Miracles Do Happen! Well, Perhaps.....

[Daniel Rogov]

Saint Augustine once observed that miracles are not contrary to nature but only contrary to what we know about nature. From time to time miracles do happen and they seem to happen at a fairly regularly basis – about once a decade or so – at Israel's Teperberg winery when, by some odd quirk of fate several large barrels of wine are discovered, those usually sitting around for fifty or more years with no one even realizing they existed. To take those miracles a bit further, the discovered wines are always sweet, no-one knows from where the grapes came, and the wines are always finally bottled and put on the market for anywhere from $750 - $1000 per bottle. I suppose taking the miracle-like appearance of these events even further, there are even people who then buy those bottles.

The latest of these events has just been announced. Motti Teperberg, the CEO of the winery revealed a few moments ago in a telephone conversation that five years ago several 1250 liter casks of wine were found in the winery, tasted and lo and behold, wonderful. The wine had been in the old winery at Motza (not far from Jerusalem). The 1000 bottles that remained were transferred to bottles about five years ago and have now been released to the market. Why the wine sat for five years before release remains unexplained and, as to the grapes used all that can be said is that they are an unknown variety or varieties that came from a vineyard not far from Bethlehem.

Those interested can rest assured that at least some of these bottles will be making their way to the United States. I suspect some people will even buy them.

I have not tasted the wine but from an entirely personal perspective, at that price I would prefer to buy a case or two or three of Yain Adom Atik (great for making hot glogg or Chanukah punch) and purchase three great bottles of the wines of Chateau d'Yquem.

Best
Rogov

[Lior Yogev]

Hi Rogov,

I think I caught a glimpse of that on the back page of one of the newspapers today. Is this the same wine that has been offered in Haim Gan's independence day open house at grape man?

Lior.

[Daniel Rogov]

Is this the same wine that has been offered in Haim Gan's independence day open house at grape man?

Lior, Hi....

A good chance that "yes" but I cannot confirm that. Were you there? Did you taste the wine? Comments?

Best
Rogov