Carmel Mizrahi Winery was founded in 1882 and is, 126 years later, Israel’s largest and most famous winery. While not the first winery in Israel, it is the most well known and for many years (and even today) often serves as the face for Israeli wine. This can be good or bad, depending on which wines you are looking at and whether you are looking at ‘the old Carmel’ or ‘the new Carmel.’ I admit I am often critical of […]
Much better than I could ever take, here are some photos of the Jerusalem Wine Festival held August 2009 at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem (These beautiful photographs are courtesy of Jessica Korman, The F Stops Here) Popularity: 22% [?] Sphere: Related Content This week is one of my favorite wine events of the year (although as I recently moved to a suburb of Tel Aviv, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make it)… the Jerusalem wine festival […]
by Amos Ravid Amos Ravid is Wine Education Manager of Carmel Winery. This article first appeared in Wine, Gourmet & Alcohol and Wines Israel. Although Israel has a long history of winemaking, the country does not have its own indigenous grape varieties. The Ottomans, when in control of Palestine, virtually only permitted the planting of vineyards designated to produce food grapes, which brought winemaking to a halt for hundreds of years. It is likely that many local grape varieties disappeared […]
Inside a candlelit room at a west Houston Italian restaurant, the Israeli government sought to change Israel’s international image with help from one of the world’s oldest industries: wine — glasses and glasses of wine. The government recently teamed up with its wine industry and U.S. importers to promote the beverages made from grapes grown on the land immortalized by biblical figures Noah, Samson, and David and Goliath. These days, Israel is known more for conflict and tension than for […]
Daniel Rogov, Israel’s premier wine critic, has reviewed several great Israeli wines in recent editions of Ha’aretz. Chateau Golan, Royal Reserve, Rose, 2008: Made entirely from Cabernet Franc grapes, developed partly in stainless steel and briefly in used barriques. Medium-bodied, with appealing red and black berries, strawberries and red currants on a spicy background. Plenty of good acidity here. A more than usually complex rose. Drink now. Score 89. Tabor, Adama, Rose, Charsit, 2008: Ruby to cherry red, medium-bodied, a […]
According to Daniel Rogov and his 2009 Guide to Israeli Wine, here are the Top Ten Up-and-Coming producers of wine in Israel: Pelter Tabor Assaf Odem Mountain Vitkin Savion Psagot Tulip Avidan Kadita Popularity: 24% [?] Sphere: Related Content blog comments powered by
Wine Spectator is currently holding its 2009 Video Content and 9 finalists have been announced. Among the video finalists is a little known wine critic named Daniel Rogov talking about wine from a little known wine region called ISRAEL. Unfortunately, I can’t embed the video but it’s available here (and then click here to Wine Spectator’s site to actually vote). After watching Daniel Rogov, as the old school “Expert Source” (and yes, he really is like that!), along with the […]
Rosh Hashana, Jewish New Year, is this weekend. What are you drinking? I’m thinking of the Barkan Carignan and the new Yiron Meron. Good choices? How about you? Popularity: 7% [?] Sphere: Related Content blog comments powered by
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate has a new tasting of Israeli boutique and garagiste wineries by Mark Squires (who authored the first two reviews of Israeli wine in the Wine Advocate). While Squires’s first review was widely received with several wineries receiving scores of 90 or above and the rest receiving scores in the 80s, today’s tasting received lower scores. Although quite a few wines also did not receive super scores. Some of that is a matter of taste. The Wine […]
Carmel Winery has just announced the launch of its award-winning premium brandy, the Carmel 100. This quality Israeli brandy was aged for at least eight years in oak barrels. This new release of the Carmel 100 brandy is in honor of the hundredth anniversary of Carmel Winery. Brandy Carmel 100 is made with Columbard (70%) with the addition of Chenin Blanc and Emerald Riesling. Most of the brandy (75%) was produced with double distillation (pot still) as is common in […]
