Still Counting/WeeksEnd wine

[Gabriel Geller]

I went with the 2010 Alma White - what a let down They totally screwed up a perfectly good Viognier and turned it into a mess.

Had it on Pesach Lunch Day 1 and was also disappointed but wouldn't have said it the way you did

[Harry J]

hi; enjoyed the gamla white reisling 2010. subtle fruit flavors and tannins that felt like they came together nicely.h

[gaston k]

Fri Night - Dalton Petite Sirah 2010, delicious and smooth, tempting to take down the whole bottle. Great QPR at 15 bucks
Sat Lunch - Kasteel Cuvee D'Chateau 2010 - chocolately ale, very high in alcohol at 11%

[Yossie Horwitz]

Ended up with the Yaffo Carignan 2009 which was scrumptious (I really think Israel should get behind this varietal - it's the easiest to specifically tie to Israel, almost no other country focuses on it and more and more Israeli wineries are doing good stuff with it) and the Bravdo 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon which, while enjoyable Friday night and for lunch the following day, should be consumed in the near future as it was pretty lifeless by the end of the day. We also enjoyed two late harvest wine - the Binyamina 2009 Gewurztraminer and the Gat Shomron 2009 Viognier (made in Icewine style), both delicious.

[Stacey B]

I agree with you Yossie about the Yaffo Carignan. It is my favorite Carignan after the Recanati. I thought Carignan in general were low yielding though due to their bushiness and au naturale style of growth. Could that really get enough notoriety in the world to classify Israel as the Carignan Capital?

[YoelA]

Nevertheless, how should Israeli carignans be marketed so as to gain sales? What can a very good carignan give a wine buyer/wine drinker that he/she won't get with currently available wines made from other grapes? And at what price? If this can't be answered, sales are not going to be generated no matter how unique (a bad epxression, to be sure) the wine will be.

[Z Spigelman]

Friday night - Gvaot Herodion Vineyards Dance (Mechol HaKramim) 2008. Finally ready for drinking now, along with the 2010 which was ready from release.
Shabbat lunch - Invited to friends who are Grape Juice drinkers. Told us not to bring any wine this time since they have something special. A real disaster as they brought out a Herzog Sonoma County 1988 Gewurztraminer. It was dark brown and tasted like a very bad Grape Juice. The alcohol was nearly all gone. They loved it.
Zvi

[Gabriel Geller]

Shabbat lunch - Invited to friends who are Grape Juice drinkers. Told us not to bring any wine this time since they have something special. A real disaster as they brought out a Herzog Sonoma County 1988 Gewurztraminer. It was dark brown and tasted like a very bad Grape Juice. The alcohol was nearly all gone. They loved it.
Zvi

Thanks for the good laugh to end the day!
Reminds me of someone who once wanted to impress me by pulling out of his basement a bottle of Carmel Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 1988 (also!). Man, was that scary... My conclusions: 1) I learned something: Carmel was already making wine under the PC label back then. 2) That guy did impress me... but certainly not in the way he intended to!

[Yehoshua Werth]

Laughing to the point of not being able to chew my food.. Wow a real stormer...

Cool collector bottle though even so worth more than the wine..

they do get points for effort. Nice old bottle just stuff that might not have held for 5 years let alone from 1988 till today..

Great story

[Sam M]

2010 dalton petite Sirah- very enjoyable
2010- tshbi Cabernet Sauvignon - not impressive. Maybe needs more time?

[Stephen Weil]

came acrross Mony Shiraz Reserve 09.
Any tasting notes or comments. 80sh

Steve

[David Raccah]

I have not tasted it, but rogov did and I am sure others have as well

Mony, Shiraz, Reserve 2009: Dark garnet, full-bodied with still-gripping tannins waiting to settle down, but already showing good balance and structure. On the nose and palate red berries and red currants, those complemented nicely by notes of leather, game meat and spices and, on the long finish, a note of white chocolate. Drink now–2015. Score 88. K

[Stephen Weil]

Thanks David

[Gabriel Geller]

came acrross Mony Shiraz Reserve 09.
Any tasting notes or comments. 80sh

Steve

I tasted it quickly and thought it was not bad at all but it was a quick-btw sip so I wasn't able to take any sort of notes.

[Harry J]

Hi. Had it a few months ago in the time frame where the tn says needs time to settle. If you buy it tell us if it did. I enjoyed it then. H][/url]

[Pinchas L]

Hi Harry,

Baron Herzog Syrah/Shiraz 2008 - Eating out this weekend, I enjoyed this straightforward Syrah, made in the Aussie style and showing nice spice on a bed of blueberries. The alcohol level was approximately 14.5%. Mevushal, but not noticeably so.

Best,
-> Pinchas

[YoelA]

I second Pinhas' comments on thre 2008 Herzog shiraz, except that it's a better wine than the usual kosher shraz' from Australia. It was served as the red wine at our shul dinner a couple of months ago and suited the occasion quite nicely.

[Alexander F]

Hi,
We had Lavan '10, but not the one you suspect, it was from Saslove and can only be purchased in the winery.

Saslove, Lavan 2010 - a blend of Gewurztraminer, Viognier and Sauvignon. On the nose, a mix of tropical fruits and spices from 'traminer and Sauvignon adding to bouquet. The wine is off-dry. Overall, it is not complex, but very pleasant summer wine. There are spices in the short aftertaste. I liked it. Score: 87.

J&J Ostrozovic, Tokaj 5 puttonyos, Slovakia 2004 - it appears that Tokaj region also spans into Slovakia, but only in 2004 the disputes about using the term Tokaj were resolved with Hungary. The wine opens with honey, caramel, mold and old cellar. The residual sugar 125g/l makes it sweet and acidity is high enough to balance. Unfortunately, the wine is one dimensional. Score: 86-87.

[YoelA]

A 5 puttonyos Tokaj that's one-dimensional? Only one comment possible: Oy veh!

[Stephen Weil]

Mony Shiraz 09 Reserve
Indeed we drank it and my pals drank it Blind.
All agreed it was an excellent shiraz.Real good value when I gave the price.

This was followed by an 07 Cab Yarden Single Vinyard Yonatan. A wine worthy of a 94 score

Shabbat Shalom

[ChaimShraga]

a perfectly good Viognier

That's usually an oxymoron in my book.

[Alexander F]

A 5 puttonyos Tokaj that's one-dimensional? Only one comment possible: Oy veh!

Well, all the basic tokaji aromas were there, but the wine was life-less. I searched a bit and found reviewers that scored it above 90pts, so perhaps I don't appreciate the style. I am sure that Royal Tokaji 5pt was much better last time I opened it, but the typical aromas of mold and damp cellar are not my favorite.

[Alexander F]

a perfectly good Viognier

That's usually an oxymoron in my book.

You mean Israeli Viognier or Viognier in general?