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Bsd. Interesting how far we sometimes need to travel to get to know who the deepest truest I . HHave a good one; h

Hi Harry shavua tov!

Friday night:

Tishbi, French Riesling 2012: This simple, off-dry blend of Emerald Riesling and Colombard isn't as sweet as previous vintages. Straw in color with light green reflections and medium-bodied with on the nose and palate notes of lime, cantaloupe, apricot and pineapples, a touch of sweetness rise on the short finish. Better serve very cold as its acidity isn't high enough. Otherwise, a refreshing quaffer to drink as an aperitif with light spicy snacks.

Barkan, Classic, Cabernet Sauvignon 2012: As always, an unoaked Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark purple with on the nose ripe cassis, cherries and herbs. Medium-bodied with on the palate again cassis and black cherries as well as hints of blackberries with roasted herbs, fine acidity and tannins coating the mouth on a moderately long finish. By far the best vintage for this wine in many years, the first time I actually find it enjoyable in a very long time, maybe even the first time ever. A good QPR table wine for everyday drinking.

Dalton, Alma, Shiraz-Mourvèdre-Viognier 2010: The 2nd release for this Rhone-style blend of 74% Shiraz, 22% Mourvèdre and 4% Viognier that were fermented and aged separately before the final blend was made, the wine spent a total of about 13 months in french oak barrels. Dark purple toward garnet with on the nose ripe blackberries, raspberries, white peaches, pepper and violets. Medium to full-bodied with on the palate the peaches showing on first attack with a touch of white pepper followed by sweet plums, raspberries and blackberries, fine and balanced acidity and more black fruit as well as a bunch of oriental spices such as white pepper, cinnamon, cloves and touches of vanilla with integrating, silky tannins on the long finish. Really nice wine, showing great balance and harmony despite its 15.5% Abv. This wine seems to be already at its peak but I believe will hold it for another 2-3 years.

Shabbat lunch:

Jerusalem Wineries, Ugav, Merlot 2011: Dark garnet and medium-bodied with on the nose and palate raspberries, vanilla and toasted oak with decent acidity and tannins gently coating the mouth on a moderately long finish. Another decent and inexpensive quaffer for everyday drinking.

Dalton, D, Petite Sirah 2011: Delicious as always. I tried to double-decant it and let it breath for a few hours to see if I could get any blue fruit out of it (on the 20101 the blueberries come out screaming even more when doing that) but I guess it's a lost case and I just have to integrate and accept the fact that the 2011 is free of blue fruit.

Wishing everyone here an excellent week,

GG

2008 hagafen estate cab - I opened this because of the conversation that went on last week regarding hagafen wines.
I thought this was very good. Silky tannins, hints of berry and spices . No complaints. I'm a big hagafen fan. I agree that they haven't hit many home runs lately with their reds , but they are consistently good wines.
Sam

Viognier is a favorite grape of mine because it is somewhere on the spectrum of flavors between red and white. In the Rhone of France and sometimes here, it is used in blends of both reds and whites. It often has a touch of sweetness and an interesting complexity. So, we tasted two Viognier wines. The Galil Viognier 2012 was delightful with a hint of sweetness. It included flavors of Asian and Israeli summer fruits, had a hint of oak, and a nice long finish.
The Teperberg Terra Viognier 2011 was a drier version. It opened with a luscious aroma, was also aged in oak for 6 months and had a variety of tree fruits in its flavor. The finish was long and elegant. Teperberg has been carefully crafting new wines the past couple of years, and their work is paying off.

1998 Corison Napa Valley cabernet. Elegant; still drinking well

I think I would like to have my Shabbat meals with Gabriel. He drinks far more wine(s) than I typically do over the course of the two primary meals!

Friday night - low-key; just the wife and I. Yogev cab-merlot blend, 2011 (or, possibly 2012?). Powerful tannins packed a punch on my palate. I was hoping the wine would open up during the course of the meal but that didn't happen. Glass after glass (I am particularly strict about the halacha of not leaving any wine in the bottle on Shabbat...), it was the same result. Tight, tight, tight. I have had some very pleasant Yogev wines and feel they generally represent a good QPR wine. Not this time, however.

Shabbat lunch - we were invited to a massive and massively good kiddush luncheon in shul. My customary drink at kiddush is a nice dram or three of fine, aged single malt whisky. I followed my custom but also did not want to pass up sampling some of the wines being offered. After cleansing my palate with some kiddush fare, I sampled the Celler de Capcanes Montsant Peraj Ha'Abib (2011, I believe). Then, I had another glass. Then, I got my wife a glass...and one for myself. Anyway, this was a delightfully silky smooth wine. As you can tell, you can't stop at just one glass. I am a huge fan of the Peraj Petita, especially having been fortunate last year to score a case at $12.99/bbl. I always keep a stash in my cellar and this is my go to wine, especially when we have friends over who profess not to like most dry red wines. I have never failed to convert them after pouring some of this wine. The Peraj Ha'Abib takes the Petita to the next level. I could drink this wine all day long. But, at approx. $62/bbl, I could not do so every week.

There were a couple dessert wines offered as well. First, I tried the Dalton Anna NV, as I know it is not easy to find at retail and it is a bit pricey. I was horrified to watch the bartender pour the wine into a normal sized wine glass, halfway to the top. That's way too much even for a fabulous dessert wine. Having ordered two glasses (one for the wife), I had to find someone to whom I could hand off one of them. One glass would be fine to share. The wine was a deep golden hue, possibly a bit too deep I feared. Sadly, my fears were realized. I don't know that I would say the wine has turned, but certainly its best days are behind it. No fresh fruitiness and sweetness cut by crisp acidity, which, to me, are the hallmarks of a top drawer dessert wine. Rather, it had that nutty, raisiny nose of a wine whose fruit has mostly dried up. Sipping the wine, my palate agreed with my nose. Next, about 30 mins later, I tried a 2012 Herzog LH Orange Muscat. Thankfully, this time the wine was poured into an appropriately smaller glass. Lovely, fragrant, not overly complex but quite refreshing. Ample acidity so that I was able to savor each sip.

That's all for this week. Looking forward to next week.

Hi; galil mt ella 2011,found that the first time with this wine its flavors surfaced better with some chilling. Also Tanya ivri merlot 2011. Didn't understand this wine at all. H

Galil Meron 2008 - awesome wine.

I think I would like to have my Shabbat meals with Gabriel. He drinks far more wine(s) than I typically do over the course of the two primary meals!

Harvey, I wish it was like that every shabbat (though I agree having had the luck to enjoy some spectacular shabbatot wine-wise these past few months).
Now regarding your comments about the Dalton Anna Muscat, it sounds like the bottle you had at that kiddush luncheon was flawed or had been stored improperly, such a fine dessert wine usually don't die so young.

Best,

GG

Friday Night - Saslove Aviv Shiraz 2010 - My first tasting of Saslove. Full of rich flavors including coffee and spice. Nice finish.



Shabbat Lunch - Peraj Petita Rosat 2012 - I love the red version and finally was able to procure the rose. It was very enjoyable, not overly fruit, smooth finish.

Goose Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2011

First of all Jgpersky - I LOVE the 2011 Teppy Viognier! The Galil was OK, while the Yarden is better.

Anyway, tasted the controversial 2007 Herzog One over XII Cabernet again, I liked it:

http://kosherwinemusings.com/2013/10/14 ... sauvignon/

Hi Harry,

Midbar Chardonnay 2010 - The label designates it as unoaked, thereby drawing attention to the effects of the wine making protocol on the final product. After experimenting with this wine for a second time, I comfortably say that Chardonnay begs for some oak aging. The fruit flavors aren't vibrant enough for them to stand on their own. The oak would, in my opinion, add complexity and depth to the wine, contributing to create interest in other facets of the wine. Additionally, it might dampen some of the effects of the wine's alcohol, that currently expresses itself as unwanted bitterness. The initial attack on the nose was a promise that wasn't fulfilled, teasing me with its dusty floral notes into expecting a pleasant wine. 14% AbV. C+/**/N

Hagafen Prix Pinot Noir Colifornia Soliel Vineyard North Block 2006 - The wine is dark, brooding, hazy and smokey. There is just enough fruitiness to the wine that I can drink the full glass I pour myself. But I'm glad my stash of these wines is depleting itself. I should be receiving Hagafen's renewed attempt at producing Pinot Noir with fruit sourced from a new vineyard. I'll give it a try, but I don't expect to stock up on it, and I definitely will not be aging it for any substantial amount of time. 13.5% AbV. C/*/N

Best,
-> 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

BS"D

Harry-

Had

2009 Ella Valley Cabernet Franc

Nice nose, good mouth feel yet with a cold lacked getting thru my palete.. still great for Shabbos

2009 Teperberg Malbec & 2012 Recanati Cabernet Sauvignon. Very good drinking.

Pinchas,

I agree that the Chardonnay was Midbar's weakest effort during Yaakov's tenure.