Posted at 15:23h in Wine industry by Avi 1 Comment
This article appeared on wines-israel.co.il and is reprinted with permission
Daniel Rogov’s annual guides have been published by Toby Press, with two significant additions this year. Firstly, Rogov’s Guide to Israeli Wines 2011 is published in Hebrew for the first time. This will be very welcome to the Hebrew speaking followers of Rogov.
Secondly Rogov’s two guide books in English are being sold together. So both Rogov’s Guide To Israeli Wines 2011 and Rogov’s Guide To World Kosher Wines 2011 will be available in a boxed set.
Daniel Rogov is an institution in Israel where he has become one of the leading brands advancing Israeli wine. His impact is not less than the best wineries. His books represent Israeli wine on the shelves in the finest bookshops, in the same way that Yarden, Yatir, Castel and Carmel are on the shelves in the finest wine stores. He tastes more Israeli and kosher wines than anyone and still takes time to visit most of the medium and larger wineries without fail each year. He is the only full time wine critic in Israel. He writes for Haaretz newspaper, contributes to Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book and Tom Stevenson’s Wine Report, and manages his own wine discussion forum.
His books are presented very stylishly, as always, by Toby Press. The cover of the Israel book is black and is decorated by the outline of a bottle and glass in silhouette. The Kosher book is similar, but in white. Toby Press, and specifically the owner, Matthew Miller, should be congratulated for their support of Israeli wine. What started off as a three year experiment is now already in its seventh year.
Rogov’s Guide To World Kosher Wines contains a forward written by Adam Montefiore, a history of kosher wines, an explanation of what makes a kosher wine, and a guide of how to taste wines. It does not include Israeli wines this year, but does include wines from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, New Zealand, Cyprus, France, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and the United States. The Israeli kosher wines are of course to be found in the Israeli guide.
Rogov’s Guide To Israeli Wines has all the usual features including the history of Israeli wine, vintage reports, explanations of grape varieties and regions. There are also Rogov’s painstakingly written tasting notes with scores, along with a history of scores from previous years. The book has grown somewhat over the last year. The 2010 edition had 487 pages, but the 2011 edition has 603! (The first edition in 2005 had 287 pages.)
This year there are nine wineries that have been awarded the maximum five stars. They are, in alphabetical order: Carmel, Castel, Chateau Golan, Clos de Gat, Flam, Golan Heights, Margalit, Pelter and Yatir. Of these, Carmel, Castel, Golan Heights and Yatir produce wines that are kosher. Chateau Golan, Clos de Gat, Margalit and Pelter produce wines that are not kosher. Flam wines will be kosher from the 2010 harvest. In the World Kosher Guide, the wineries gaining five stars are: Covenant, Hagafen and Herzog.
In the lists at the beginning of the Israel book, the best wineries are adjudged to be: 1. Golan Heights, 2. Yatir, 3. Margalit, 4. Castel and 5. Clos de Gat. There is also a list of the top twenty six wines of the year. This includes 8 wines from the Golan Heights Winery, followed by Carmel with 5, Margalit, Castel and Clos de Gat each with 4 and both Pelter and Yatir with 2 wines. The best scoring kosher wines are: Golan Heights Winery’s Yarden Rom 2006 with 96 points. The best non kosher wine is: Margalit Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve 2008 with 95 points. In the kosher guide, the best scoring wine is: Hagafen Prix Melange 2004 with 95 points.
Apart from Rogov’s ratings and scores, this Israeli book is useful for another reason. It has the most extensive list of Israeli wineries that there is. There are over 150 wineries listed. It is slightly absurd to say, but lists of wineries published by government bodies like the Wine & Grapes Board, Wine Institute and Israel Export Institute do not come near to matching the numbers in Rogov’s book. Nor do the number of wineries listed in websites like www.wines-israel.co.il (in Hebrew), www.wines-israel.com (in English) and in other books like The Wine Route of Israel come close. So quite apart from being an excellent guide book, it is also most comprehensive list of Israeli wineries that exists – by far.
Rogov’s Guides 2011 comprising the two books, covers over 240 wineries and over 2,600 wines. The cost of the boxed set compilation is attractively priced at only NIS 149 or US$ 29.95. It can be bought in book shops, including Borders and Barnes & Noble in the US, Foyles and Waterstones in the UK. It is also available on Amazon at a reduced price.
The Hebrew book ‘Madrich Rogov l’Yayinot Yisrael’ costs NIS 129 at Steimatzky or at winery visitor centers. This the perfect gift for the Hebrew speaking Israeli who up to now, has only had the opportunity of reading Rogov’s Guide in English.
Both books improve the high standards of previous years.
Good job Rogov!
