A quick look on wine making from the grape to the bottle to warm you up on this COLD (and snowy) Jerusalem day. Here is the details on Israwinexpo for those who will be in Israel at the end of February: The exposition is to take place at the Israel Trade Fair and Convention Center. Sponsored by the magazine Wine, Gourmet and Alcohol, Grape Man and Wine Center and with the backing of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Export Institute […]
Bat Shlomo Vineyards – Wine fit for a king When Baron Edmond de Rothschild first bought the land now known of as Bat Shlomo, he brought wine experts from France to school the Jewish pioneers in the art of grape-growing and winemaking, planting the original vineyards. More than a century later, winemaking has returned to Bat Shlomo thanks to the vision of investor Elie Wurtman and a great team, such as winemaker Ari Erle. Bat Shlomo Vineyards, located in the […]
At the awards ceremony for the 2014 Eshkol Ha’Zahav wine tasting competition, there were a number of surprises. This year it was the smaller, newish, lesser known wineries that drew attention by winning some of the main prizes. Wineries such as Jezreel Valley, Kishor, Kerem Montefiore and Vortman took on and beat some of the more established and more famous wineries. The Jezreel Valley Carignan 2012, Kishor Savant 2012, Montefiore Red 2013 and Vortman Shfeya Valley 2012 were the gold […]
Located between Zichron Ya’acov and Binyamina at Ramat Hanadiv Gardens, possibly Israel’s most majestic private park this park could have gone by many titles. Ramat Hanadiv, Mt. Carmel, Zichron Ya’acov could have easily found their way into the name of the Ramat Hanadiv Wines & Plenty Festival. The park is situated just south of Zichron Ya’acov, on the road (Route .652) leading up from Binyamina (about 7.4 km from the train station). If you’ve never been to the Gardens before […]
While researching an article about which dry wines are suggested to match best with local fare like hummus and falafel (Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé and Pinot Noir wines by the way), I had a thought about trying something that wasn’t suggested by other sommeliers or chefs. One thing about food and wine pairings is that its a journey as much as a destination. Most people make odd food and wine pairings if they were to be scrutinized by a wine professional. […]
Here’s what we know what’s coming up in May 2013 for wine events and festivals in Israel May 2nd Thursday 09:00-18:00 4th Annual Israeli Wine Convention & Festival in Rosh Pina Stop by the 4th Annual Israeli Wine Convention in Rosh-Pina, at the Cinemateque- a professional convention under the theme this year of: “Growing Vineyards & the Production of Sustainable Wines”. The Israeli Wine Convention (for professional participants), , this year, will focus on the growing of vineyards and the […]
One of my favorite ways of passing an evening in Israel is introducing visitors or newcomers to good if not great Israeli wines and dining experiences they haven’t yet encountered. Often I’m limited by different factors such as if the group keeps kosher or keeping to a budget of some kind. I don’t see those as constraints as much as challenges. Anyone can host an amazing evening with an unlimited tab but ask a winemaker and they will tell you […]
This post includes the best Israeli wines I tasted in 2012 (for a more comprehensive list, including non-Israeli wines, check out my website). As with prior years, in addition to the “best” wines of 2012, I have also included a list of the most interesting and exciting wines I tasted this year – many of which give more pleasure than some of their “near-perfect” brethren who are included in the more prestigious list. The “Exciting/Interesting” list is also an indicator […]
There’s a saying among winemakers, “it takes a lot of beer to make wine.” The point being that whether its toiling in the vineyards or moving barrels, pumps and cases of bottles at the winery, it’s easy to break a sweat making wine and a mug of ice cold brew sometimes is more in order to quench the thirst hard labor can invite than even the most seductive glass of wine even for a winemaker. Tel Aviv’s Nokia Stadium, home […]
With close to 300 wineries to write about, often meeting with wine makers and winery executives is based upon unexpected opportunities as much as who I want to talk to on any given day. So when I was invited to interview Motty Teperberg at the Teperberg Winery in the Judean Hills outside Beit Shemesh, I took advantage of the opportunity to talk with the CEO and owner of Israel’s fourth largest winery which currently produces about 5 million bottles. […]
