Yatir Winery Yatir Creek 2016 Judean Hills, Israel

A pretty color of dark ruby with a nice reddish rim.

Stinky nose of black currants, blueberries, barnyard, vanilla, oak cloves, spices, earth, wet leaves, black pepper, black tea, dark coffee, pencil lead, vegetables and bitter herbs.

Full bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, bell pepper, oak, licorice, cloves, earth, vegetables, vanilla, spices, coffee, herbs, tobacco leaf and black pepper.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a very nice Syrah blend from Israel. Feels like a good quality Chilean Red Blend.

I let it open up for 3 hours, and the stinky nose was still there. As it opens up it becomes tastier, so be patient.

Still young and needs 3 to 5 years in the bottle to mature properly.

An interesting wine to drink and talk about. If you are familiar with their Yatir Forest, this is its baby brother. This has the potential to get to 92+ points in 5 to 7 years.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with Brie cheese and crackers.

A blend of 76% Syrah, 12% Tannant and 12% Malbec. A very unique blend from this area. Aged for 12 months in oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$50.

Vitkin Winery Old Vines Carignan 2016, Israel

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose with blackberries, black currants, cherries, vegetables, oak, bell peppers, cloves, pencil lead, black pepper, earth and dark chocolates.

Full bodied with medium plus acidity and nice legs.

Dry on the palate with black cherries, blueberries, currants, oak, vanilla, cloves, tobacco, vegetables, bitter herbs, peppercorn, spices, green olives and bell pepper.

Medium plus on the finish with soft tannins and tangy pomegranates.

This is an interesting red wine from Israel. Showing a nice mouthfeel with mild complexity. A good food wine, too. Showing plenty of fruits with lots of earth notes as well.

Needs a couple of hours to open up property and remove some of the acidity. I let it open up for 3 hours. Worth waiting for it. Tangy and interesting.

Still young and will be better in the next 3 to 5 years, but already drinking nicely.

I paired it with cheeses and crackers.

100% Old Vines Carignan grapes. Aged in French oak barrels for 16 months. Unfiltered and unfined. Kosher. Not Mevushal.

13% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$29.

Or Haganuz Winery Amuka Blanc 2018, Israel

Pale lemon in color with a light yellow tint.

Strong nose of limes, gooseberries, citrus, green apples, tropical fruits, bananas and grapefruits.

Light in body with medium-plus acidity.

Dry and tangy on the palate with limes, grapefruits, green apples, light vegetables and white pepper.

Nice length on the finish with grapefruits and spices.

These Sauvignon Blanc blend from Israel reminds me of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Nicely balanced with nice complexity and a nice mouthfeel.

A good quality wine. Crisp and refreshing with enough acidity to pair with lemony fish dishes.

Needs 15 minutes to open up properly and show some complexity.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with a cheese plate and crackers.

A blend of 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Chardonnay. Grapes are grown on Mount Meron at 2,500 feet elevation. Kosher and Mevushal.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$22.

Netofa Winery Tel Qasser White 2017, Israel

Nice golden in color.

Light nose with green apples, ripen citrus fruits, pears and red apples.

Full bodied and smooth with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with citrus, lemons, apples, pineapples, light honey, grapefruits and spices.

Long finish with black pepper and bitter almonds.

This is a very nice Rhône style white wine from Israel. Showing nice complexity. A unique wine. Easy drinking with a gentle mouthfeel.

A good quality wine and very Refreshing.

I paired it with cheeses and light appetizers.

100% Roussanne grapes are grown in the Galilee region. Aged for 10 months in French oak barrels. Kosher. Not Mevushal.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$32.

Netofa Winery Latour White 2017 Galilee, Israel

Light golden in color with a yellow tint.

Very light on the nose with light citrus, lemons, red apples, spices and honey.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with limes, grapefruits, citrus, green apples, light wood, bitter herbs, vegetables, spices and white pepper.

Spicy and tangy finish with bitter herbs.

This is a good quality Chenin Blanc from Israel. Showing nice complexity with a fuller mouthfeel than i excepted.

Much earthier than expected, too. Feels like a mix of new and old world wine. Very interesting. Might even have very soft tannins on the finish, which is unique.

Will get better with more time in the bottle. Would be interesting to check it out again in 3 years.

A nice white to drink by itself and talk about. Better when not too cold. Elegant and spicy.

I paired it with a soft Brie cheese and roasted almonds.

100% Chenin Blanc grapes grown in the Galilee region. Aged for 10 months in French Oak barrels. Kosher. Not Mevushal.

13% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$30.

Tabor Winery Adama Sauvignon Blanc 2018, Galilee, Israel

Pale lemon in color with a green hue.

Pretty nose with limes, citrus, gooseberry, grapefruits, tropical fruits, banana, pineapple, kiwi, spices, minerals and white pepper.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity, crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with limes, grapefruits, citrus, green apples and white pepper.

Nice tangy finish with limes and bitter almonds.

This is a nice Sauvignon Blanc from Israel. I really enjoyed the nose, which had nice complexity. Refreshing, and a good summer wine.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with cheeses and crackers.

Kosher. Not Mevushal.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

87 Points.

$20.

Carmel Winery Kayoumi Vineyard Riesling 2017 Upper Galilee, Israel

A pretty and light golden in color.

Fruity nose with citrus, grapefruits, yellow apples, diesel, minerals and spices.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity, crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with lemons, green apples, pears, vegetables, spices, sea salt, green herbs, white pepper and minerals.

Medium finish with tangy limes and bitter vegetables.

This is a very nice dry Riesling from Israel. Showing mild complexity with a nice crisp mouthfeel.

This Single Vineyard is good by itself or with food. Fruity on the nose and earthier on the palate. Nice and interesting. A good quality wine. Crisp and refreshing.

This is one to put in the cellar for a while. Has the potential to age nicely in the next 5 years and get more complex.

This is my first dry Riesling from this region. I’ve had off-dry and semi-sweet ones before, and this is a nice surprise.

I drank it in a beautiful Le Deux glass, light and airy, tall and skinny.

Grapes are grown at 2500 feet elevation in the Upper Galilee. Matured in stainless steel vats. Kosher. Not Mevushal.

12% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$25.