Mountain Laws / WeeksEnd wine

Did an instructional tasting for a group Friday night (for charity). Wrapped all of the bottles to get label bias out of the way and made it significantly more interesting. We tasted:

Herzog Special Reserve Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Herzog Special Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Capcanes Peraj Ha'abib Flor de Primavera 2005
Capcanes Peraj Ha'abib Flor de Primavera 2007
Capcanes Peraj Ha'abib Flor de Primavera 2009
Castel Grand Vin 2007
Chateau Haut Condissas Prestige 2003
Shirah McGinnely Vineyard Syrah 2009
Bravdo Coupage 2009

People were very engaged and I'm hoping that I was able to open their eyes to world of wine.

Best,
Jon

Capcanes Peraj Ha'abib Flor de Primavera 2009
Castel Grand Vin 2007
Best,
Jon[/quote]

Any chance you have tasting notes on these 2 wines
Thanks

Hi Harry,

Flam Classico, simply delicious, especially because of the medeterianean aspects. Artwise, the most beautiful wine bottle label I have ever seen.

Flam Classico:(...) Artwise, the most beautiful wine bottle label I have ever seen.

Agreed, if not THE most beautiful then at least one of the most beautiful!

The wine is great as well, cant wait to taste the Flam Reserve 2010 Syrah, this week.
Chodesh Tov

Friday night we opened a Cantina Gabrielle Chianti. For shabbos lunch we were at a gathering in celebration of my cousin's upcoming marriage, where we had some Galil Mountain Yiron 2006.

I had the Capcanes Peraj Petita 2010 - excellent wine drinking well right now, full bodied wine, very fruity and fun. On first taste it had a little sourness when it hit the mouth but that was totally gone after a few minutes in the glass.

hi; beit-el cab 2009,opened with a funkiness that blew off after a few minutes and opened into a nice wine.some earthiness and perhaps a taste of green olives. also as Mr.Johnson,dalton petit sirah 2010,thats what i call mouth coating tannins! h

Fri Night - Dalton Zinfandel 2010, very approachable, and in my mind much better than the 2009 version
Sat Lunch - Chimay Cinq Cents Tripel - delicious on the way down, and sweet dreams for the shabbat nap thereafter

Hi Stephen,

Stopped posting links to my notes here because people complained. You can view both of those notes on my site:

http://www.kosherwino.com/index.php/201 ... vera-2009/
http://www.kosherwino.com/index.php/201 ... -vin-2007/

Best,
Jon

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?)

Indeed the Hagafen Devoto Vineyard WR is fine with Artichokes. Hagafen has three WR labels, and only the Devoto label is going to work, the other two are way to sweet for the deal.

David

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

Pinot Noir - finds its perfection in the domain of Burgundy (and WS thinks Napa and Oregon as well). There are no decent kosher versions of Burgundy out there today, which is a real bummer to all of us. There are two Oregon Pinot and neither are very awesome. There are Napa Pinot, but they are OK (Hagafen and soon another which is really quite good). In the end, other than Israel, I say go with Four Gates Pinot.

Sorry for the sad news...
David

Hi Harry.
Friday morning was spent at Gvaot Winery where we were invited for breakfast, tasting/drinking 10 wines and a short but very interesting lecture by the winemaker Dr. Shivi Drori on the topic "Will we be able to produce wine in the next few years from ancient vine species of the Land of Israel".
Friday night we celebrated my wife's birthday by opening our last bottle of Capcanes Flor de Primavera Peraj Ha'abib Montsant 2005.
Shabbat lunch - Gvaot Herodion Merlot 2008.
Chodesh Tov.
Zvi

Besides the Four Gates Pinot David mentioned, I'd recommend the version from City Winery which is quite good (the other two Oregon versions are nothing to write home about). From Israel, the Gvaot, Ella Valley and Livni versions are all quite good.

I did not write the Israeli wines as he said he knows them, but do not forget Tanya and if forced Galil/Yarden.

David

I don't think that Four Gates Pinot, while very good, is representative of "true" Pinot Noir. It lacks the elegance and subtlety that's Pinot's claim to fame.

The 2009 is about as elegant as a 2x4 but the previous releases were more elegant. That said, unfortunately none of Israel's option happen to be there either. Further, Napa's and DRC, from the verbage/notes I read, are no as much elegant as they are awe inspiring.

David

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

Pinot Noir - finds its perfection in the domain of Burgundy (and WS thinks Napa and Oregon as well). There are no decent kosher versions of Burgundy out there today, which is a real bummer to all of us. There are two Oregon Pinot and neither are very awesome. There are Napa Pinot, but they are OK (Hagafen and soon another which is really quite good). In the end, other than Israel, I say go with Four Gates Pinot.

Sorry for the sad news...
David

As noted above, we drank the 2010 Pacifica [Oregon] Pinot this weekend. It was a pleasant enough quaffer, but there wasn't much there there.

I expect a case of the Gvaot Gofna Pinot Noir 2010 in the next coming days. Anyone interested in my TN can check it out on the Gvaot thread I've posted 2 weeks ago.

Best,

GG

2009 Psagot merlot, chocolatey and extremely tasty.

Martins malbc (Argentina). Forgot what vintage but not worth further comments. Taates more like a French than Argentinian malbec, i.e. flat and tannic rather than more fruity.

I've received the Gvaot Pinot Noir 2010, an important fact that I wanted to point out (I wasn't told that when I visited the winery): it's a blend of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Merlot.

2009 Teperberg Malbec. Oddly enough, my wife said she preferred what we drank last weekend, the 09 Peraj Petita and the 09 Domaine Netofa. It never occurred to me to compare. The only point I would make is that the malbec might use a bit more time, although --- truth be told --- once it smoothed out in the glass it was just fine.

2010 Terenal Tempranillo. Much prefer the En Fuego --- both from Yecla, Spain, both under $10.

http://kosherwinemusings.com/2012/05/23 ... eat-sauce/

2007 Casa da Corca - not worth my taste buds or calories but drinkable

Pinot Noir - finds its perfection in the domain of Burgundy (and WS thinks Napa and Oregon as well). There are no decent kosher versions of Burgundy out there today, which is a real bummer to all of us.
David

Have you tasted the 2005 Domaine Gibourg Pommard?