Say / WeeksEnd wine

b"sd
Say what you mean; mean what you say ;actions speak louder than words. Alot of cliches indeed.
But between parents and children it seems to be so basic a truth; that which we do they hear; whereas that which we tell them so often stays on the level of superficial.
Have a good one; h

Sdinner in Israel with the family; Galil Mountain 2012 rose (mostly sangiovese) an OK dry rose, nothing special. Saturday night at a party- Piano Nobnile merlot/cabernet (didn't notice a vintage) - a basic wine, nothing special.

WOW! This forum has gone to the crickets. Anyway, I enjoyed some slow braised ribs, rice and salad with two bottles of 2009 Tishbi Syrah and 2011 Hagafen Sauvignon Blanc. They are nice enough wines - but not leaders in their space. Still, the Tishbi Syrah is round and not overly sweet with good control, not withstanding the date.

http://kosherwinemusings.com/2013/04/28 ... ised-ribs/

Prix Reserve 2008 Napa Valley Pinot Noir Fagan Creek Vineyard Block 38: Starts off with a very promising but reticent nose but never quite delivers. Initial cherry cola notes, over an hour this opens up quite a bit to deliver heavy doses of vanilla and butterscotch that I usually associate with a chardonnay. In fact, at its most expressive, this wine is dominated by these oaky flavors and eventually settles down into a plummy phase. Tried again the next day and the edges were not soft and now the wine had more of a stewed character.

This is not a bad wine but it is tough to warm up to. Moreover, it just isn't any fun. 2 meals and the bottle is not close to empty. Win some-lose some.

Hi, Friday night enjoyed immensely galil mt alon 2010.thanks Adam,now I understands your review when you compared it side by side with Elaine. By day another surprisingly very good wine recanati Yasmin 2012 red. It's different than past ones with a solid 14.5alc. H

Hi Harry,

2006 Yarden Syrah: Everyone at the table enjoyed this one and I think its drinking better than the last time I tried it. However, I can definitely see people here thinking that there's too much sweet.

Livni is one of our smallest wineries located south of Hevron. They make only about 10,000 bottles each year. Their vineyards at 875 meters go back before their wine making, and they supply others with grapes and cherries. They brought in a French winemaker who had been producing wonderful wines. Their Cabernet 2009 was a majestic and delicious example of a best buy, winning a Gold Medal at Terravino. The 2011 is hinting at continuing the tradition. It is still young, just bottled after 12 months in oak. But, it is full-bodied, full of dark fruits, and soft tannins. It is good now and will only get better.

Bravdo (Karmei Yosef Winery) is close to here on the road to Ramle. Their Coupage has gotten me to like their wines. It is a truly Israeli blend of Cabernet Franc, Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Again, this is a young wine (2011), but it promises to match its predecessors. It is big and full bodied, each grape aged separately for 12 months in oak. It is possible to note the flavors from each different wine while, at the same time, enjoying them as a whole.

Pappy Van Winkle 15 yr old

Teperberg Terra Malbec 2010

Dalton Reserve Cab Sauv 2009

Good week to all.

Dear friend from Efrat spent Shabbat with us, so we went for California wines:

Power to the People 2009
Four Gates Merlot 2007
Eagles Landing Pinot Noir 2007

Enjoyed all!

Hi Harry.
Friday night - 1848 5th Generation Syrah 2010 - light to medium bodied and did not excite at all.
Shabbat lunch - Ella Valley EverRed Rose 2011 - perfect for the hot weather.
Last week I finally made it to Cellar 18 in Ramat Beit Shemesh and met Gedalya. Great guy with an extensive selection of kosher wines, especially Gvaot.
Friday morning we were at Bravdo Winery and tasted the 2012 Chardonnay (better than the excellent 2011), Merlot 2010 and Coupage, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon 2011. My favorite each year is the Coupage while Rachel prefers the Shiraz. The surprise this year was that the Cabernet was ready for drinking.
Shavua Tov.
Zvi

Hi Harry, shavua tov and happy Lag B'Omer!

I'm posting this late as I'm currently traveling throughout the States with too few convenient time spots to post on the forum.

I spent Shabbos with Forumite Stacey B and her family and I'm taking the opportunity to thank them again for their hospitality as both company, wines and food were spectacular!


Friday night:

Falesco, Marciliano, Umbria, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005: Excellent Italian CabSav although I admit having enjoyed more their Merlot Montiano Lazio 2006. This is a full-bodied wine with a superb structure and balance and still showing very well with quite a few more years still ahead of it. Plenty of blackberries and ripe cassis with warm spices on both nose and palate with notes of licorice and cigar tobacco lingering on the long finish.

Château Malartic-Lagravière, Pessac-Léognan 2003: This is one of my favorite kosher Bordeaux and it didn't disappoint. Dark purple with garnet at the rim, on the nose crushed berries, a hint of tar and floral notes as well as toasted oak. Medium to full-bodied with on the palate blackberries, cassis and forest floor with hints of black truffles followed by vanilla and tobacco, with well-balanced acidity and tannins giving the wine a solid backbone to stick around quite a few more tears with more wood and vanilla lingering on the long, mouth-filling finish.

Shirah Wine Co., Bro-Deux 2010: My second time enjoying this special wine in less than 2 weeks showing a beautiful and complex array of both blue and green notes, well-done!

Segal, Dishon Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2007: This wine is still showing very well with rich forest berries and chocolate.

Kinor David, KPort 8yo: The wine started by showing very strangely and ended going back to itself yet not to the fullest.

Porto Quevedo NV: The first time I had this wine many here have talked about over the past few months but I didn't like it showing far too syrupy and unpleasant veggie green notes which I can't seem to appreciate in a sweet wine.

Ended the meal with a nice glass of Cognac Louis Royer XO which was very good.

Shabbat Lunch:

Domaine du Castel, Rosé 2011: Also my 2nd time having this wine in the last couple of weeks and this experience was similar and perhaps even worse as most the fruit and acid have receded leaving space for a rather flat palate and somewhat unpleasant bitterness.Drink up!!!

Domaine du Castel, Chardonnay "C" 2006: This wine had been opened for 8 weeks or so and being already close to 7 years past vintage it's not possible to objectively judge it however it was surprisingly alive yet showing unidimensional with essentialy notes of ripe bananas on both the nose and palate.

Domaine du Castel, Grand Vin 2005: Dark purple with on the nose blackberries and plums as well as dark chocolate. Full-bodied showing multiple layers of ripe forest fruits, licorice, Mediterranean herbs and plums with pipe tobacco and dark chocolate on the long finish, this wine is well-structured and will likely hold another 2-3 years.

Odem Mountain, Syrah Reserve 2008: Dark inky purple, almost black with on the nose plums, blackberries, tar and cracked pepper as well as light hints of violets. Medium to full-bodied with on the palate ripe blackberries, plums and pepper followed by a touch of tar and bittersweet chocolate, bright acid with soft tannins gently coating the mouth on the long finish. A very good Syrah!

Château Guiraud, Sauternes 1999: W O W ! ! ! Deep orange gold with on the nose dried apricots, peaches, mangoes, papaya, vanilla and cinnamon. Full-bodied and viscuous with much of the same in the palate with in addition caramelized baked apples, sweet mirabelles, crème brûlée and bourbon vanilla as well as sweet roasted almonds with great balancing acidity showing all the way towards the endless finish giving this wine such a backbone that it might well stick around for another two or three decades if not even more than that... Most certainly one of the very best kosher dessert wines.

Melave Malka:

Château Royaumont, Lalande de Pomerol 2003: A beautiful and mature Merlot-driven Bordeaux wine with on the nose ripe raspberries and plums with smoky notes of toasted oak. Medium to full-bodied with on the palate raspberries, blackberries and plums with notes of wood smoke and anis, cedar wood and wet forest floor with a touch of leather and silky tannins lingering on the long finish. Might still be around for another year or two but why wait? Delicious.

Have a great week?

GG

Hi Harry,

First beautiful spring day here in Ottawa. It hit about 25 degrees and sunny. If it wasn't lag baomer I probably would have chilled something white and enjoyed the sun in the backyard with the kids, but there were community events to attend!

Friday night once again uncorked a mevushal wine. Herzog Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon 2010. Drinkable, but not that exciting. Went nicely with the chicken though. Tonight having some BBQ flanken, so I might open up something semi-dry to go with it. Maybe a Cantina Gabrielle Dolcemente Red. I also have a few bottles of leftover from the past week.

Adam

Shiloh Legend 2009 (Mevushal) - still just as good as a year ago, a fun fruity and enjoyable wine. I had that with homemade beef jerky and Grass Fed La Surprise / Crescent Steak.

Hi Harry,

Hagafen Prix Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Moskowite Ranch Block 53 - Unlike the previous bottle of two weeks ago, this one exhibited more primary Sauvignon Blanc characteristics of cut grass and citrus than the secondary flavors contributed by the oak. So was the acidity felt to a greater degree, and its weight was more substantial than last time. Go figure. B-/**/Y

Tzora Vinyards Shoresh 2009 - The label states this is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, but the proportions of each is not disclosed. I was expecting to sense the progression that this member of the Tzora portfolio has been undergoing, but I did not. To me, it is more of the same, delivering a mish-mash of overripe dark berries. This is not a style I like. Though, I must state that the tannins are silky and enjoyable, and the use of oak is very much in check, nonetheless the fruit profile stacks the cards against it. C/*/N

Best Regards,
-> Pinchas

Grading for quality: A - marvelous, B - good/intriguing, C - mediocre/uninspiring, D - subjectively flawed, F - objectively flawed
Grading for value: *** - it's a steal, ** - it's a reasonable deal, * - you've been robbed
Indication of further interest: Y - would purchase again, N - no desire to purchase more

My sister's wedding was yesterday so my whole family was together for shabbos and we went through a few bottles.

In no particular order

Shabbos Night:
Chateau Royaumnt Lalande de pomerol 2003, agree with Gabriel, a delicious wine. I was excited that it was still drinking well.
Bazelet Hagolan Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2010
Bravdo Shiraz 2010
Elvi El26 2006, was a table favorite and quite good but I don't know if it warrants the price. I feel this would be a very popular bottle if this was in the 30 USD range.
Binyamina Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010. good by itself but was not as great when next to these other bottles.


Shabbos day:
Yarden Cabernet Cauvignon 2008
Shirah Wine Brodeux 2010, probably the bottle of the weekend. mostly because no one heard of it, it was flavorful, and obviously the cover
Or Haganuz Namura Cab Franc 2009. I wasnt a fan of this one. could be that we didnt let it air out long enough, don't know.


shabbos afternoon/melave malka:

Domain du Castel Grand Vin 2007
Domain du Castel Petite Castel 2010

Fri night - my last bottle of Landsman Zin 2011. Enjoyed, and very very good generally about my investment in joining the Landsman club.
Sat Lunch - bottle of Stella and Recanati CS 2011- both uncomplicated and easy drinking,

2010 Odem Reserve Cabernet Franc - Realy young.. Drinks well after 2 hours open but
2 days was even better.. Surprise how it calmed down and the range of flavors expanded... very good bottle that I thought at first was just ok... Nice give it another year too rest before going back and the reward should be great!

2012 Agur Rose - Shuki makes great wine.. Love IT!

The 2012 Agur Rose - is unique, it is oily - petrol like, because he ferments it in oak. Aged in steel

Hi, Harry,

Sorry for the late reply; spent the week in Italy.

First two days in Rome, we were exhausted. In the evenings just ate very light. Drank ENTRY level wine one night, house wine the other. On any other occasion, would have considered the wines a total failure. In context, perfect. Excellent lesson.

Otherwise, we drank, mostly, Terre di Seta wines. 2008 & 2009 Chianti Classico regular, and 2009 Chianti Classico Reserve. The 09 regular had sufficiently more body than the 08, that we drank the 08 first. Also, a 20?? Toscana, a "summer red." Trip included a visit to their winery. Was told that 2009 wines will be in States in a few months.

Shabbat shalom to all,

Isaac

Shabbat dinner at the MIL's... Mio Torre 2010 (K) Italy (or was it 2011?) Cab Sauv from a part of Italy I don't recall having any reputation for grape growing.

Wassup with this wine? A supermarket request product? Almost zero character of CS or anything else, really. Modestly alcoholic grape juice, made by a cooperative. I wouldn't have known it was CS except for the label. Could have been cut with a more innocuous, higher yielding, red grape or could simply have been vastly over-cropped. Unoaked to boot, so at least the production method had some self consistent logic. I'll give it this - it was "unflawed" in the technical, UC Davis way of describing wine. Not even any green bell pepper aromas (which lead me to question how much, if any, CS was actually in this stuff.)

It was, in a logically beautiful way, the inverse or polar opposite of the sweet Kiddush wine drank by my Grandfather at the Sabbath dinners of my youth, made from Concord grown in New York state. In both cases wines that fulfill the dictum of Sabbath without celebrating Hashem or his gift to His people in the least.

I am 100% the last one here - and my notes on the two CCC wines are comparable to Geller's notes.

http://kosherwinemusings.com/2013/05/10 ... m-cellars/

There is a story here with CCC and Kiddush hashem - and yeah, I am nuts, but I hope I find it....

Chodesh Tov Harry and Good Shabbos