Golan Heights Winery Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Israel

Dark ruby in color with a wide brick rim.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with a nice mouthfeel.

Showing black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, spices, earth, chocolates, tobacco, coffee, cola, licorice and peppercorn.

This is a great sipping wine. Delicious with great balance and complexity. Very fruity, rich and extracted.

Good right out of the bottle, and good by itself or with food.

I’ve had many different vintages of this Cabernet, and it is always delicious.

Will pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$45 (current vintage).

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Villa Wilhelma Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Israel

Dark gold in color.

Light on the nose with apples, pears, spices, light oak and vanilla.

Full bodied and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with ripe pears, peaches, apples, light oak, Indian spices, vanilla and black pepper.

Long finish with lemons and herbs.

This is a wonderful surprise. This Sauvignon Blanc from Israel is drinking beautifully now. Feels like an aged, new world Chardonnay.

Nicely balanced and rich, with nice complexity, and really tasty.

After 2 hours of airtime, the nose became much more interesting than the palate. Love these kind of wines.

Will be interesting to revisit it in 3 years.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$25.

Teperberg Winery Legacy Petite Sirah 2014, Israel

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose with mediterranean spices and chocolate notes.

Full bodied with medium plus acidity.

Dry and fruit forward on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing blackberries, cooked plums, spices, light cedar, chocolates, coffee, light vanilla, tobacco, herbs, earth, peppercorn, cardamom and licorice.

Nice finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 9 year old Petite Sirah from Israel is drinking very nicely now. Showing nice complexity with a soft mouthfeel.

Peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 years.

Good right out of the bottle, but much better after a couple of hours. Alcohol is well integrated by now.

Rich, concentrated and extracted. Drinks like a high end California red.

Fruit forward, and in your face kind of wine. Not for the faint of heart.

Petite Sirah grapes were aged in oak barrels for 18 months. Kosher and not Mevushal.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$62 (current vintage).

Or Haganuz Winery Namura Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Israel

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish /brick rim.

Full bodied, smooth and elegant, with medium acidity.

Dry and fruit forward with great complexity.

Showing black currants, cooked plums, cedar, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, light vanilla, spices, chocolates, earth, herbs, diet cola, peppercorn and light green vegetables.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries

This 9 year old Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon is peaking now, and is drinking beautifully. Will continue to drink nicely in the next few years.

Nicely balanced with a soft mouthfeel. Rich and extracted. Spicy and entertaining.

After 30 minutes in the glass, tannins come out to play. Gets better after 3 hours, when tannins soften up a bit.

This Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a great sipping wine. Really gorgeous now.

Good right out of the bottle and good by itself or with food. Will pair nicely with a nice piece of steak.

Aged for 24 months in French oak barrels. Kosher and vegan. A small production of only 4,000 bottles. This is bottle number 569. Not Mevushal.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$65.

Zwebner Estate Vineyard 24.19 Sémillon- Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Judean Mountains, Bethlehem

Pale lemon in color with a green hue.

Light to medium in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with mild complexity.

Showing limes, grapefruits, vegetables, earth, green apples, minerals, light honeysuckle and spices.

Medium finish with limes and herbs.

This is a nice white Bordeaux blend from Bethlehem. Crisp and refreshing. Tangy, spicy and interesting.

I’ve had a few vintages of this wine, and it is much better after a few years in the bottle. Would be interesting to revisit it in 2 years.

Good by itself and better with food.

A blend of 60% Sémillon and 40% Sauvignon Blanc. Aged for 4 months in (20% new) oak barrels. Kosher and not Mevushal.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$30.

Tabor Winery Adama Merlot 2017, Israel

It’s time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

Ruby color with a wide cloudy, reddish rim.

Light nose of red and black fruits, light wood, earth, black pepper, spices, black tea and wet leaves.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Very dry on the palate with raspberries, tart cherries, spices, light oak, licorice, cloves, herbs, vegetables, earth and peppercorn.

Short finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cranberries.

This 6 year old Merlot is on its way out. Good right out of the bottle, but lost its balanced after 30 minutes of airtime.

I’ve had this vintage a year ago, and it was drinking better then.

Tart and lost much of the fruits. Better with food at this point.

Aged in French oak barrels for 12 months. Kosher and not Mevushal.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

86 points.

$17.

Zwebner Estate Vineyard Judean Mountains 35.40.2 Red Blend 2015, Bethlehem

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish/ brick rim.

Pretty nose of blueberries, black plums, currants, cooked cherries, cedar, vanilla, Mediterranean spices, peppercorn, chocolates, tobacco leaf, herbs and dark coffee.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black plums, cherries, oak, light vanilla, spices, dark chocolates, coffee, earth, cloves and peppercorn.

Long spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 8 year old GSM blend from Bethlehem is drinking wonderfully now. Showing nice balance with a great mouthfeel.

Feels like a Napa Cabernet on the nose, but definitely not on the palate.

Peaking now and will continue to drink nicely in the next 3 years.

Loved the nose right out of the bottle, and the alcohol is nicely integrated now.

Delicious right out of the bottle and good by itself.

I had this vintage 4 years ago, and it is drinking beautifully now.

A blend of 47% Syrah, 35% Grenache and 18% Mourvedre. Grapes are grown in the Judean Mountains at 2,500 feet elevation, and aged for 12 months in (100% new) French oak barrels. Kosher.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$50.

Ghito Winery Adom Red 2018, Israel

This is a nice Grenache blend from Israel.

Full bodied with medium acidity.

Showing black currants, plums, cherries, oak, light vanilla, spices, dark chocolates, coffee, peppercorn, black tea, barnyard, earth, vegetables and tobacco leaf.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after an hour of airtime.

I had it a year ago and it was a different wine. Showed mainly red fruits, and now it feels like a new world Syrah blend. Interesting stuff.

Would be nice to revisit it in 3 years.

A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot. Aged for 16 months in mostly used French oak barrels. Kosher and unfiltered.

14% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$53.

Golan Heights Winery Yarden 2T 2019, Israel

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Strong nose of blackberries, sweet plums, cooked cherries, oak, licorice, vanilla, spices, tobacco, chocolates and black pepper.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with black plums, cooked cherries, oak, chocolates, coffee, vanilla, licorice, sweet tobacco and spices.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very enjoyable red wine from israel. An interesting take on Portuguese wine. Feels very much like a new world red blend.

Nicely balanced and easy drinking, which makes it very dangerous.

Good right out of the bottle, and better with airtime. A good party wine and good by itself.

Grapes are grown in the Golan Heights region. A blend of Tinta Cao and Touriga Nacional. Kosher

14.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$45.

Psagot Winery The Land 2019, Israel

Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Full bodied and already showing nice complexity.

Dry on the palate with medium acidity.

Showing blackberries, black currants, plums, cherries, light oak, licorice, spices, dark chocolates, alcohol, coffee, peppercorn and earth.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and raspberries.

This interesting Cabernet blend from Israel is still young and would be better in a couple of years. Will continue to age nicely in the next 5 years.

Good right out of the bottle, and better with airtime.

Good by itself or with food.

Grapes are grown in the Jerusalem Mountain region. A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Petite Sirah, 14% Petit Verdot and 11% Cabernet Franc. Kosher and Mevushal.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$40.