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This article first appeared on wines-israel.com and is reprinted with permission of the author.
On Israel’s 64th Independence Day, it is worthwhile to look back at some of Israel’s most influential wines, which have helped to advance Israel’s image as a wine producing country of international quality.
These are some of the wines that charted the progress of Israel in the international court of public opinion. The coming list is a story of Israel through its wines – each one has contributed to the advance of Israel’s image in some way and each individual success was a stepping stone in the upward advance of the Israel wine industry. The list is made up from those wines that have drawn attention to Israel through awards, scores or recognition.
Carmel No. 1 1900
The first Israeli winner at a major wine show was the Carmel No.1 at the Paris World Fair at the beginning of the last century. It won a Gold Medal alongside the French First Growths. It confirmed the rebirth of a modern Israeli wine industry after 2,000 years.
Carmel Cabernet Sauvignon 1970 – Winemakers: Shimon Rosenthal/ Yaacov Avni
Israel’s first varietal wines – a Cabernet Sauvignon & a Sauvignon Blanc were first launched with the 1970 vintage. Golan Heights Winery introduced Merlot & Chardonnay in the late 1980’s.
Carmel Special Reserve 1976 – Winemaker: Feddie Stiller
This wine was Israel’s first really serious ‘fine’ wine. Aged in French oak barrels for two years and then aged in the bottle, it was only released in 1980. It was a long lasting wine, surprising connoisseurs, by being drinkable for up to 20 years. It was a definite milestone in the production of Israeli wine.
Yarden Sauvignon Blanc 1983 – Philip Steinschriber
This was the Golan Heights Winery’s first vintage and when this wine was launched it became known – particularly in America, as Israel’s first world class wine. The wine was a real breakthrough for Israel – light straw colored, aromatic and with good acidity – rather than the over oxidized, flabby, yellowing white wines that were produced up to then.
Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon 1984 – Mike Lake
This was the first Israeli wine to wine an international prize at the very highest level. It not only won the Gold Medal at the International Wines & Spirits Competition in London in 1987, but also The Winiarski Trophy (presented by Warren Winiarski of Stags Leap fame) as the best red wine in the competition. This was the first real proof to the wider wine world that Israeli wines were international class. To onlooking wine experts it was an astonishing result.
Yarden Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest 1988 – Andrew Star
Israel’s first special dessert wine made from grapes naturally affected by botrytis. It was probably the most unique wine ever produced in Israel. It was never duplicated. Dessert wines were always regarded previously as low quality – their sweetness being too reminiscent of kiddush (sacramental) wines.
Yarden Merlot 1988 – Andrew Star
This was a wine that won the Grand Prix d’Honneur at Vinexpo. It was the second Vinexpo in a row that the Golan Heights Winery won this prestigious trophy, and they were to win this three times in a row. It was arguably the best award received for an Israeli Merlot.
Yarden Katzrin 1990 – Peter Stern/ Victor Schoenfeld
Yarden Katzrin was Israel’s first super de luxe red wine. The first vintage was 1990. It was Israel’s first ever $50 bottle of wine and later vintages were Israel’s first ever $100 bottle of wine. Usually made by a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it is only produced in especially good vintages – to date 1990, 1993, 1996, 2000, 2003 and 2004. This wine took Israeli wine onto a new plain.
Castel Grand Vin 1992 – Eli Ben Zaken
This wine was famous because it was Eli Ben Zaken’s first vintage, but it was also the one ‘discovered’ by Serena Sutcliffe, Master of Wine and Head of the Sotheby’s Wine Department. She referred to it as the best Israeli wine she had ever tasted. This encouraged Eli Ben Zaken to build his beautiful winery and the whole boutique winery revolution in the 1990’s.
Margalit Cabernet Sauvignon 1993 – Yair Margalit
Yair Margalit gained a reputation as the first really international class boutique winery being founded in 1989. He was Israel’s best known winemaker at this stage. However it was the 1993 that was regarded as his greatest wine. The wine drew attention to the quality of a smaller, less commercial style of winery and gave notice of the coming boutique winery explosion that was to follow. Recent tastings show the wine is still going strong 15 years later.
Yarden Blanc de Blancs N.V. – Victor Schoenfeld
In 1996 a champagne method sparkling wine became the best bottle fermented sparkling wine winning the Trophy at the IWSC in London. The wine was then non vintage, but today it is made as a vintage sparkling wine. This showed that Israel could triumph on the world scene with another wine style. The Yarden Blanc de Blancs won this same Trophy on two subsequent occasions too.
Castel Grand Vin 1997 – Eli Ben Zaken
Castel drew attention to Israel when the Grand Vin 1997 became Decanter Wine of the Month. Decanter, only second to the Wine Spectator in importance, then rarely tasted Israeli wine, let alone writing anything positive about them. Castel’s success was therefore even more noteworthy and they went on to achieve this three times.
Flam Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2000 – Golan Flam
This was one of four wines which were first recognized in Tom Stevenson’s Wine Report as Israel’s one of the ‘100 Most Exciting Wine Finds’. Made from Upper Galilee fruit, this Flam wine signaled the new quality boutique wineries being formed in Israel, were good enough to receive international recognition.
Yatir Winery 2003 – Eran Goldwasser
The flagship wine of Yatir Winery made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, grown in the high altitude Yatir Forest vineyards in the southern Judean Hills. This wine finished in first place in the first ever tasting of Israeli wines held by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. It was awarded 93 points, which then equaled the highest score ever given for an Israeli, kosher or Eastern Mediterranean wine by Robert Parker, the world’s most famous wine critic.
Carmel Sha’al Gewurztraminer Late Harvest 2004 – Lior Lacser
A special dessert wine that received a gold medal at the IWSC and a double gold at Terravino, but it is not for this reason it is on the list. It also received a review of 95 points from Howard Goldberg of the New York Times, Decanter and The Wine News. It was the highest score ever given to an Israeli wine by an international critic.
Clos de Gat Harel Syrah 2004 – Eyal Rotem
This Syrah won the Regional Trophy at the Decanter Fine Wines Awards. It was significant in that it was the first Israeli Syrah to wine an international award and the first significant award given to Israel by the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards. It promises to be a variety suited to the Israeli climate.
Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 – Victor Schoenfeld
This was the first Israeli wine listed by the Wine Spectator’s as one of the top 100 wines of the year. It was a big breakthrough for Israel to be recognized on this prestigious list. The Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon has been one of the more consistent wines over the years and it was appropriate that this was the first Israeli wine to make it onto the Wine Spectator’s prestigious list.
“C” Blanc du Castel 2003 – Eli Ben Zaken
Though Israel as a country became mainly known for its red wines, this wine is arguably Israel’s finest Chardonnay. The 2003 became the first Israeli wine to receive over 90 points from the Wine Spectator, the most famous wine magazine in the world. The 2005 later became the highest scoring dry white wine in the Wine Advocate.
Carmel Single Vineyard Shiraz, Kayoumi Vineyard 2006 – Lior Lacser
This wine won both the Regional and International Trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards beating the finest Syrahs from France, Shiraz’s from Australia and southern Rhone blends like Chateauneuf du Pape. Decanter termed it ‘the sensation of this year’s competition, or indeed of any year’s competition.’ It was arguably the finest award ever made for an Israeli wine in such a prestigious competition.
Yarden Rom 2006 – Victor Schoenfeld / Zelma Long
The first Yarden Rom was a joint winemaking venture between Golan Heights Winery’s experienced winemaker, Victor Schoenfeld and Californian winemaking icon, Zelma Long. Zelma Long is the Golan’s winemaking consultant. This wine received 96 points from the late Daniel Rogov, Israel’s most famous wine critic. It was the highest score Rogov ever gave for a wine.
Yarden Chardonnay, Odem Vineyard 2009 – Victor Schoenfeld
This wine won the prestigious Grand Gold Award at Vin Italy along with the Yarden HeightsWine. It was also significant in that it was made from an organically grown vineyard. This performance ensured the Golan Heights Winery won the Best Winery Award at Vin Italy. Undoubtedly the best award ever made for an Israeli winery. It also showed the Golan’s consistency and versatility. They have won Grand Gold Medals at Vin Italy for white, red. sparkling and dessert wines.
Recanati Special Reserve 2008 – Gil Shatzberg
This wine won no less than four gold medals in quality international competitions. It flagged up with great consistency that Israeli was producing world class wines and was recognized as such in a number of different arenas. Recanati proved to be a very consistent collector of gold medals worldwide.
This record may not be of the best wines Israel has produced – even though many of them are – but their influence in spreading the word of the quality and variety of Israel wines can not be underestimated.
When I moved to California from Massachusetts, I missed the embedded and concentrated layers of culture and history that New 
England had to offer over the American Southwest. Yet when moving to Israel, those hundreds of years of New England culture were overshadowed by thousands of years of civilizations that can be overwhelming to a resident as much as to a tourist exploring without a guide. I’ve half-kidded that with the right tour guide, you could easily walk every ten paces in Israel and have a history lesson of what happened here or there. Often in such a small country at the cross-roads of three continents (Asia, Europe and Africa) and trade routes, there are multiple stories of interest for every locale spanning at least four thousand years. I doubt there’s even one spot in Israel that doesn’t have dozens if not hundreds of captivating stories that could be told to have taken place in that spot; its just that some are more famous and better documented or lost in the passage of time.
As a Jew and recent immigrant to Israel, often I focus my own sojourns on sites that have more to do with the history of my own people although one could easily spend one’s recreation or vocation visiting or documenting Christian, Muslim or Bahai shrines, holy sites and places of interest that go back millennium or at least centuries. Never in the last 2,000 years has Israel been such an open place for religious freedom where former rulers and governing powers either actively or passively prohibited or oppressed any religion other than that of the foreign power. Israel today, even as a Jewish state, protects and celebrates its religious diversity better than any other country in the Middle East and rivaling the most liberal of Western democracies.
Such was the case when the Israeli government sponsored a trip for foreign journalists before Passover and Easter to visit two Christian shrines and two Israeli wineries. Although, I’m known more for my wine related articles today more than previous writing endeavors, I was a history and philosophy student in college so the Christian shrines intrigued me as part of the history of my new home and as we were visiting one familiar and favorite winery and one new one on the way all the better. So it was that we several writers hailing from the US, China, Germany and South Africa set off from Jerusalem for a day of potential cultural edification and inebriation.
Within a short drive east of Israel’s ancient & modern capitol, we first stopped at the Church of John the Baptist. This ancient site is thought to be where Jesus’s most influential disciple was born and raised in the house of his parents Zachariah and Elizabeth. Initially a Byzantine church was built on the site in the fourth century as a tribute to St Elizabeth before being destroyed in the seventh century by conquering Muslim hordes from the Arabian peninsula. The church would be rebuilt in the 16th century and survive under more tolerant Ottoman governors until today although signs of its ancient and older origins are evident to the trained eye or one listening to a trained guide. There is a vibrant neighborhood surrounding the church in Jerusalem’s outskirts so its a nice area to dine for lunch or as we did partake of some of Israel’s many amazing boutique ice cream and gourmet chocolate shops.
After soaking in the site and its tranquility, a welcome respite for anyone living and working in the hustle and bustle of modern Israel, we carried on to one of Israel’s most celebrated boutique wineries, Domaine du Castel, one of the first and one of the brightest stars in Israel’s recent renaissance of its resurgent wine industry. The Castel Winery, as its also called, was founded in 1992 by Egyptian born and European educated Eli Ben Zaken on what was then a family farm which raised chickens. The almost immediate success and recognition his wine was something special had him suspend his poultry production in 1996 and from then when he was producing about 2,000 bottles his winery now employs his two sons and daughter and now produces about 100,000 bottles a year of highly desirable and expertly crafted wine. Its one the most internationally recognized Israeli wineries producing principally three wines, two premium Bordeaux red blends and a Chardonnay and is often on most wine writer’s list as one of the top ten wineries in Israel and frequently mentioned as either one of the top one or two. Having written hundreds of articles about Israeli wine, when asked, Castel is always one of the wineries I mention as a favorite and it has been a benchmark for other aspiring Israeli boutique wineries to emulate for the last twenty years.
One such aspiring boutique is the Nachshon Winery, in the Ayalon Valley, located on Kibbutz Nachshon. This winery is still in its early stages and is currently making about 10,000 bottles of year although the kibbutz, a communal farm, grows most of its grapes for Israel’s 2nd largest winery and its largest exporter Barkan. They’re still finding their way but are showing promise experimenting with both red blends, which made `Castel famous, and with single varietal wines such a Cabernet Franc, a promising Bordeaux varietal, that about 20 wineries have released in the last ten years as an alternative to more typical Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot offerings.
As the Nachshon Winery is lesser known than Castel, so was our second shrine, Emmaus Nicropolis, lesser known than our first stop of the day. Adjacent to the ancient hot springs for which is was named (which have since dried up) is the site, though disputed, where Jesus’s apparition was first sighted after he was to have been resurrected on Easter three days after his crucifixion on Good Friday. The sprawling grounds and church were a serene respite for anyone out in about in Israel the week before the week celebrating Passover, the celebration of ending 400 years of bondage in Egypt and the Jewish people returning to Israel after 40 years in the wilderness.
All in all, the excursion was a welcome reminder of not only what I and other Jews value about Israel, or why I and other wine lovers are applauding Israeli winemakers but why such a small country like Israel is on the minds of so many in the Western world, Jews and Christians alike.
Recently, I participated in an unprecedented tasting of Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon wines in Tel Aviv in the garden of Chef Alon Gonen’s home. We had all been invited by wine writer Rani Rogel of Food & Beverage/Israel. Three panels of wine writers, enthusiasts and wine makers sampled 37 wines so each panel averaged about 12 wines with the wines divided into three price categories, under 70 NIS (under $20), 70 to 120 NIS ( $20 to $35) and over 120 NIS (over $35). The wines were all close in age ranging from four vintages 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010 with only one from 2011.
We, the chosen reviewers, were tasked evaluating the wines based on sight, smell and taste as well as place a value on each wine we were tasting and assign a value from 1 (worst) – 5 (best). It can be daunting to taste and evaluate so many wines in a short span of time yet we did so dutifully without hesitation since we knew a dinner awaited us cooked by our hosting chef. All the wines had been opened at least an hour prior to tasting and were poured blind from foil wrapped bottles.
In the first category, the Golan Heights Winery scored strongest with two of its entry level wines, the 2010 Golan Cabernet Sauvignon (43 NIS) scored best with a 4.3 with the more expensive 2008 Gamla Cabernet Sauvignon (69 NIS) scoring a slightly more modest 4.1. The newly kosher boutique Tulip winery scored almost as well with their 2010 Tulip Cabernet Sauvignon (4.2) in a close second place. The 2011 Tishbi Cabernet Sauvignon (formerly their “vineyard series”) at 48 NIS, the 2007 Carmel Appellation Upper Galilee Cabernet Sauvignon at 65 NIS and the 2009 Yogev Cabernet Sauvignon all scored equally well tying for third place with an impressive 4.0.
In the mid range Cabernets, scores generally improved as one might expect with the Golan Heights Winery once again gaining high score with a 4.5 for it’s 2008 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon at 110 NIS. It didn’t share top rung alone this time as the 2009 Psagot Cabernet Sauvignon also chimed in with a 4.5 yet at a more affordable 90 NIS. Tulip once again made a strong showing with 2008 Tulip Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve scoring 3.8 at 95 NIS. Third place went to the Eyal Winery with their 2008 Eyal Cabernet Sauvignon at 3.75 at a modest 75 NIS.
In the over 120 NIS top range, we had a lot of wines showing strong, with the Saslove Winery inching out many second place challengers. The 2008 Saslove Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve scored a 4.1 at 177 NIS and surely will make kosher consumers anxious to taste their 2010 Cab Reserve, their first kosher vintage, when it’s released in a couple of years. There was a four-way tie for second place with the Barkan, Adir, Assaf and Karmei Yosef wineries all contending. Each scored a 4 just shy of the highest scoring Saslove. The market powerhouse Barkan placed with its 2008 Barkan Cabernet Sauvignon Altitude 720 (125 NIS) while the Assaf Winery from the Golan Heights with its 2008 Assaf Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (130 NIS), the Galilee’s Adir Winery with 2009 Adir “Plato” Cabernet Sauvignon (180 NIS) and the Judean Hill’s Karmei Yosef 2009 Bravdo Cabernet Sauvignon (129 NIS) continued a strong showing for boutique wineries as higher end wines. The Judean Hill’s Ella Valley scored third with its 3.75 with its 2007 Ella Valley VC Cabernet Sauvignon though at a higher price of 210 NIS.
Generally, the scores would indicate that larger wineries (possibly because of an economy of scale) can produce better wines at lower prices than boutiques although there are many good values from boutique wineries in the mid range and up-end of the price scale outperforming the top-tier wines from larger commercial wineries.
These scores may have differed I guess if each wine was decanted as it seemed younger wines fared better than older vintages and there were some surprising under performers from some well-respected wineries who I suspect would have shined under different circumstances (which is why I leave them unnamed). Yet, it’s the nature of any scoring system or tasting regiment to have its limitations and the tasting was conducted with the utmost care and professionalism by Rani Rogel with the assistance of Chef Alon Gonen who extended the reward of a great tasting and amazing experience with a perfectly seasoned mouth-watering savory falling off the bone osso buco served over a bed of delicate yet wine soaking gnocchi.
I look forward to any other tastings Rani conducts of different styles and varietals in this manner as tasting wines of the same varietal or style side by side does offer a perspective otherwise difficult to duplicate and is an enjoyable and edifying way to calibrate one’s taste for wines.
Holiday Shopping – Parts I & II
As you probably already know, the weeks leading up to Pessach are the US kosher wine industry’s busiest with more kosher wine being sold during this period than the rest of the year combined. As the popularity of quality kosher wine continues to increase, the quality and variety of wines available to the kosher wine consumer are truly astounding. While obviously a blessing, the tremendous choice can make for a somewhat stressful shopping experience. Also, and most unfortunately, there is a substantial amount of drek being pushed as quality wine and many stores and online purveyors are selling old, dead and tired wines so far past their optimum drinking windows that it’s practically criminal. Remember – in general (and there are exceptions), white wines shouldn’t be sold more than two years past their vintage and red wines three years (unless we are talking about the better and more expensive wines). As with every industry, caveat emptor.
During this busy buying season retailers bring out the big sales and almost every wine is on sale. Further, given the increasing competition and online availability of most top-notch kosher wines, most merchants will match any published price, so always ask your favored retailer to match any prices you have seen elsewhere and, if you aren’t happy with the price – ask for a discount. As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.
As with every year and in order to assist with your holiday shopping, I am happy to present my ANNUAL PESSACH KOSHER WINE GUIDE.
As with every year, I have set forth recommendations across four price ranges: Under $16, between $16-29.99, between $30-50 and Moshiach Wines (otherwise know as those über-special wines I would proudly serve the Moshiach, were he ever to grace my table). Prices tend to fluctuate and might not always fall squarely into the tiers I have listed below which should merely serve as a guide. Also, note that Moshiach wines sometimes include older vintages that I have been storing for a while in my cellar or wines that are subject to otherwise limited availability, and which are not always readily available at your local retailer.
It’s important to none that these lists are not exhaustive, but rather a sampling of wines I enjoy and think you will enjoy as well.
Also, as you know by now, despite 2008 being a tremendous vintage for almost all Israeli wines, it was Shmittah and therefore most wines were not exported out of Israel. While there are some 2008 Israeli wines being sold, including a number from the Golan Heights Winery, Galil Mountain and Odem Mountain. As with most halachik issues, there are numerous opinions with respect to the different “types” of Shmittah wine produced, enjoying such wines outside of Israel (or at all) and one should consult their local Rabbi with any questions in this regard.
I note that the attached is not a comprehensive list of every wine I believe worthy of your consideration, but merely a selection of the better wines available in the different price ranges, all of which I recommend and believe are worthy of your Pessach table (or random wine glass). As the years go buy and the quality and quantity of top-notch kosher wine grows, the number of potential wines for this list get longer, and the difficulty in culling wines harder. Even so, and given that the collective Wine Buying Guide includes around 130 wines, I will be putting together a list of my top-ten wines in each of the four categories and posting it on my website next week.
While one of my favorite Jewish customs, the tradition to consume four full cups of wine at the Seder brings with it a host of dilemmas requiring serious thought and planning. The main problem is that four cups of wine is a lot of wine to be consuming at one sitting (even an up-to 5 hour sitting such as a traditional Seder), especially given the fact that the first two cups are typically imbibed on an empty stomach. Another issue is that for the Seder many folks tend to use the same silver goblets used for Kiddush. While during the year, the potential negative effect the silver has on wine is easily remedied by immediately pouring the wine into a proper wine glass following Kiddush; during the Seder the wine sits in the silver goblet for a far longer period of time. Other potential issues arise from a tradition to only drink red wine at the Seder and to avoid any Mevushal wine (further to multiple reader requests, I am putting together a list of recommended mevushal wines which I will later this next week).
Given ones desire to honor the Seder, people try to have the nicest and most expensive wines possible, typically full-bodied Bordeaux-blends or robust Cabernet Sauvignon wines. These wines typically take time to open up and evolve and are layered and complex liquid treasures, well-deserving on your time. However, the empty stomach with which most people approach the first two cups, the requirement to consume nearly an entire cup of wine rather rapidly and the need to keep little kids from wreaking havoc; all combine to significantly detract from ones ability to fully enjoy and appreciate the complexities, nuances of flavor and aroma of these typically magnificent wines.
As a result, I suggest (and do so myself), saving the bigger and more expensive wines for leisurely drinking during the actual Seder meal (and the multiple subsequent meals over the holiday), and finding other good wines to utilize for the four cups. Being a traditionalist, I am sticking with red wines for all four cups and choose my wines based on a few simple principles. It is still Chag and one in which we celebrate our freedom so top quality wine is still a pre-requisite. Therefore, I look for top quality, medium bodied and relatively simple wines. Some favorites of mine include Recanati’s Petite-Sirah/Zinfandel 2010, the Capcanes Peraj Petita or Domaine Netofa Red 2010. To the extent you are looking for well priced whites, Dalton’s Reserve Viognier, Yarden’s Gewurztraminer or Odem Chardonnay, Dalton’s Fume Blanc or Carmel’s Kayoumi Riesling are all good and affordable bets.
Under $16
While this list includes many good and enjoyable wines, as a general rule, the wines in this price range are not complex, cellar worthy or sophisticated (with a few exceptions). As oak barrels are a significant component of a wine’s cost, this list has plenty of white wines that typically spend little or no time in oak, resulting in lower prices. As a general rule, any wine in this price range from Recanati, Galil Mountain or Dalton is going to be good, as long as it’s not too old. Most of the wines on these lists qualify as YH Best Buys (wines I consider a particularly good way to spend your hard-earned cash).
(1) Barkan, Classic, Pinot Noir, 2010 (2) Binyamina, Bin, Merlot, 2010 (3) Binyamina, Reserve, Chardonnay (Unoaked), 2010 (4) Binyamina, Yogev, Cabernet Sauvignon-Petit Verdot, 2010 (5) Carmel, Private Collection, Chardonnay, 2010 (6) Carmel, Appellation, Cabernet Franc, 2009 (Petit Sirah & Carignan in same series are also good) (7) Dalton, Canaan, Red, 2009 (8) Dalton, Fume Blanc, 2011 (9) Dalton, Moscato, 2011 (10) Elvi, Adar, Cava, Brut, n.v. (11) Galil Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010 (12) Galil Mountain, Alon, 2009 (not yet available in the United States) (13) Galil Mountain, Pinot Noir, 2010 (14) Golan Heights Winery, Golan, Moscato, 2011 (15) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Gewürztraminer, 2011 (16) Luria, Gewurztraminer, 2011 (available only in Israel) (17) Recanati, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010 (18) Recanati, Rose, 2011 (19) Recanati, Yasmin, White, 2011 (20) Tabor, Galil, Shiraz, 2009 (21) Teperberg, Terra, Malbec, 2009 (22) Teperberg, Silver, Syrah, 2009 (23) Tishbi, Gewurztraminer, 2010
(24) Weinstock, Cellar Select, Petite Sirah, 2010
$16-29.99
This price range is the sweet spot for me. As the prices of kosher wine continues to rise to ridiculous levels, there are a number of wineries that maintain a tremendous level of quality without pushing prices out of the reach of most people. While the majority of truly great Kosher wines unfortunately reside in the over $30 price range, there are plenty of great ones here as well. In general, I find Ella Valley, Dalton, Carmel, Herzog Special Reserve and the Golan Heights Winery to be consistent players in this field of great wines under $30 (i.e. anything of theirs in this range is worth buying [unless it’s past its peak]), notwithstanding the fact that they all also have more expensive terrific wines as well.
(1) Alexander, Reserve, Gaston, Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Shiraz, 2007 (2) Alfasi, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, 2011 (3) Barkan, Reserve, Pinotage, 2010 (4) Binyamina, Reserve, Carignan, 2009 (the 2010 is the newest release in Israel) (5) Binyamina, Reserve, Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, 2009 (6) Bodegas Flechas de los Andes, Gran Malbec, Mendoza, 2009 (7) Capcanes, Peraj Petita, 2009 (8) Carmel, Sha’al Vineyard, Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, 2007 (9) Carmel, Kayoumi Vineyard, Riesling, 2010 (10) Chateau Thenac, Fleur du Perigord, 2010 (11) Covenant, Red C, Sauvignon Blanc, 2011 (improvement over the very nice 2010) (12) Dalton, Estate, Petite Sirah, 2010 (13) Dalton, Alma, Chardonnay/Viognier, 2010 (14) Domaine Netofa, Red, 2010 (15) Domaine Netofa, Lator, White, 2010 (16) Ella Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Franc, 2009 (17) Ella Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 (the 2007 Syrah is also delicious) (18) Elvi, Herenza, Rioja, 2008 (19) Flam, Blanc, 2010 (20) Flam, Classico, 2010 (21) Galil Mountain, Avivim, 2009 (22) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Blanc de Blancs, 2005 (23) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 (24) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Odem Organic Vineyard, Chardonnay, 2009 (25) Goose Bay, Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 (don’t let the screwcap scare you off) (26) Goose Bay, Pinot Noir, 2010 (27) Hagafen, Lake County, White Riesling, 2010 (28) Herzog, Special Reserve, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008 (29) Herzog, Special Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon/Zinfandel/Syrah, 2009 (30) Odem Mountain, Volcanic, Shiraz, 2009 (31) Pacifica, Pinot Noir, 2010 (32) Porto Cordovero, Fine Ruby Port, n.v. (33) Psagot, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 (also try their port-styled “Prat”) (34) Psagot, Edom, 2009 (35) Recanati, Reserve, Syrah/Viognier, 2010 (36) Recanati, Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 (37) Recanati, Reserve, Cabernet Franc, 2009
(38) Segal, Single Vineyard Dishon, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 (a truly great wine and a YH Best Buy)
(39) Shiloh, Barbera, 2009 (40) Teperberg, Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 (probably Teperberg’s best wine yet) (41) Tulip, Just, Merlot, 2010 (42) Tulip, White Tulip, 2011 (43) Tzora, Neve Ilan, 2010 (44) Tzora, Judean Hils, 2009 (45) Tzuba, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007
(46) Vignobles David, Reserve, Cotes du Rhone Villages, 2010
$30-50
(1) 1848, Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. A delightful new arrival on the scene from a family that has been making wine in Israel for over 150 years.
(2) Barkan, Altitude, Cabernet Sauvignon +702, 2007. Each wine is the series is named for the respective altitude of the vineyard & all three are good. Together they make a great comparative tasting.
(3) Bazelet HaGolan, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. After a hiatus of a few years from top tier wines, Bazelet returns with a few good wines. This is one of them.
(4) B.R. Cohn, Trestle Glen Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008. The first kosher wine from the legendary Bruce Cohn and a resounding success – I wrote about the wine here.
(5) Capcanes, Peraj Ha’abib Flor de Primavera, 2009. One of my all time favorite wines and a spectacular vintage for this wine. The 2000 vintage is drinking amazingly now and is easily a Moshiach wine.
(6) Carmel, Single Vineyard Kayoumi, Shiraz, 2007. There is something special about the Kayoumi vineyard. The Cabernet is also really good and both could use a bit of aging before enjoying.
(7) Carmel, Mediterranean, 2007. One of Carmel’s attempts to create a wine with “Israeli” terroir. Different and delicious.
(8) Castel, Petit Castel, 2009. A “second” wine to the Grand Vin in price and name only – certainly not in quality.
(9) City Winery, Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. City Winery makes a number of delicious wines out of their SoHo facility which is worthy of a visit and the wines of your attention.
(10) City Winery, Spring Street Pinot Noir, 2009. Another top wine from City Winery and, while no longer the only kosher Oregon Pinot, it remains the best one.
(11) Covenant, Lavan (Chardonnay), 2010. A bit less oak than prior vintages allows the beautiful fruit to better express itself while still providing some muscle to this delicious wine.
(12) Dalton, Reserve, Shiraz, 2009. As with almost everything Dalton makes, this is a delightful wine (the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is also well worth trying).
(13) Drappier, Carte D’Or Champagne, n.v. A new and welcome arrival to the limited group of true kosher Champagnes. Crisp, layered and delicious.
(14) Ella Valley Vineyards, Vineyard’s Choice, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. Cabernet Sauvignon has been this winery’s weakest link (albeit a very strong one), an issue rectified by this wine. The Vineyard’s Choice Merlot 2005 is great (they just re-released the 2004 but I’d stick with the 2005).
(15) Elvi, El 26, Priorat, 2006. Together with the Mesorah listed below, these are Elvi’s two flagship wines who have earned that distinction. Simply delicious. The In Victa, a newly released white wine is also delightful.
(16) Elvi, Clos Mesorah, 2009. A limited release blend of Elvi’s new flagship wine. A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Old Vine Carignan yields a delightful result.
(17) Four Gates, Cabernet Franc, 2007. One of my favorite Cabernet Franc wines and a scrumptious wine. Four Gates is truly a tremendous winery whose wines are only available directly from the winery. Well worth the effort and make for fantastic pairing with food.
(18) Four Gates, Pinot Noir, 2009. Four Gates recently released a slew of news wines which are all incredible. The new cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah and delicious as well.
(19) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Single Vineyard–Elrom, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008. Almost everything they make is great. While some are a little overly jammy and oaky for my personal taste, this wine is rich, deep and delicious (and Shmittah) with great aging potential.
(20) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Single Vineyard-Ortal, Syrah, 2004. I drink tons of Syrah these days and this is an easy aged favorite which is still available at stores (just confirm the wines storage history).
(21) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Single Vineyard-Yonatan, 2007. A new and very welcome member of the Yarden Single Vineyard Series (and not only because it’s named after my oldest son).
(22) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, T2, 2008. Following their successful release last year of the Yarden 2T, a blend of two Portuguese varietals used in making Port, Yarden recently released a delicious port-Style wine from the same grapes. Only available in Israel but worth locating.
(23) Gvaot, Gofna Reserve, Pinot Noir, 2009. A few Gvaot wines are available in the US but they are overpriced. Gvaot is too amazing to miss out on so do yourself a favor and get some directly from Israel (most of them are really good).
(24) Hagafen, Prix, Pinot Noir – Fagan Creek, 2006. Hagafen makes two Pinot Noir wines in the Prix series (the other from the Soleil Vineyard). Both are delicious and make for a great comparative tasting.
(25) Hagafen, Prix, Zinfandel – Moskowite Ranch/Block 61, 2006. A big and powerful Zinfandel with plenty of fruit, spice and chocolate coming together magnificently.
(26) Karmei Yosef (Bravdo), Coupage, 2010. I was instantly smitten with the Karmei Yosef wines when I tasted the 2007 vintage and am ecstatic that the wine are now imported into the US at reasonable prices. Also highly recommended is the Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
(27) Livni, Sde Calev, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. A winery that has improved drastically over the last few years and this wine is rich and delicious. The 2009 Pinot is also well worth trying.
(28) Porto Cordovero, Late Bottled Vintage Port, 2004. The only true LBV kosher Port and a delicious and different dessert wine that is well worth trying.
(29) Recanati, Reserve, Kerem Ba’al, Carignan, 2009. One of the most interesting releases of the year in which Recanati showed its abilities once again. An ancient grape made awesome. Imported in limited quantities so get some as fast as you can. The 2010 is the current release in Israel.
(30) Recanati, Special Reserve, 2006. One of my all-time favorites and a severely underappreciated wine. Pricey but still a YH Best Buy.
(31) Shiloh, Secret Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. Over the last two years the consistency and quality of Shiloh has grown exponentially (stay tuned for a coming newsletter dedicated to the winery).
(32) Tzora, Misty Hills, 2007. Tzora’s flagship label which can be tough to find is terrific, reflecting the Judean Hills unique terroir and the winery’s abilities to create complex, layered and age-worthy wines.
(33) Yatir, Red Blend, 2007. As with everything else made by Yatir, this is a great wine well worth splurging on. The single varietal Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz wines are harder to find but worth the time, effort & expense to do so.
Moshiach Wines
Moshiach Wines are those wines that I would proudly serve the Moshiach, were he ever to grace my table. Please note that some of the Moshiach wines are older vintages that I have in my cellar or were acquired directly from Israel, and therefore may not be readily available at your local retailer. While they may be a tad difficult to lay your hands on, I promise you these are all worth the extra mile of effort or additional shekels! For your convenience, in instances where I have listed older vintages, I have also noted the current vintage of the wine and whether it is worthy of your consideration and wallet. I also note that this list has a very limited number of wines from Israel’s incredible 2008 vintage year as they are Shmittah and, for the most part not imported to the United States. That said, for my Israeli readers and those for whom this is not an issue, seek out any high-end wines from the 2008 vintage which are mostly A-M-A-Z-I-N-G (ping me for questions with respect to any particular wine). I have also limited references to many incredible wines that have been released in Israel and I have tasted over the last few months at Sommelier and IsraWinExpo as they are not available in the US or even widely available in Israel.
(1) Alexander, Alexander the Great, Amarolo, 2007. A new wine in a gloriously opulent label, styled after the fabled Amarone wines of Veneto and the only such kosher wine I know. Expensive but different and delicious.
(2) Barkan, Superior, Pinotage, 2007. An incredible effort with a somewhat obstinate grape. The Superior 2006 Shiraz and 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon are available and both delightful as well.
(3) Binyamina, Avnei HaChoshen-Diamond, 2007. An amazing blend and my favorite wine of this series (which can be hit or miss sometimes although consistency is improving and this wine being an easy hit). The Aquamarine 2007 (Cabernet Sauvignon) is also delicious.
(4) Binyamina, The Cave, Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. A new and limited release Cave that is delicious and tough to find but worth seeking out as it has more depth & complexity than the “regular” Cave (tasting the two side by side make for an interesting comparison).
(5) Bustan, Syrah, 2007. Bustan is unfortunately only available in Israel but, as with Gvaot and several other boutique Israelis that are overpriced in the US, well-worth the effort of obtaining directly from Israel.
(6) Capcanes, Flor de Flor, 2007. The Peraj Ha’abib is a long time favorite of mine and this relatively new wine is great as well. Now with some age on it, it is drinking beautifully. The 2010 vintage is the current release (and next released vintage after the 2007).
(7) Capcanes, Peraj Ha’abib Flor de Primavera, 2003. Once you taste this wine, the value of properly aging wine for future enjoyment becomes crystal clear (if it wasn’t already). The 2009 and 2010 are both available.
(8) Carmel, Limited Edition, 2005. Another example of Carmel’s gradual transition from showcasing power to elegance, from a vintage that is drinking beautifully right now. The 2007 and 2008 are the current releases; while both are great, they will benefit from further cellaring.
(9) Castel, Grand Vin, 2006. 2009 is the current vintage in the US and is also delicious but needs time. One of Israel’s most prominent wines in Old-World style.
(10) Château Guiraud, Sauternes 1er Cru, 2001. The best kosher dessert wine. Period.
(11) Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint Julien, 2005. One of the best kosher French wines from an awesome vintage for Bordeaux. A worthy splurge.
(12) Château Piada, Sauternes, 2006. A legitimate successor to the delightful 2001 vintage of this wine that I have enjoyed for years. Do yourself a favor, and try some real dessert wine from Sauternes.
(13) Château Le Crock, Saint-Estèphe, 2005. A great French wine from a terrific vintage. While the 2005 vintage doesn’t carry the YH Best Buy label this wine had for years, its still well-priced & delicious.
(14) Château Quinault, Saint-Émilion, 2005. This Château certainly picked the right year for their first kosher release. Bordeaux as Bordeaux was meant to be.
(15) Covenant, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005. The 2009 is the current vintage but, as with all vintages of this wine, needs plenty of time. Buy a few every year and give them the proper time in your cellar – I promise you will not be disappointed.
(16) Covenant, Solomon, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008. After many years, Leslie Rudd finally gave Jeff his wish and allowed a Covenant wine to be made from his acclaimed grapes. All I can say is – Wow! A huge wine with plenty of depth and complexity that will continue to develop and evolve for many years.
(16) Golan Heights Winery, Katzrin Red, 2004. After all these years the Katzrin is still the Israeli Rock Star of wine and the one with the longest aging ability (I drank my last 1990 a few months ago and still have a few 1993 vintages I am looking forward to). The 2007 is the latest release (w/ a 2008 expected soon) but isn’t ready to drink yet.
(17) Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Elrom Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003. The 2001 inaugural vintage of this wine was earth-shattering (and an easy Moshiach wine in its own right) and still is but I am saving my remaining bottles for Yonatan’s Bar-Mitzvah. All released vintages of this wine are great but the 2003 is really special and truly a Moshiach Wine.
(18) Hagafen, Prix, Mélange, 2006. Available directly from the winery and one of Hagafen’s best wines ever (which is mevushal to boot).
(19) Herzog, Generation VIII, Cabernet Sauvignon, To Kalon, 2006. A wine well worthy of the famed To-Kalon name with tons of fruit, power, terroir and elegance all rolled into an awesome and very expensive package. A real treat if you can afford it but definitely not a QPR wine.
(20) Herzog, Special Edition, Chalk Hill, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008. For years, this wine was the premium Herzog wine. Despite multiple subsequent single vineyard-releases this wine still reigns supreme (other than the To-Kalon version which is more expensive)
(21) Laurent Perrier, Brut Champagne, n.v. True Champagne makes my heart sing and this version from Laurent Perrier is a magnificent specimen that will make you feel the same.
(22) Louis de Sacy, Grand Cru, Brut Champagne, n.v. Together with the Laurent Perrier Brut above, my go-to Champagne. Despite my love of Yarden’s Blanc de Blanc, there is no substitute for the luxury of true Champagne.
(23) Psagot, Single Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. An instant hit upon release that has aged nicely and is primed for enjoyment now. The 2009 is the current release.
(24) Segal, Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. Once hailed as the closest thing to a kosher Barolo, this wine is scrumptious. All past vintages, including the 2000 are drinking well (although the 2000 should be consumed soon).
(25) Shiloh, Mosaic, 2006. Shiloh’s 2009 vintage shows the immense progress the winery has recently made, but this wine from the 2006 vintage is great and drinking amazingly right now.
(26) Shirah Wines, Power to the People, Syrah, 2009. A delicious wine, blended with 3% Viognier from two wine-making brothers on the West Coast. Prior hits included my top-rated Syraph and they have a slew of new wines coming online. Available only directly from them & a bit pricy, these are voluptuous treats.
(27) Yatir, Forest, 2005. Perfection in a bottle. The current available vintage is the 2007 (and 2008 in Israel) which will be great in a few years but definitely needs some settling down time.
For additional Moshiach Wines, check out my Best Wines of 2011.
When moving to a new country, there are certain cultural changes one should expect. One might expect to adapt to new languages, politics, business practices, music, food and beverages. Coming from America, I was bit surprised on one dietary trend in Israel and that is the vast consumption of dog. Dog eaten for breakfast, dog eaten for lunch, dog eaten for dinner served in all different ways in manners is quite popular in Israel. Now coming from America and being someone who tried to indulge in the full spectrum of culinary treats the world has to offer, I can say I frequently had dog in Asian restaurants and I especially liked the way it was prepared in Thai and Vietnamese establishments. Yet, dog for breakfast. Well, I’ve known smoked dog as a special breakfast treat so I’ve now been trying dog for breakfast here as well. It’s a surprisingly refreshing protein choice for the early morning, not as heavy in one’s gut as other fleshy protein alternatives. Now, let me clarify one point before I continue. Kosher law is quite prevalent in Israel and those laws specified in the Torah and regulated and clarified by rabbis over the millennium specify that only certain kinds of dog qualify for Kosher consumption. So don’t be shocked that even though the availability of dog from market to market and restaurant to restaurant is bountiful you might not be able to find all the kinds of dog in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv that you might find if you were visiting Bangkok or Saigon. Of course new international laws are consistently being introduced to make sure that dog populations are sustainable for future consumption though many countries are often at odds at their neighbors or even far away countries poaching dog from what’s considered sovereign territory. It might seem an odd thing to come to blows over but some countries take their dog consumption quite seriously. The Japanese are renown for their huge per capita consumption of dog and are hugely responsible for driving the prices on the international trading of dog flesh. It’s not uncommon for them to eat some dog while it’s still alive (something strictly forbidden by kosher law). Baruch Hashem for that. Almost as disturbing as eating live dog is an Israeli tendency to serve the whole dog carcass, head to tail on the table. No matter how succulent a chef’s preparation, it’s as not if such a “face to face” meeting with the special of the day will result in an intriguing conversation. Personally, I find the eyes to have an accusatory stare as if the dog is waiting for my review of the meal. Of course being someone who’s involved in wine education and commerce, I’m also challenged but entertained by pairing dog with wine. As a lighter white meat, dog goes quite well with white wines. A Sauvignon Blanc is a classic match but dry Rieslings are a good bet, too. Often the sauce or style of preparation the dog is served will dictate the wine pairing but I say certain reds can often be a nice match. A Pinot Noir or Beaujolais can often be light enough not to overwhelm the light and delicate flavors of more delicate fare yet complicated and poignant on the palette to match smoked or more gamey offerings. I know many of you dog owners might be a bit squeamish about this subject and that once you have an animal as a pet it’s hard to have them on your menu; but, let’s be open minded and who knows over time you might find a way to enjoy both. Though I have to admit that after working on a dairy farm I couldn’t eat meat for months afterwards. Those calves were just so damn cute. Slowly, before you know it I was eating burgers again. I guess for some it’s a choice of one or the other: consumer or guardian. Pal or pate. In closing, once one puts aside any trepidations over eating dog (as millions if not billions of people do) then enjoy eating dog as often as possible in every way imaginable. Most doctors agree it’s one of the healthiest protein sources offering many more nutrients than beef, lamb or chicken. If as a kosher diner you’re unsure of what dog is allowed or forbidden consult your rabbi . If in Israel it might be prudent to mention the more common transliteration of “dawg” or in America or the Commonwealth the English translation “Fish”. David Rhodes is a certified Wine specialist and has been employed by wineries and restaurants in that capacity.
