Posted at 11:35h in Wineries by David Rhodes 0 Comments
Recently, I was fortunate to be among a small group of wine writers, sommeliers and restaurateurs invited to the 12 Rothschild restaurant in Tel Aviv where we were treated to a well paired lunch with an introduction of eight wines presented by Chateau Golan’s managing director Shuki Shai and widely respected winemaker Uri Hetz. Their 2012 Chateau Golan Geshem Pink (NIS 119) met us as 
we walked in and it was yet unfiltered so the several chilled bottles for our enjoyment were yet unlabeled and looked like red grapefruit juice and the flavor and aromas had an aptly citric thrust with crisp acidic finish complementing a full body. The base of their rosé is 90% Grenache and 10 % Syrah that was pressed together and left with their skins only about 3 to 4 hours. About 5% was added to that base of a Barbera based rosé from the Shvo winery and reciprocally a similar amount of the Grenache/Syrah went to Shvo. It seems to have paid off for Chateau Golan and I eagerly look forward to taste how it plays out for Shvo. Uri’s rosé was the first Israeli rosé I had tried years ago that convinced me that Israeli winemakers could and should make more premium rosé and since then I’ve been rewarded with many new examples from dozens of Israeli wineries. As well, each vintage Uri seems to tweak their rosé so it evolves to be better and better and a new twist on a familiar theme. Two white wines were also introduced, the 2011 Chateau Golan Sauvignon Blanc (NIS 142) and 2011 Chateau Golan Geshem White (NIS 175) With the rosé, this gives the winery three seasonal wines for Israel’s long warm summers and they tend to sell out quickly even though they’re expensive compared to Israeli competitors. Their 100% Sauvignon Blanc isn’t a traditional Sauvignon Blanc by Israeli standards. It leans to being more grassy, herbal and elegant than fruity with cut grass on the nose accented by hints of green pepper, white grapefruit, lemon custard and lime zest with a crisp finish that would make it an ideal match for the wide range of salads and Mediterranean bounty found in Israeli restaurants or family tables. The Geshem White is a southern Rhone style blend of 57% Roussanne, 26% Grenache Blanc and 17% Viognier grapes that offers a cornucopia of white peaches, golden delicious apples, lime, kiwi, melon, pineapple and bananas with a lighter finish than their Sauvignon Blanc that convinced me this might be a better match for poultry or pastas with a creamy sauce. The first red poured was the 2009 Chateau Golan Geshem Red (NIS 245), their flagship red, another southern Rhone blend of 67% Grenache and 33% Mourvedre grapes boasting a hearty 15.3% alcoholic content. This wine was light enough in the glass by color to pass as a Pinot Noir at first glance and its earthy savory foundation might steer someone to that perception but its notes of creamy black and red raspberries with hints of dark chocolate, espresso and tobacco would lead thoughts elsewhere. Like their other reds to follow, its complexity and depth would benefit from decanting 1/2 hour or an hour to open up and reveal all its sultry pleasures. Possible pairings that come to mind are holiday turkey, succulent duck or a delicate veal entree. A complement to Uri’s other Rhone inspired wines is his 2010 Chateau Golan Syrah (NIS 158), a 92% Syrah with an 8% dash of Carignan. Impenetrable in color, at first glance it promises to be a powerful wine and it delivers a pleasurable punch to the face of black berries, blueberry, black raspberry with notes of cedar and cinnamon, With 15.4% alcohol and dense layers of complexity, it’s not for the casual quaff but a big bold treat that begs for hearty fare like lamb chops, ribs or shoulder to accompany it. At 14.9 % alcohol, their 2010 Chateau Golan Cabernet Sauvignon (NIS 151) is not a light wine but it is lighter than some of their other reds with 6% Syrah and 1% Merlot delivering black currant, plums with oak notes of cigar box and coffee. A steak or a beef stew would give you something complimentary to chew as this wine’s well integrated yet prevalent tannins would favor a fatty and feisty feast. Another of their red mainstays is the 2010 Chateau Golan Eliad (NIS 195), a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon accented with 6% Syrah, 6% Merlot and 6 % Petit Verdot. With even 15.2% alcohol the wine still exhibits a discernible elegance and complexity of black fruits including cassis, black raspberries, dark cherries and forest berries. Last but not least were two wines yet to be released and for now remaining unpriced. The 2010 Chateau Golan Og, named after the gigantic biblical king from Bashan arrived with a modest 14% alcohol yet presented as a much denser wine with notes of red cherries, dark plums and strawberries framed by coffee and tobacco leaves. The affair was capped off by a serving of 2010 Chateau Golan Touriga Nacional, a sweet yet seductive dessert wine with 18% alcohol made with traditional Port grapes from Portugal although sourced from UC Davis vines which with 1 1/2 years aging in oak. Its cuvee of raisins, prunes, cola and vanilla flavors promise even a richer treasure for those patient enough to age this wine which will match well with potent cheeses or rich chocolate confections.
A dry Touriga Nacional will also be available from Chateau Golan’s current vintage although not necessarily as a single varietal and it will be interesting to sample what Uri crafts from this rarely used grape in Israel. From tasting these eight well crafted wines and examples from Uri’s previous vintages, it promises to be well worth waiting for and a possible trendsetter as Uri’s earlier and current use of Rhone varietals has foreshadowed their appearance in more and more pleasurable offerings from various Israeli winemakers.
