‘Divine Vintage’ is a newly published book which provides a window into the ancient world of wine, and ends up in modern times. It follows the biblical wine route, and includes Canaan, Ancient Israel and the State of Israel. It delves into the area where wine culture was born and examines the recent quality revival in the historic but newly dynamic wine region of the Eastern Mediterranean. The Eastern Mediterranean was the cradle of the grape. Over two thousand years […]

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One of the most fun wine events is fast upon us – the release of the 2007 Beaujolais Nouveau. According to that all-knowing source Wikipedia: Beaujolais nouveau is a red wine made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France. It is the most popular vin de primeur, fermented for just a few weeks then officially released for sale on the third Thursday of November. But it’s not just France that makes this wine. Other wine regions also […]

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Sparkling wine is the wine of fashion and celebration. Whether on New Year’s Eve or at a wedding, it remains the classic wine to make a toast with. It is also symbol of success and happiness. Though it is a style of wine that has taken Israelis time to learn to appreciate, sparkling wines have become very popular almost overnight in Israel. The number of imported sparklers, mainly Cava from Spain or Prosecco from Italy, has increased dramatically. To counteract […]

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The following article was originally posted on wines-israel.com. It is reprinted with permission. Sparkling wine is the wine of fashion and celebration. Whether on New Year’s Eve or at a wedding, it remains the classic wine to make a toast with. It is also a symbol of success and happiness. The new ‘in’ wine in Israel is anything with bubbles. The many imported sparkling wines are generally covered by the almost generic terms of Champagne, Cava, Prosecco and Lambrusco. Champagne […]

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Daniel Rogov’s Guide to Israeli Wines keeps on getting bigger and bigger. Rogov’s 2009 Guide to Israeli Wines, released last Thursday, is the largest guide yet to Israel’s growing wine industry. While the 2008 guide, including a chapter on wine storage not appearing in the 2009 edition, was a thick 455 pages, the newest edition is a whopping 527 pages and feels significantly heavier. The 2009 edition includes tasting notes for 2,350 wines (from several vintages) including over 700 new […]

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Since moving to Israel, I’ve experienced and most typically enjoyed hundreds of wine tastings. It just goes with the territory of being a wine writer and sommelier. It’s a pleasant diversion when you’re offered a nice twist from the standard fare of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. I do appreciate fine examples of those “Noble” grapes but there’s just so many wineries producing those varietals that when a rarer varietal like Viognier or Cabernet Franc is offered, the contrast is […]

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Two Israeli wineries have been included in Oz Clarke’s Pocket Wine Book 2010. Domaine du Castel and Yatir Winery are both listed for the first time signalling more recognition for the advances of Israeli wine. As far as wine recommendation goes, Castel’s Grand Vin and Yatir Forest are both awarded two stars. ‘C’ Blanc du Castel and Yatir Cabernet Sauvignon are each awarded one star. Two stars equates to: “An excellent wine in its category – one especially worth seeking […]

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Wine and cheese. No pairing of food and beverage is as ubiquitous in the Western world. Whether in North or South America or along the Mediterranean, when we think of one we most often think about enjoying it with the other. As Shavuot nears in Israel, a holiday where the consumption of dairy products in place of meat is the custom, Israeli wineries traditionally release and promote their white wines to coincide with Shavuot as well as to quench the […]

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School’s out! The tourists have arrived. Israelis are on vacation and visitors from around the world are amassing on Israel for their summer vacation. While you’re here this summer, there are some tremendous events not worth missing on the wine scene: 24 June – Lecture Series: Wine in Ancient Israel The Tel Aviv wine shop Pri HaGafen is hosting a series of lectures by Professor Amos Hadas who is indeed one of the most knowledgeable people in the world on […]

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I received the following report from Neta Reef of Israeli Wine Company, about the recent Israeli wine festival hosted by Kehillah Jewish High School in California. If you’ve attended or run an Israeli wine event contact me to post it beforehand and let me know how it went and maybe I will post it here. Yesterday, June 4th, the Kehillah Jewish High School together with the Israel Wine Company hosted an Israeli Wine Festival and a tasting at the beautiful […]

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