Recent Barkan Classic Chardonnay and Cabernet

[Simon P]

Hello Daniel and all,

My son will be getting married next month, and we are confronted with the usual decision as to choice of wines. Kosher caterers here in the US will permit only mevushal wines, and we want Israeli wines to be served.

About six months ago, I was at a wedding and had the Barkan Classic 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon and Barkan Classic 2006 Chardonnay. Both are mevushal, and I was pleasantly surprised by both. They were not great wines, but certainly very nice and quite acceptable.

Two questions for Daniel and the Forumites -- First, has anybody tasted either of these varieties lately (keeping in mind the tendency of mevushal reds to deteriorate and that the 2006 Chardonnay may be over the hill)? Second, I see my local wine stores are carrying the newer varieties -- Barkan Classic 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon and Classic 2007Chardonnay (both mevushal) -- has anybody tasted these?

Thanks.

Simon

[Daniel Rogov]

Simon, Hi...


First and most important, congratulations on your son's upcoming marriage. As to the caterer's insistence on mevushal (pasteurized) wines only, no problem as I am sure one day God will forgive them.

With regard to the wines, following are my tasting notes for the wines for the 2005 and 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon wines and the 2006 and 2007 Chardonnay wines. My advice is not to gamble and go for the later vintages.

Best
Rogov


Barkan, Classic, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006: Medium, perhaps medium to full-bodied, with notes of spicy oak and soft tannins integrating nicely and showing appealing blackberry, black cherry and currant fruits. Drink now. Score 85. K

Barkan, Classic, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005: Dark ruby-red, medium-bodied, with soft tannins and forward currant, berry and peppery notes. A good quaffer. Drink up. Score 85. K

Barkan, Classic, Chardonnay, 2007: Light gold in color and medium-bodied, this unoaked Chardonnay shows aromatic and generous on the palate with citrus, pineapple and light spicy notes. A good quaffer. Drink now. Score 85. K

Barkan, Classic, Chardonnay, 2006: Light to medium-bodied, crisply dry, with tropical, citrus and green apple fruits on a lightly spicy and mineral background. Drink up. Score 85. K

[Avi Hein]

Hello Daniel and all,
My son will be getting married next month, and we are confronted with the usual decision as to choice of wines. Kosher caterers here in the US will permit only mevushal wines, and we want Israeli wines to be served.

First off, a big Mazel Tov to you and your family.

One of the fascinating things to me about the new vintages of Carmel Private Collection no longer being mevushal abroad is that they are no longer suitable for these kinds of kosher s'machot in the United States given the requirements of mevushal wine. Can I ask what sparkling wine you are considering since, with the replacement of the Carmel President's Wine to the much better Carmel Brut, there are now no mevushal Israeli sparkling wines.

However, can I make a few other suggestions besides the Barkan Classic series (all of which, I think, are mevushal in the US) (besides, perhaps, the 2006 vintage of Carmel PC) and perhaps the red being a Syrah instead of a CS, depending on food choices. According to KosherWine.com, these options are mevushal abroad (they are not mevushal in Israel).

1. Wines from the Carmel Selected Series
2. Dalton Canaan Red/White
3. Dalton Safsufa Cabernet Sauvignon (Rogov - do you have a TN for this?)
4. Segal Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot (kosherwine.com says 2003 - I believe it is the Merom Galil series as it's the Special Reserve in the US)
5. Segal Fusion Red/White -- I had the Fusion Red (non-mevushal) for Passover and this was extremely fruity and extremely enjoyable for those who like new world wines or who aren't as into wine.
6. Teperberg Silver Cabernet Sauvignon
7. Teperberg Silver Chardonnay
8. Teperberg Silver Late Harvest White Riesling
9. Teperberg Silver Merlot
10. Tishbi Cabernet - Petite Syrah 2006
11. Tishbi Cabernet Sauvignon
12. Tishbi Chenin Blanc

My personal recommendation would either be the Dalton Safsufa, one of the Segals, Teperberg (and I must highly recommend the White Riesling as a dessert wine) or, if served slighly chilled the Tishbi CS-PS (this was the house wine at the Tishbi restaurant in Zichron Ya'akov and seemed light, but needs to be slightly chilled) or maybe the other Tishbi choices.

If it's not a wine crowd, either the Segal Red or the Teperberg Silver would be my higher recommendation. There may also be other Tepeberg wines which are mevushal but not available at KosherWine.com, which would be highly recommended.

Either way, Mazel Tov

[Simon P]

Daniel, Avi,

Thanks for your helpful responses.

Simon