: Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Alitalia, Delta, IIberian Airlines, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, South African Airways, Virgin etc. The tasting was held at the Academia di Vino on Third Avenue in Manhattan, New York.
Congratulations to El Al and Carmel Winery!
