I Love Upscale Wine - A Non-Kosher Israeli Bordeaux Blend

I Love Upscale Wine - A Non-Kosher Israeli Bordeaux Blend

Can Israel do a high-class Bordeaux Blend?...

Clos de Gat Vineyards and Winepress

Most of our reviewed wines are not Kosher. But this is only the second time that such status appears in the article title. Why? In part to help dispel the misconception that all Israeli wines are Kosher. The word Gat is Hebrew for a wine press such as shown in the pre-Roman version below. Harel Vineyards is situated in the foothills of the Judean Mountains, a great wine making site for some three millennia. They exploit almost 50 acres (about 19 hectares). Their first wines were the 2001 vintage and they produce about 50 thousand bottles a year. The companion wine is a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon that costs one fifth as much. It too isn’t Kosher. By the way, I hope you aren’t upset that I broke my $50 minimum for a wine featured in this column. I’m not.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Clos de Gat Ayalon Valley 2007 14 % alcohol about $48.

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials.. “Description : Clos de Gat is a play on words as Clos is the French word for a walled vineyard and Gat is the Hebrew name for an ancient wine press. Tasting Note : As always, a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot (60%, 30% and 10% respectively ), showing full-bodied and reflecting its 18 months in new oak with gentle influences of spicy oak and abundant but soft, gently caressing tannins. Impenetrably dark garnet in color, showing black fruits on the nose, opening in the glass to reveal currant and blackberry fruits and, from mid-palate on, hints of blueberries. Long and generous with tannins rising with the fruits on the finish. Approachable now but best 2013-2019. Score - 94. (Daniel Rogov, at the haaretz web site, Feb. 3, 2011).”

Before I go to my review, I would like once again to pay tribute to Israel’s top wine reviewer, Daniel Rogov now deceased. When the noted film critic Robert Ebert died, I couldn’t help but think about Daniel who was in the same league. But as for film, not everyone agrees about wine. That’s part of the fun. And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine was subtle and yet powerful. It had medium length and was multilayered. The initial meal centered on store-bought barbecued, excessively chewy overcooked beef ribs. Chocolate came to the fore in my glass. This liquid was sweeter than I’d like. A red cabbage and mayonnaise salad darkened the juice. I got dark cherries but didn’t like the sugar. In response to my slathering fiery Yemeni green jalapeno sauce on the meat, the libation’s sweetness remained but some good oak emerged. When wedded to very tasty homemade garlicky, oily roasted eggplant, this blend started off with great acidity and nothing else. Then I noted that its tannins were balanced. In response to a square of Swiss dark bittersweet chocolate our Israeli friend remained strong and long and came up with some good oak. 

This review continues on my web site at
http://theworldwidewine.com/Wine_reviews/Monthly_expensive_wine_reviews/non_kosher_israeli_bordeaux_blend.php

Yet Another Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Reviewed
Gato Negro Cabernet Sauvignon Chile 2012 13.5 % alcohol about $9.

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials.. “Tasting Note : Garnet red with browning edge; Sweet blackberry jam, mint and leather aromas; Dry, light-medium body, soft fruit and soft tannin; mature dry wine with fruity, moderate finish. Serving Suggestion : Tex/Mex. Dishes; BBQ meats; Poultry.” And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine was slightly sweet offering a good balance among acidity, tannins, and plums. The initial meal centered on store-bought barbecued, excessively chewy overcooked beef ribs. The wine tastily cut the meat’s grease. A red cabbage and mayonnaise salad took away the liquid’s acidity. Don’t misunderstand, this was not a good thing. In response to my slathering fiery Yemeni green jalapeno sauce on the meat, the libation picked up power. When wedded to homemade (read delicious) garlicky, oily roasted eggplant, this black cat came up with mostly acidity and no fruit. A yummy square of Swiss dark bittersweet chocolate gutted the contents of my glass.

This review of a  Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon continues on my web site at

http://theworldwidewine.com/Wine_reviews/Weekly_cheap_wine_reviews/Y2013/wine_lovers_bargain_review_yacc.php

A South Australia Riesling

It was only after I finished this bottle (hint, to the last drop) that I read its 2012 vintage was named as the best wine in Australia at Dan Murphy’s National Wine Show in Canberra. I wonder. I can’t forget that Australia makes some mighty fine wines, some of which can compete with virtually anything in the world. Jim Barry was an internationally known wine maker, established in South Australia’s Clare Valley in 1959. The winery boasts 4 vineyards in the Valley. Lodge Hill has brown loam soil over a layer of clay and slate bedrock that is an unbelievable 900 million years old. What more can I say? The companion wine is a mixed Riesling and Vidal (check out the article for more information on that second grape) at half the price.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Dry Riesling 2011 12 % alcohol $20.

Let’s start with the marketing materials. “Description : Gold Medal winner at the 2011 Royal Queensland Wine Show. A fabulous wine for grilled calamari or a shrimp with pesto pasta dish. Tasting Note : Bright, pale green, the wine has a complex bouquet of spice, citrus and apple, the perfectly balanced palate even more complex, with its flavor span anchored by citrus but extending into cool climate chardonnay notes of white peach and grapefruit… Drink until 2025. Score – 95. (James Halliday, at the Australian wine companion web site , Nov. 18, 2011).” And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine was subtly sweet offering the taste of lime and white grapefruit. The initial meal centered on a dry commercial, garlicky barbecued chicken breast. In response the libation picked up. It had a burnt taste and was long. The accompanying pickle-laced potato salad lightened the contents of my glass, which became more acidic. The white grapefruit taste intensified. The other side dish was a Turkish salad (according to the label) that consisted of onions, tomato paste, red peppers, vegetable oil, garlic, and sugar. Now our Australian friend had peaches added to the mix. This blahish meal terminated with a square or two of Swiss bittersweet chocolate. The liquid was subtle, or perhaps just weak, but its acidity was good.

This review of  A South Australia Riesling continues on my website at
http://theworldwidewine.com/Wine_articles/Elsewhere_wine_articles/south_australia_riesling.php

A Canadian Riesling-Vidal Blend

Wine Reviewed
XoXo Riesling Vidal no vintage 11.5 % alcohol $10.

In the absence of marketing materials let’s start by quoting the back label. “Riesling and Vidal grapes gracefully unite displaying notes of crisp green apple, citrus and pear, with a hint of floral. This light and lively white is a perfect match for pork, salads, Thai cuisine and other spicy dishes.” And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine offered rather pleasant acidity and sweetness. I got lime. The initial meal centered on a commercial, garlicky dry barbecued chicken breast. In response the libation’s sugar increased. I thought I was tasting candy but something was dark. The accompanying pickle-laced potato salad increased the lime while decreasing the sweetness in my glass. Another side dish was a Turkish salad (at least that’s what the label said) composed of onions, tomato paste, red peppers, vegetable oil, garlic, and sugar. Now our Canadian friend displayed no sweetness; the wine was light and almost subtle. This not so delicious meal terminated with a square or two of Swiss bittersweet chocolate. The liquid disappeared except for fleeting acidity.

This review of a  Canadian Riesling-Vidal Blend continues on my web site at
http://theworldwidewine.com/Wine_reviews/Weekly_cheap_wine_reviews/Y2013/wine_lovers_bargain_review_carv.php