Tabor Winery 1/11.000 Limited Edition Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Israel

This is a very young Cabernet Sauvignon from Israel.

Full bodied and elegant with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with a nice mouthfeel.

Showing black fruits with tobacco, oak, light vanilla, spices, diet cola, black pepper, dark chocolates, bitter herbs, light vegetables and dark coffee.

Nice finish with round tannins, cherries and black pepper.

Good right out of the bottle, and better with some air time (2 hours).

Needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly, but already showing nice complexity. Will be nice to revisit it in 5 years.

Paired very nicely with BBQ Meats.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were grown at 2,100 feet of elevation. Aged in New French oak barrels for 18 months. A small production of only 11,000 bottles. Kosher and Mevushal.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$45.

Psagot Winery Edom M-Series 2017, Israel

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

On the nose black plums, currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, spices, light alcohol and peppercorn.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, cloves, light vanilla, tobacco, coffee and peppercorn.

Nice length on the finish with soft tannins and spices.

This is a very enjoyable Merlot based Bordeaux blend from Israel. Nicely balanced with a nice smooth mouthfeel.

This 5 year old is peaking now, and needs 90 minutes to open up properly, so be patient.

Fruit forward with nice complexity and mouthfeel. Good by itself or with food.

I paired it with cheeses and crackers.

A blend of 45% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Petit Verdot. Kosher and Mevushal.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$40.

Mia Luce Winery Syrah and Stems 2019, Israel

Dark purple in color with a wide purplish rim.

On the nose cherries, black plums, barnyard, oak, spices, licorice, violets, espresso, vegetables, herbs, earth, wet leaves and black pepper. Nice complexity on the nose.

Full bodied with medium acidity and smooth.

Dry on the palate with currants, black cherries, plums, earth, oak, vegetables, black pepper, tobacco leaf, spices, coffee, wet leaves, herbs and earth.

Medium length on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very interesting Syrah from Israel. Showing a great smooth mouthfeel and very aromatic.

Still very young and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. A good quality wine with good potential for aging. Would be nice to revisit it in 5 years.

Feels very much like a young Northern Rhone. A little stinky as well, which is nice to see.

Needs a couple of hours to open up properly, so be patient.

100% Syrah grapes were fermented on the stems and aged for 11 months in French oak barrels. Kosher and unfiltered.

13% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$62.

Benhaim Family Winery Tradition Merlot 2003, Israel

It is time for a delicious Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

A beautiful color of ruby /brick with a wide brick rim.

Complex nose of earth, light oak, spices, wet leaves, cherries, currants, light plums, coffee, chocolates, tobacco and black pepper. Smells like you walk into a cave.

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

Dry on the palate with cooked cherries, raspberries, black plums, oak, spices, tobacco leaf, chocolates, coffee, peppercorn, earth, black tea, wet leaves and herbs.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Merlot from Israel. Drinking beautifully right out of the bottle. Showing great complexity and a wonderful mouthfeel.

Good right out of the bottle and better with airtime. Changes every 15 minutes in the glass. Tannins tame a bit after 45 minutes of airtime.

Feels like a 25 year old Bordeaux. Delicious. Tasty and elegant. Really enjoyable and very unique.

This 19 year old is so rare, that there are only a handful left in private cellars. It’s an honor to be able to try it at this point.

I paired it with cheeses and green olives.

100% Merlot grapes were aged for 14 months in French and American oak barrels. Kosher and not Mevushal.

13.2% alcohol by volume.

95 points.

Ghito Winery Adom Red 2018, Israel

Ruby in color with medium-plus intensity and a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose of bing cherries, raspberries, red currants, light oak, light spices, licorice, black pepper, vegetables, tobacco leaf, beef jerky, herbs and earth.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with over ripen cherries, plums, earth, tobacco, light wood, spices, vegetables, bitter herbs, light vinaigrette, dark chocolates and black pepper.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This red blend from Israel is tasty and interesting. Showing nice complexity with a soft mouthfeel.

Smells like a new world Pinot Noir, but that doesn’t show up on the palate.

Good by itself or with food. Spicy and entertaining. Good right out of the bottle and easy drinking. Tannins show up after an hour of airtime.

Feels like a fruit forward Spanish red. Interesting stuff.

A good food wine that I paired with cheeses and crackers.

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.

Shiloh Winery Shor Barbera 2011, Israel

A pretty color of ruby with a wide brick rim.

Fruity nose of blueberries, currants, plums, licorice, light earth, eucalyptus, herbs, light vegetables, black pepper, spices, tobacco leaf and dark coffee.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with plums, sweet cherries, oak, light vanilla, spices, dark chocolates, coffee and black pepper.

Tangy long finish with fine tannins and tangy cranberries.

This is a delicious and unique red wine from Israel. Tasty and elegant. Fruity, tangy and interesting with nice complexity.

Good right out of the bottle, and better with some airtime (1 hour).

Tasty and good by itself or with food. I paired it with a few meat dishes. Delicious with the lamb.

100% Barbera grapes were aged in French and American oak barrels for 16 months. Kosher.

14.3% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$38 (current vintage).

Psagot Winery M Series Sinai 2018, Israel

Purplish in color.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Showing black fruits with oak, licorice, spices, dark chocolates, vanilla and peppercorn.

Dry on the palate with nice balance.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins.

This is a nice and fruit forward red blend from Israel.

Good right out of the bottle and didn’t change much with air. Tangy and spicy.

Still young and would be nice to revisit it in a couple of years.

Not complex, but nice enough for a weekday evening. The Shiraz feels very dominant here.

A blend of 36% Shiraz, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. Kosher and Mevushal.

14% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$18.

Golan Heights Winery Yarden Merlot 2017, Israel

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

This 4 year old Israeli Merlot is still young, but already enjoyable.

Full bodied with medium plus acidity. Dry on the palate and fruit forward.

Showing black plums, cooked cherries, cedar, vanilla, espresso, alcohol, spices, dark chocolates, peppercorn and tobacco.

Medium finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

Needs a couple of hours to open up properly, so be patient.

I’ve had this Merlot a few times before, and this vintage is my least favorite. A little disappointing, but might just be in its dumb phase.

Rich and spicy. Tangy and interesting. A little hot at this point, and will calm down in a few years.

Good by itself once it opens up, and good with food. I paired it with BBQ Meats.

Aged for 18 months in oak barrels (40% new). Kosher. Not Mevushal.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$33.

Shiloh Winery Secret Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Israel

#kosherwineSunday

Dark purple in color with a wide reddish rim.

Fruity on the nose with black currants, black plums, earth, oak, tobacco leaf, dark chocolates, cloves, green pepper, licorice, herbs, spices and black pepper.

Full bodied with medium acidity and nice legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, spices, earth, vanilla, eucalyptus, green pepper, licorice, tobacco, chocolates, bitter herbs and peppercorn.

Medium finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Israel is very tasty, although still young.

Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Feels like a fruit forward Right Bank Bordeaux.

Needs a couple of hours to open up properly and show itself, but good right out of the bottle too, and gets earthier as it opens up.

Would benefit from 3 years of bottle time, but already delicious.

I paired it with cheeses, nuts and dried fruits.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. Unfiltered, Kosher and Mevushal.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$50.

Galil Mountain Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Israel

Dark ruby in color with a short brick rim.

Strong nose of blackberries, black currants, cooked cherries, oak, spices, alcohol, black pepper, earth, tobacco and chocolates.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with black plums, cooked cherries, blackberries, Mediterranean spices, chocolates, tobacco leaf and peppercorn.

Nice tangy finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.

This is a very tasty Cabernet Sauvignon from Israel. Nicely balanced with a soft mouthfeel. Spicy and tangy. Nice to see that it is still drinking so nicely at this point.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 30 minutes of airtime. Green notes show up after 90 minutes of airtime.

Good by itself as a sipping wine. Rich and fruit forward.

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were grown in the Upper Galilee region. Kosher and not Mevushal.

15% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$16.