Mountain Laws / WeeksEnd wine

[Harry J]

bsd
Agriculturaly, it is said grapes grow very well on a mountain slope.A correlation maybe in the resulting heights the wine can bring us to. In the human realm there are those who are enticed to climbing mountains.
And there are those of us who climb but dont seem to make it to the top.So we try again;each time perhaps reaching a little higher.
There are laws of nature that govern our world and yet there is the endless strength of the spirit.
Have a good one; h

[Yossie Horwitz]

Going to see if Domaine Herzberg, Malbec, 2009 is still going well. As a backup, I have Brobdingnagian, Grenache, 2007.

[Gabriel Geller]

Going to see if Domaine Herzberg, Malbec, 2009 is still going well.

Had it again about 10 days ago, did very well, still alive and kicking with mouth-coating tannins. The best Herzberg IMHO.

Planning tonight Latour Netofa Red '10 and Dalton Zinfandel '07 (many thanks S! ), for lunch Psagot CS '08.

Shabbat shalom!

GG

[Warren B]

Tonight Hebron Heights Pardes merlot 2005 and Yarden Kela merlot 2005. May the best man win!

[Pinchas L]

Going to see if Domaine Herzberg, Malbec, 2009 is still going well.

Had it again about 10 days ago, did very well, still alive and kicking with mouth-coating tannins. The best Herzberg IMHO.
GG

Exchanges like this drive me nuts. It is sad that one needs to worry about a red wine from '09 two and half years from vintage whether or not its still drinking well. If I were to discover that a red wine is suspect within five years from vintage I would no longer patronize the winery producing that wine, unless the wine in question was akin to a Beaujolais Nouveau, clearly intended to have a very short shelf life. Honestly, when I see someone talk about a Israeli wine that is two years old and referred to as "still alive and kicking," I cringe as it speaks volumes about the quality, or lack thereof, of Israeli wines.

-> Pinchas

[Yossie Horwitz]

Pinchas - it's a brand new, tiny winery with no track record of any sort. Questions regarding the development of such a winery don't seem out of the ordinary, Israeli or not. I wouldn't let it cast aspirations of any sort on Israeli wineries as a whole.

[Jonathan K]

Plan is for:

1. Covenant Red C Sauvignon Blanc 2011
2. Four Gates Cab Franc 2006-my last bottle of a case and what a great ride it has been. Sad too because the 2007 isn't drinking nearly as well at this point to my taste.

[Stacey B]

Tonight's plan Tishbi Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Tomorrow Wilhm Riesling 2008 and Kayoumi Riesling 2010

[David Raccah]

Plan is for:

2. Four Gates Cab Franc 2006-my last bottle of a case and what a great ride it has been. Sad too because the 2007 isn't drinking nearly as well at this point to my taste.

Jonathan, let the 2007 Four Gates CF air out. I have had it many hours after opening and the green notes meld better with the oak extraction and the acid calms down a bit. That said, you can always wait and let the wine come to you.

David

[David Raccah]

Tonight's plan Tishbi Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Tomorrow Wilhm Riesling 2008 and Kayoumi Riesling 2010

Stacy would love to hear your opinion of the 2008 Wilhm Riesling - I was HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED the last time I had it. The Carmel WR is AWESOME!

Further if you could, I would pair it with Hagafen White Rieslings, any of the three they sell and see how they compare. I personally like the Carmel and the Devoto Vineyard WR from Hagafen. The other two from Hagafen have too much residual sugar to make it a food wine, unless you are talking dessert or really spicy food.

David

[Gabriel Geller]

Tonight's plan Tishbi Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

WOW! Tishbi Cab Estate '02?! I'd be suprised if there's anything left in there! I had the Tishbi Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Gush Etzion 2002 about 3-4 years ago and while it was truly excellent it was also clearly at its peak, so the Estate '02? I wouldn't take the risk without a plan B (though I'm quite confident you had one).

Harry shavua tov and Yom Yerushalayim Sameach to those that celebrate!

Friday night:

Domaine Netofa, Latour Red 2010: An interesting (from one of the most interesting wineries in Israel) and different wine than the 2009 while still keeping a similar flavor profile. Pierre Miodownick (the winemaker) advised me to open it an hour before drinking and so we did but it kept developing in the glass and paired pretty well with the food (beef stew). Dark purple toward garnet at the rim, medium-bodied with on the nose and palate meaty and smoky notes, plums, oak and spices and a bit of tar on the moderately long finish. My personal feeling was that it lacked a bit of acidity and backbone and the tannins were almost unfelt. Perhaps we opened it too early and I'd be very interested to retaste it in 8-12 months.

Dalton, Zinfandel 2007: First I'd like to express my thanks again (the 'responsible' will eventually recognize himself) for the opportunity to enjoy this great wine! Very dark purple, full-bodied with on the nose an explosion of blueberry jam almost hiding some notes of fresh lavender, on the palate again ripe blueberries, Mediterranean spices and sweet oak and vanilla from the american barrels it was aged in with well-integrated tannins rising on a luscious and long mouth-feeling finish. Yumm! (I think I'm at the beginning of a love affair with well-made Zin'!).

Shabbat Lunch:

Psagot, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008: Dark, almost black garnet, medium-full-bodied with on the nose black currants and blackberries, these showing also on the palate with some some nice cigar box and Mediterranean herbs and notes of vanilla as well as some dark chocolate, elegant with plenty of bracing acidity and mouth-coating tannins rising on the very long finish. The best Cabernet Sauvignon IMHO from the Judean Hills, showing more elegance and less fruit-forward than most its pears from the North.

Best,

GG

[Stacey B]

Shavua Tov!
David- My guest did not want to re-try the Wilhm as she did not like it last time around so we only opened the Kayoumi today for the white, however we also had Peraj Petita 2009. We had the Kayoumi with Veal Scallopini with artichokes(used up some Odem Chardonay to make the sauce). The Kayoumi worked great with that dish. Will try the Wilhm again as I have 9 more bottles of it! Would love to try the Hagefen you suggested as well next time(would it work with artichokes?)
Gabriel- The Tishbi Eastate 2002 Cabernet still had life believe it or not. I was hesitant, but it still had tannins albeit soft. The color was still deep garnet and the fruit was still detectable as well. We enjoyed it very much. We also enjoyed some Recanati Petit Syrah zinfandel 2009( always pleasant) which would have been the back up if needed. So happy you got the Dalton Zinfandel 2007(still ahve a few left), I missed the 2009 and I am trying to get the 2010!

[Yehoshua Werth]

2007 Tishbi Sde Boker:
Wow as normal will age a lot longer and my friend who does not in-joy dry wine said: "Wow this is great"

2010 Dovev Chardonnay:
Solid effort @ around $10

Glenmorangie 10 Year Scotch
Simple and good.. it was chilled too.. A little silly and nice

Oh and am truly loving my wifes new spelt Challah

[Gabriel Geller]

The Tishbi Eastate 2002 Cabernet still had life believe it or not. I was hesitant, but it still had tannins albeit soft. The color was still deep garnet and the fruit was still detectable as well. We enjoyed it very much.

Well, I believe you of course, I'm glad you could still enjoy it, you must have stored it really well. No one would have expected that but my bottles of Yarden Blanc de Blancs '98 and Brut 2001 were also very alive when we had them 2 months ago so why not a Tishbi Cab '02 after all? I've 2 bottles left of Yarden Brut 2000 that we will drink this coming Thursday at my partner's engagement party and I've some confidence that it will also not disappoint, I'll of course report back.

[Stephen Weil]

Dalton, Zinfandel 2007: First I'd like to express my thanks again (the 'responsible' will eventually recognize himself) for the opportunity to enjoy this great wine! Very dark purple, full-bodied with on the nose an explosion of blueberry jam almost hiding some notes of fresh lavender, on the palate again ripe blueberries, Mediterranean spices and sweet oak and vanilla from the american barrels it was aged in with well-integrated tannins rising on a luscious and long mouth-feeling finish. Yumm! (I think I'm at the beginning of a love affair with well-made Zin'!).
Sounds great and for Yom Yerushalim I will try one myself.

Shabbat I had a great wine from what will be a great winnery in kosher wines. I am talking about FLAM. Cant wait for the reserves to be released, but i had the 2010 Clasico. Soo drinkable with good fruit and mixed berries.

Chag sameach

[Pinchas L]

Hi Harry,

Eating out this weekend, I did not imbibe my usual fill of wines. I should be back to my normal drinking habits this week.

Gamla Muscato 2011 - The pineapple and peach flavors were so direct and in-your-face that I thought I was drinking an alcohol infused punch. Lacking any subtlety or sophistication, it is nonetheless pleasurable for what it is, especially with a few ice cubes thrown in. It stood its ground with my other choice, Smirnoff Ice; those sweet malt based drinks with fruit flavoring. 6% AbV and mevushal. (For those still confused, this is the Gamla label owned by Herzog, and the winemaker is Peter Stern, not the Yarden team.)

Best,
-> Pinchas

[Yehoshua Werth]

American Gamla = Peter Stern Made @ Carmel
Israel & the rest of the World Gamla = Victor S. @ Golan Heights

[Joshua London]

Hi Harry,

Nothing all that notable over Shabbos, but led a wine tasting fundraiser for a local synagogue which included the following (not in this order):

Psagot Edom 2009
Yatir Forest 2007
Barkan Altitude Cabernet 624 2007
Ella Valley Chardonnay 2009
Ella Valley Cabernet 2007
Yarden Caberent 2009
Dalton Oak Aged Sauv Blanc 2011

There were a few other Israeli wines as well, but these were the stars. General consensus was that the Pasgot bested in the reds (though in fairness by the time the host pour the Yatir, I suspect the palate of most folks was already fairly fatigued) and the Dalton in the whites (we also had two other Chards but neither performed all that well). I helped select the wines, but was not the final arbiter of what made it into the tasting.

An enjoyable evening, it seemed, was had by all.

All best,
Josh

[Gabriel Geller]

Yarden Caberent 2009

Is that really already available in your neck of the woods?! It shouldn't be out before this coming fall here in Israel!

[Yehoshua Werth]

Was that a misprint or did you somehow get a Barrel Sample or Sample Bottle.
Nothing released in states to date?

Yarden 09' HUH?

[Joshua London]

Ah, sorry, no - just sloppy notes. I didn't write a formal evaluation since I was busy being the dancing monkey. I guess it must have been the 2007. My bad.

[Shawn Johnson]

DALTON D PETITE SIRAH 2010. ONE OF MY FAVORITES. 3RD SHABBAT IN A ROW
KINNERET MUSCAT HAMBURG 2010 FOR THE LADIES
CHATEAU BELIVERIES BORDEAUX 2010- FOR KIDDUSH

GOOD WEEK TO ALL

[Bill Coleman]

Friday night - Pacifica Pinot Noir 2010
Saturday - Golan 2008 Chardonnay

Tonight we finished off the Golan. I'd thought it was pretty nice for an entry-level wine, and it was, but we opened a bottle of Four Gates and.... WOW! No comparison!

[Stephen Weil]

Many people say Pinot Noir in Israel is not great. I only know the Israeli kosher scene. What should I buy in kosher Pinot which will give me an idea of what the best Pinot should taste like?
Thanks
Steve