See the Choice / WeeksEnd wine

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All of a sudden...something happens.
But then there are those moments where we have the choice.
And they can make such a difference.
Have a good one; h

Shavua tov Harry!

Friday night:

HHW, Pardess Merlot 2007: As good as the previous bottle 2 months ago but throwing lots of sediment. I made a big mistake as it turned into pure date juice on day 2.

Shabbat lunch:

GMW, Rosé 2012: While I've never been a fan of the Galil Rosé this year's release is actually quite nice without being particularly complex but it's a rosé and it does exactly what a rosé is supposed to do. This is an interesting blend of 79% Sangiovese, 7% Grenache, 7% Pinot Noir and 7% Barbera. The color is hypnotizing, bright raspberry red and it has a nice nose of strawberries, cherries and grapefruit. Light in body and without any sign of sweetness at all with on the palate notes of strawberries, pink grapefruit and red currants with refreshing acidity and more notes of cherries and citrus on a surprisingly long finish for a rosé. This wine is crispy, refreshing and well-made with a low 11.5% Abv and a decent price (35 shekel - $10).

Best,

GG

Hi, Harry, shavu'a tov,

Friday night: 2010 Dalton Zinfandel (forget if it was reserve, though I doubt it). Started off showing its 15.5% AbV, but settled down to very nice drinking.

Shabbat lunch: 2012 Capcanes Peraj Petita Rosat. Oh, so nice.

A good week to all,

Isaac

Dinner at a friend's. 2009 Hagafen Oak Knoll chardonnay, in good shape; 2010 Don Ernesto Crescendo; still young and tasty.
Saturday evening 2006 Westwood north coast pinot noir; ragther ripe and tasty grapes, a bit high in alcohokl (14.4%), a bit out of balance, but the price ( $ 5.99 on sale) is great.

I spent Shabbos night falling in love... with my 2010 Zin. Is there a better wine out there at all? Shabbos night, there definitely wasn't, at least to me. Maybe I'll be fickle, and I'll fall in love with another wine in the future. But I doubt it. This wine stole my heart.

This Friday GHW Chardonnay Odem '08, once my favorite Odem.
It spent less time in oak, probably because of shmita market reasons, and
balance between fruit and wood was perfect. Now, the fruit is still there with
figs, lichee and honey, but it lost its freshness and sweet oak definitely
overpowering the fruit. Full, buttery, very spicy with long spicy finish.
One more thing - each time I take this wine, and I had more than a case,
few hours later I got a headache that follows me to the next day.

Shiloh Barbera 2011 was released recently. This has been a wonderful wine in years past and is one again this year. Barbera is a noble grape of Italy, along with Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, and is growing well here in Israel. This is an elegant wine with dark fruits, maybe olives, and gentle tannins.
Tzuba Metzuda 2010 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. It is an Israeli-style Bordeaux Blend. It is rich, complex, full-bodied, and has spent 24 months in oak. It has spices and the "minerality" of the soil (terroir) that makes an interesting wine.

Hi; gilgal melot '09. Second time with this wine and enjoyed again. Also retried the yarden indigo 2012 and reiterate this is not a typical mt hermon. Definitely more focused. H

Hi Harry.
Friday night - Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 and Merlot 2008.
Shabbat lunch - Gvaot Gofna Chardonnay Cabernet Sauvignon 2012.
Shavua Tov.
Zvi

2011 Flam Rose: B-/* Last year, this was my favorite wine, but it's now a very pale shadow of what it used to be. Flat and boring. In fact, this wine was already dead last time I tried it around 8 months ago, but I picked up another bottle out of sheer nostalgia.

2011 Flam Blanc: B+/** Delightfully aromatic nose reminiscent of a Gewurtz, with stone fruit and floral notes. The mouthfeel combines the richness of Chardonnay with the crispness of SB. Unfortunately, the wine is growing tired and on the palate, isn't as lively as it was last time I drank it, when I rated it A-. Drink up!

2009 City Winery Pinot Noir: B/* Decent light-bodied pinot but a bit on the thin side and lacking the liveliness I would've liked. On the positive side, it has great minerality (to use a term we've been arguing over), with a salinity reminiscent of seaweed.

2010 Four Gates Pinot Noir: C-/* Unlike most of the bottles I've had, this one wasn't refermented and didn't have the dissolved gas issues, so it was drinkable, but not very pleasant. Far too sweet with a medicinal quality. A very rare failure from what's easily my favorite winery.

2009 Recanati Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: C+/** Afflicted by the curse of '09--overripe, over-sweet and swimming with dates. Not nearly as bad as some of the others though.

I had much better luck with beers this Shabbos, with a few great brews.

Fri night - last bottle of Landsman 2011 Syrah, excited for the next round of offerings
Sat lunch - hearty glass of Saison Dupont and some Bartenura Chianti

2011 Flam Rose: B-/* Last year, this was my favorite wine, but it's now a very pale shadow of what it used to be. Flat and boring. In fact, this wine was already dead last time I tried it around 8 months ago, but I picked up another bottle out of sheer nostalgia.

2011 Flam Blanc: B+/** Delightfully aromatic nose reminiscent of a Gewurtz, with stone fruit and floral notes. The mouthfeel combines the richness of Chardonnay with the crispness of SB. Unfortunately, the wine is growing tired and on the palate, isn't as lively as it was last time I drank it, when I rated it A-. Drink up!

2009 City Winery Pinot Noir: B/* Decent light-bodied pinot but a bit on the thin side and lacking the liveliness I would've liked. On the positive side, it has great minerality (to use a term we've been arguing over), with a salinity reminiscent of seaweed.

2010 Four Gates Pinot Noir: C-/* Unlike most of the bottles I've had, this one wasn't refermented and didn't have the dissolved gas issues, so it was drinkable, but not very pleasant. Far too sweet with a medicinal quality. A very rare failure from what's easily my favorite winery.

2009 Recanati Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: C+/** Afflicted by the curse of '09--overripe, over-sweet and swimming with dates. Not nearly as bad as some of the others though.

I had much better luck with beers this Shabbos, with a few great brews.

I felt the same about the Flam Rose. I last tasted the Blanc at IFWE in NYC last February and adored it, I was going to pick up a few bottles but this gives me pause. Anybody have any idea why the wines would be burning out so quickly?

Drank my last bottle of The Cave 2002 on Friday night. Didn't decant it but it improved in the glass. Complex and spicy (cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves) but it was better a year or two ago. Anybody who still has some, it's time to drink up! Saturday had a 2007 Yarden Syrah, excellent!

I had the N.V. Four Gates Pinot Noir - rocking baby! 2005/2006 bottle

http://kosherwinemusings.com/2013/08/05 ... inot-noir/

David

2011 Flam Rose: B-/* Last year, this was my favorite wine, but it's now a very pale shadow of what it used to be. Flat and boring. In fact, this wine was already dead last time I tried it around 8 months ago, but I picked up another bottle out of sheer nostalgia.

2011 Flam Blanc: B+/** Delightfully aromatic nose reminiscent of a Gewurtz, with stone fruit and floral notes. The mouthfeel combines the richness of Chardonnay with the crispness of SB. Unfortunately, the wine is growing tired and on the palate, isn't as lively as it was last time I drank it, when I rated it A-. Drink up!

2009 City Winery Pinot Noir: B/* Decent light-bodied pinot but a bit on the thin side and lacking the liveliness I would've liked. On the positive side, it has great minerality (to use a term we've been arguing over), with a salinity reminiscent of seaweed.

2010 Four Gates Pinot Noir: C-/* Unlike most of the bottles I've had, this one wasn't refermented and didn't have the dissolved gas issues, so it was drinkable, but not very pleasant. Far too sweet with a medicinal quality. A very rare failure from what's easily my favorite winery.

2009 Recanati Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: C+/** Afflicted by the curse of '09--overripe, over-sweet and swimming with dates. Not nearly as bad as some of the others though.

I had much better luck with beers this Shabbos, with a few great brews.

Interesting on the Four Gates. I don't like the 2010 as much as the 2009 or some of the non-vintage versions, but I have found it to be pleasant. I haven't opened it in awhile so I will try it again.

Shabbat Dinner - Peraj Petita 2011

Shabbat Lunch - 2009 Carmel Appellation Cabernet; 2010 Yarden Gewurtzraminer

Of the 3 the Peraj Petita was the most well liked

2010 Domaine Netofa Latour. excellent wine. opened a good hour before drinking and was still developing through the meal. very good.
2010 recanati cabernet sauvignon reserve. good stuff.
2012 Golan heights winery golan moscato...

Hi Harry,
No alcohol this weekend. But, I sampled some grape juice for a change.
I was surprised seeing Kedem products here in Israel as if there were not enough local made grape juice (perhaps never looked for), so I got a bottle of
Kedem Sparkling Peach Grape Juice (K) - somewhat similar to various Bosca Verdi Sparkletini that are low in alcohol. This one is non-alcoholic, too sweet and lacking acidity to make it more balanced and refreshing. Bosca Verdi (kosher) sparklers are clear winners here. Although, I'm missing Louis Roederer, Brut, Premier NV that we've had for NY's eve. That was a real thing, Yarden BdB nervously smoking in the corner

Have a good 1!

2011 Flam Rose: B-/* Last year, this was my favorite wine, but it's now a very pale shadow of what it used to be. Flat and boring. In fact, this wine was already dead last time I tried it around 8 months ago, but I picked up another bottle out of sheer nostalgia.

2011 Flam Blanc: B+/** Delightfully aromatic nose reminiscent of a Gewurtz, with stone fruit and floral notes. The mouthfeel combines the richness of Chardonnay with the crispness of SB. Unfortunately, the wine is growing tired and on the palate, isn't as lively as it was last time I drank it, when I rated it A-. Drink up!

2009 City Winery Pinot Noir: B/* Decent light-bodied pinot but a bit on the thin side and lacking the liveliness I would've liked. On the positive side, it has great minerality (to use a term we've been arguing over), with a salinity reminiscent of seaweed.

2010 Four Gates Pinot Noir: C-/* Unlike most of the bottles I've had, this one wasn't refermented and didn't have the dissolved gas issues, so it was drinkable, but not very pleasant. Far too sweet with a medicinal quality. A very rare failure from what's easily my favorite winery.

2009 Recanati Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: C+/** Afflicted by the curse of '09--overripe, over-sweet and swimming with dates. Not nearly as bad as some of the others though.

I had much better luck with beers this Shabbos, with a few great brews.

I felt the same about the Flam Rose. I last tasted the Blanc at IFWE in NYC last February and adored it, I was going to pick up a few bottles but this gives me pause. Anybody have any idea why the wines would be burning out so quickly?

They're very delicate wines built to drink quickly. The Blanc is still delightful nonetheless. lDon't pause--buy and drink up! In fact, Heber's in Crown Heights has them on sale at $25, and they only do sales when the distributor is liquidating, so I expect others will have it on sale soon as well. At that price, it's certainly well worth it.

Hi Harry,
No alcohol this weekend. But, I sampled some grape juice for a change.
I was surprised seeing Kedem products here in Israel as if there were not enough local made grape juice (perhaps never looked for), so I got a bottle of
Kedem Sparkling Peach Grape Juice (K) - somewhat similar to various Bosca Verdi Sparkletini that are low in alcohol. This one is non-alcoholic, too sweet and lacking acidity to make it more balanced and refreshing. Bosca Verdi (kosher) sparklers are clear winners here. Although, I'm missing Louis Roederer, Brut, Premier NV that we've had for NY's eve. That was a real thing, Yarden BdB nervously smoking in the corner

Have a good 1!

Bravdo Merlot 2010, very good