'So-called' wine expert
1513
Tue Nov 24, 2009 5:46 pm
Jerusalem, Israel
'So-called' wine expert
1513
Tue Nov 24, 2009 5:46 pm
Jerusalem, Israel
Jonathan D wrote:hmmmm....very Rogov of you, Gabriel... do I sense a book coming to our shelves soon?
Very much appreciate the info, though I'd encourage you to - as they say on American Idol - try a little harder to craft your write-up in your own style
David Raccah wrote:as I already posted on my blog there is really nothing new here. the first time yatir wines rock. they have rocked for some time. most consistent kosher wine from Israel, ignoring their entry level blend.
Elchonon Hellinger wrote:Dave,
that lunacy.. just because you blogged on a wine and winery doesnt mean there isnt what to add.. ppl have different views and styles
Elie, yatir is hardly a "boutique" comon! they are friking owned by carmel! they probably have the largest array and selection of grapes in the country, lewis pasco told me thats why yatir is so good, they get the first choice grapes of all of carmel (other maybe not above the LE/ Med) and they send back to carmel what they dont want
Elie Poltorak wrote:Elchonon Hellinger wrote:Dave,
that lunacy.. just because you blogged on a wine and winery doesnt mean there isnt what to add.. ppl have different views and styles
Elie, yatir is hardly a "boutique" comon! they are friking owned by carmel! they probably have the largest array and selection of grapes in the country, lewis pasco told me thats why yatir is so good, they get the first choice grapes of all of carmel (other maybe not above the LE/ Med) and they send back to carmel what they dont want
Elchanan,
I don't see how being owned by Carmel makes them any less boutique. Although the topic has been debated here before (and Rogov hated the term, arguing that it's meaningless), I use boutique winery in the same sense as a boutique store: A boutique winery does not aim to offer a full assortment of wines and to please everyone, rather it focuses on its own style. Just because a winery is small, that doesn't make it a boutique--plenty of small wineries aspire to grow into big wineries and make wine for maximum market share. For instance, Psagot seems to be aiming to compete with the big boys. Similarly, being "boutique" doesn't make a winery any better. In fact, big wineries have a significant advantage over boutiques, which you mention, in that they can choose the very best grapes for their premium wines; thus, they are able to offer consistency even the best boutiques can only dream of. Moreover, they have the deep pockets to invest in the best barrels, equipment, etc. However, there is something unique about a great boutique winery which you don't get in even the very best wines from the big wineries, and that is the idiosyncratic expression of the terroir and style unique to that winery. It's like the difference between shooting at a target and painting the target around your arrow after you shoot--a boutique winemaker has much more freedom to let the grapes express themselves, rather than being constrained by the desire for a particular consistent product.
Yatir is unique in that it is a boutique by any definition--making a small selection of wines expressing a particular terroir and wine-making style--yet, they have the advantage of Carmel's deep pockets and they are able to be super-choosy in their grape selection, sending the leftovers to Carmel. (Your statement that they get to choose Carmel's best grapes is incorrect--Yatir works with specific vineyards in the Yatir Forrest on the south of Har Chevron. Merely choosing Carmel's best grapes from all over would defeat the whole purpose. But they are able to pick only the very best of those grapes and send the rest to Carmel for lower-level wines.) It was really incredible to see the state-of-the-art equipment and facilities at Yatir. I'm sure Yatir's advantages in this respect play a big role in the consistency of their wines.
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