Who's Calling / WeeksEnd wine

[Harry J]

bsd
_"you have I new call" Immediately you play it.
_Phone rings ;you answer and its a recording.
_Phone rings and you hear your own voice .
The lower the volume on the "I" the clearer the perception beyond.
Have a good one; h

[Gabriel Geller]

I'm the one who's calling!

Hi Harry, shavua tov!

2nd shabat on the coast in a row, but no winery visit this time...

Friday night:

Tzuba, Metzuda 2007: A full-bodied and nicely crafted Bordeaux-blend of 80% CS, 15% CF and 5% Malbec with on the nose and palate cigar box and black fruit among those blackberries and plums, leading to Mediterranean herbs and wood, the wine is well extracted and more reminding of a real Bordeaux than most its peers on the israeli market, including the Castel GV. The oak is well present but I did not find it being overwhelming as opposed to Jon Tabak a little while back so I recall, and in fine balance with the fruit and the heavy tannins rising on the long finish. An outstanding QPR giving a nice fight in this category to the Galil Yiron (which is usually more of a Bordeaux-blend "plus" indeed).

Shabbat Lunch:

The leftover of the Metzuda that was drinking as nice as the previous night and with strawberries pie and honeydew again a Tzuba, the late harvest Chardonnay NV that was at least good as much as the previous of this wine I've enjoyed 2 weeks ago (honey, caramelized bananas, apricots... ).

A great week to all! (I hope for a much better week than the last, this shouldn't be too hard).

GG

P.S. We'll be holding a little inauguration party at the shop Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. with wine tastings and light snacks. The forumites that happen to be in the area are all welcome.

[Shlomo R]

Friday I went and did some wine shopping in preparation for Pesach. I bought 2 cases worth of Cantina Gabrielle wines, and so this Shabbos we opened a wine we had not had in a while - Cantina Gabrielle Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. A bit more peppery than my wife and I remembered, it nevertheless remains a more-than-pleasant quaffer.

[Stephen Weil]

Very laid back shabbat
finished a Gamla Syrah
and a great bottle of 05 Capcanes.
Looking forward to pesach

[Isaac C]

I had a bottle of the Dalton Estate Shiraz 2009. Full bodied, a lot of pepper on the mouth, though thespiciness did mellow out especially by shabbos day. This wine was really enjoyable and an amazing QPR - $12.84 a bottle at gotham if you buy a case.

[Pinchas L]

Hi Harry,

Asif Rose 2009 - This rose caught me off guard. Expecting a wine light in weight, skimpy in fruit, yet high in acid, I got the reverse. The wine has substantial weight and very fresh, juicy and luscious red fruit, but is low in acidity, attributes that when combined make for a very easy and refreshing wine to drink, but not one to ponder or match with food. Its tannins are sufficient to elevate its status from spiked fruit punch to that of wine, though it might still be mistaken for a sangria. Its components are: Barbera (62%), Mourvedre (22%) and Syrah (16%). The alcohol is 13%.

Tishbi Cabernet-Syrah 2010 - The Syrah on the label is actually 30% Petit Sirah in the blend. This is a light to medium bodied wine that is an easy drinking quaffer. It is not offensive, but neither is it memorable. In fact, I don't remember much about the wine. 13% AbV and Mevushal.

Best,
-> Pinchas

[Sam M]

Hi Harry,
2008 Hagafen estate Pinot noir. Full body , pleasant nose ,
I like it as much as the four gates.

2007 1848 cab reserve. I like this wine a lot.
It took a a couple of hours for it to open up but when it did it was excellent.

[Gabriel Geller]

Tishbi Cabernet-Syrah 2010 - The Syrah on the label is actually 30% Petit Sirah in the blend.

... ...

[Adam M]

2004 Carmel Limited Edition. Had this bottle shipped to me from Israel a few years ago and always wondered what kind of condition it was in. We were thrilled to find it in prime condition and drinking very well.

2010 Carmel Kayoumi Riesling. Very nice

2007 Carmel Mediterranean. Brought to a friend Friday night. It showed very well.

A Blacksberg Chardonnay. Not really good; I think due to its past-peak condition. But I was happy to taste a South African wine nonetheless.

[Bill Coleman]

Friday night, Isaac's Ram Cab 2001. If we waited to long to open it wasn't by much. Very smooth, full fruity mouth, woodsy nose, taste of plums, currents, hint of cardamon. Quite delicious.

Saturday, Odem Mountain Volcanic Chard 2010. Very fruity, actually a little too sweet for chardonnay.

[Elie Poltorak]

2010 Capcanes Peraj Ha'abib: this wine was still completely unapproachable to the point of being entirely undrinkable. It is still in serious bottle shock. I'm going to wait at least 6 months before retasting.
I'm ashamed to admit that I couldn't resist temptation and went for a 2010 Covenant Lavan for the 3rd shabbos in a row. I simply can't get enough of it.

[Alek W]

Friday night: Saslove Adom Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 - very good;
Clos de Gat Ayalon 2004 - delicious, as usual.

Saturday lunch: Recanati Shiraz 2010 - the best ever in the regular series. Unbeatable QPR - one can get it for 43 NIS a bottle (if one knows the places) or 100 NIS for 2 (if one does not);
Recanati Special Edition 2008 (Shiraz 40%, CS 30%, Merlot 30%) - good, but nothing special.

[gaston k]

No wine but beer - in this case Chimay Grande Reserve. Dark and intriguing.

[Harry J]

hi; tabor shiraz 2009.lots of plum and chocolate,great qpr.also dalton moscato 2011-wonderfull array of fruit flavors.Wonder which fruits PinchasL would find here h

[Z Spigelman]

Hi Harry.
Friday morning at Ella Valley for another one of their extraordinary events - they never disappoint. Tasted 4 wines and really enjoyed the Vineyard's Choice Chardonnay 2010 (sorry - no TNs). The VC Petit Sirah 2008 was too powerful for me - I prefer the regular 2007.
Friday night - Dalton Estate Zinfandel 2009 and Teperberg Malbec 2008.
Shabbat lunch - Tulip Just Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 - smooth and light to medium bodied - may be prefect as a Seder wine.
Shavua Tov.
Zvi

[Gabriel Geller]

Friday morning at Ella Valley for another one of their extraordinary events - they never disappoint. Tasted 4 wines and really enjoyed the Vineyard's Choice Chardonnay 2010 (sorry - no TNs). The VC Petit Sirah 2008 was too powerful for me - I prefer the regular 2007.
Shabbat lunch - Tulip Just Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 - smooth and light to medium bodied - may be prefect as a Seder wine.

I was invited as well but could not attend and sent 2 friends instead to "replace" me. They loved the VC PS '08 and bought a few bottles.
Interesting that you found the Tulip to be light to medium-bodied, I'd say more medium to full but I'd agree it could be a good seder wine, I'll seriously consider it though this was our main Purim wine as well and was loved by all with BBQ.

[YoelA]

Checking out some Spanish wines in preparation for a tasting of kosher Spanish wines at the end of next month, for our synagogue.

Elvi 2007 Vina Encina - more or less equal parts bobal, tempranillo, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot - the wine showed very nice fruit, with flavors of bobal (I think) and tempranillo predominating. Still very lively at 4 years old; looks like a good entry in our tasting

Comparing rioja crianzas: Elvi 2008 Herenza vs. Ramon Cardova 2007 crianza. The Herenza was fruit-forward, nice cherry aromas and tastes, a little spicy oak, well balanced, not much mid-palate; pleasant but not very long finish. The Ramon Cardova was much less fruity, a bit denser, showing the vanilla from the American oak in which it was aged, and had a much longer finish. My preference was (slightly) for the Cardova but I might inlcude both in the tasting since they're both quite good, but the decision will also be based on a comparison of regular riojas later this week.

All three wines are non-mevushal.

[Shawn Johnson]

Dalton Rose 2011. Very refreshing

Dalton D Cabernet Sauvignon 2010- Delicious

Teperberg Malbec 2009- Stupendous

Good week to all.

[Yehoshua Werth]

Nice Shabbos with some guests...

2007 Galil - Barbera. Nice even a bit smokey? Medium to fuller body Great fruit. Not yet or if going to be as way over the top as the 2006 yet Love the just flowey vibes of this wine. Just shgort of intense. Would like to see how it ages and comes together more yet some may think 1 more year is it.. Hmmm

2009 Or Haganuz - Amuka.. Just a great Passover wine.. Soft .. Easy and just a slight bit of complexity.. Not for those looking for very complex or bold wines at all.

20?? Hagafen - Riesling .. I call this the Salad master.. Just fun almost too sweet yet stops just intime with a Bit of acid and crispiness to balance well. Good fruit.. Could go both ways... Light foods and Salads .. MAybe Chees?? Hmmm or just a Post Dinner come down from something richer..

Love be with your day

[Jonathan K]

Most interesting wine of the weekend was the Menut Priorat 2008. Took about 2 hours to open up before revealing smoky gamey notes. Quite a mouthful. By the time we were really enjoying it the bottle was gone.

[Harry J]

also tried the mt hermon red 2011.me thinks its a bit different than the 2010 in flavor profile;maybe a step up.This would be the first mt hermon without a rogov TN,albeit he always rated them the same to which of course many will say they always taste the same.h

[Gabriel Geller]

them the same to which of course many will say they always taste the same

I will remain polite and refrain from saying what I truly think of this wine but I've no intention to taste it again anytime soon... Let's just say that if I were to score it myself it would be by far my major disagreement with our dearly missed curmudgeon...

[Alek W]

Let's just say that if I were to score it myself it would be by far my major disagreement with our dearly missed curmudgeon...

The same with me.

[David Raccah]

Friday night, Isaac's Ram Cab 2001. If we waited to long to open it wasn't by much. Very smooth, full fruity mouth, woodsy nose, taste of plums, currents, hint of cardamon. Quite delicious.

Saturday, Odem Mountain Volcanic Chard 2010. Very fruity, actually a little too sweet for chardonnay.

At the Gotham tasting the man pouring it was proud of the residual sugar saying people want the sweeter chards - yuck! To sweet for me, but many there did like it.

David