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.

Castello di Amorosa Winery Pinot Grigio 2020 North Coast, california

Pale lemon in color with a green hue.

Fruity nose of citrus, lemons, apples, sweet grapefruits, light green vegetables, herbs and spices.

Medium-bodied with medium plus acidity. Nice and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with citrus, lemons, yellow apples, spices, light tropical fruits, white pepper and minerals.

Medium finish with limes and light grapefruits.

This is a very tasty Pinot Grigio from California. Easy drinking with nice balance.

Good by itself or with food, and will pair nicely with fresh green salads.

Tangy and fruit forward with a creamy mouthfeel.

A great party wine that I had by the pool with a great view.

13.7% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$26.

Clos du Val Wine Company Napa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, California

It’s time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a delicious one.

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim. Not showing age at all.

Fruity nose of blackberries, sweet cherries, cooked strawberries, spices, cedar, vanilla, licorice, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, light vegetables, pencil lead, peppercorn, leather and coffee.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, cedar, earth, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, mocha, coke, peppercorn, pencil lead and dark coffee.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel.

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

This 6 years old is still young, but already enjoyable. Will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 10 years.

This is from a great vintage and it is showing beautifully right now.

Nicely balanced and fruit forward.
Loved the nose once it opens up.

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

Robert Parker 90 points.

Thanks Elvira and David for sharing this with me.

Tasty and spicy. Delicious, rich and opulent.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. Aged in French oak barrels (66% new).

14.7% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$50.

Serres Ranch Winery Bordeaux Style Blend 2017, Sonoma Valley, California

Dark ruby in color, almost Inky, with a short reddish rim.

Very unique nose of black currants, black plums, red cherries, cranberries, spices, light oak, licorice, vanilla, green pepper, cardamom, dark coffee and tobacco.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, black plums, blueberries, light wood, earth, spices, tobacco leaf, chocolates and peppercorn.

Nice tangy finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very interesting Malbec blend from Sonoma. Fruit forward and elegant. Showing nice complexity and mouthfeel. Tangy, and a good food wine. Alcohol is nicely integrated, so watch yourself.

The nose is very interesting, which was a nice surprise, once it opened up. Better after 90 minutes in the decanter.

This 4 year old will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years. Would be nice to revisit it then.

I paired it with a fatty Brie cheese and crackers.

A blend of 46% Malbec, 30% Petit Verdot and 24% Cabernet Sauvignon. Grapes were aged separately for 3 years in French oak barrels.

14.8% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$65.

Krug Brut Champagne 1998, France

Golden in color, very pretty.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity and small bubbles.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity and mouthfeel.

Showing lots of yeast and bread notes with citrus, limes, green apples, Mediterranean spices, herbs, white pepper and minerals.

Tasting this aged vintage champagnes is always a great experience. I really liked the nose once it opened up.

Good right out of the bottle and better after 30 minutes of airtime, and I liked it better once it warmed up a bit.

Thank you John for sharing this with me.

Paired very well with the caviar and the charcuterie board.

12% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$450.

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.

Topel Winery Orsa Rosé of Pinot Noir 2020, Russian River Valley, California

Pale salmon in color.

Light nose of limes, grapefruits, earth, river rocks, raspberries, minerals and spices.

Light to medium in body with medium plus acidity. Crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with light strawberries, cranberries, limes, grapefruits, green apples, earth and bitter herbs.

Tangy finish with bitter almonds.

This is a nice and refreshing Rosé from Russian River Valley. Tangy and spicy.

Earthier than I expected, and feels like a Rosé from Southern France.

Easy drinking and good for the pool. Good by itself and better with food.

12.8% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$22.

Ghost Horse Vineyards Shadow Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Napa Valley, California

It’s time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from the great 2012 vintage.

Showing a strong and delicious nose.

Full bodied, smooth and elegant, with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate and very fruity with blackberries, coffee, chocolates, tobacco, licorice, vanilla, cedar, cola and black pepper.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up, and shows the complexity.

This 9 year old is very enjoyable now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 years.

Thank you Scott for sharing this with me.

Nicely balanced with a great mouthfeel. Rich, yet elegant. Fruit forward with nice complexity.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with a delicious Charcuterie board.

15.3% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$160 (current vintage).

Benhaim Family Winery Reserve Odysseia 2016, Mount Meron, Israel

It’s time for a delicious Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Pretty nose of blueberries, plums, cherries, light oak, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, earth, light vinaigrette, wet leaves and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, cedar, black currants, plums, tobacco, light vanilla, chocolates, coffee, black pepper and earth.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Merlot blend from Israel. Showing nice complexity with a soft mouthfeel. Elegant and fruity.

Spicy, soft and interesting. Already drinking very nicely, but still young. Would be nice to revisit it in 5 years. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

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

Showing a beautiful nose that I enjoyed smelling on for a while.

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

Wine Advocate gave it 89 points. Unfortunately since Robert Parker left they are really off.

A good quality wine that will pair nicely with BBQ Meats. I paired it with cheeses and crackers.

An interesting blend of 60% Merlot, with Cabernet Franc and Petite Sirah. Aged in French and American oak barrels for 24 months. A very small production of only 1,700 bottles. This is bottle number 1,269. Kosher.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$60.

Duckhorn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Napa Valley, California

It’s my 7,000th review on vivino, so here is a gorgeous Napa Cabernet to celebrate with.

Dark ruby color with a wide brick/ reddish rim.

Gorgeous nose of blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, figs, raisins, vanilla, cedar, earth, light vegetables, pencil lead, beef jerky, light vinaigrette, chocolates, coke, mocha, eucalyptus, dark coffee and black pepper.

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

Dry on the palate and extremely fruity with blackberries, sweet cherries, black currants, cedar, earth, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, mocha, coke, light vegetables, pencil lead and peppercorn.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 11 year old Napa Cabernet is peaking now. So yummy and delicious. Showing great complexity and a wonderful mouthfeel.

Good right out of the bottle, but way better after 2 hours of airtime. Needs 90 minutes to show the tannins.

This is a one that you can have all by itself, and talk about with friends. I loved the nose, and kept smelling on it for a long time.

A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot. Aged in French oak barrels for 26 months (95% new).

14.5% alcohol by volume.

98 points.

$100 (current vintage).