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Yarden Malbec 2014

Yarden Malbec 2014

A well-crafted example of an Israeli Malbec, Yarden’s 2014 vintage is generously imbued with aromas of plums, mulberries, star anise, vanilla, and dried herbs. There’s ample, mouth-filling black fruit on entry, couched in ripe, chewy tannins. It’s a wine that will continue to improve over the next five to eight years. 14.0% ABV | Sample Golan Heights […]

Jezreel Valley Winery Rosé 2017

Jezreel Valley Winery Rosé 2017

Translucent crimson in the glass, the 2017Jezreel Rosé is a Kosher wine and an unusual blend of 45% Carignan, 40% Syrah and 15% Sauvignon Blanc from Israel’s Sharon plain, where vines benefit from the moderating effect of the Mediterranean Sea. Vibrant red cherries, raspberry, grilled watermelon, and dried thyme tumble from the glass. A firm […]

Golan Heights Winery Gilgal Sangiovese 2014

Golan Heights Winery Gilgal Sangiovese 2014

Don’t be afraid to dip your toes into the pond of a region you aren’t familiar with, and a variety that seems slightly out of place. Golan Heights Winery Gilgal Sangiovese is triumphant in its spot-on profile of fleshy plum and black cherry, incense and sandalwood aromas, followed by a touch of exotic spice. It’s […]

Golan Heights Winery Mount Hermon White 2016

Golan Heights Winery Mount Hermon White 2016

Breezy notes of orange blossom, white peach, and Opal apples. It’s crisp and fresh on the palate, with a burst of lemon-tinged acidity that promises springtime as it gracefully unwinds to a leisurely finish. Lots of drinking pleasure in this modestly-priced white blend of Muscat Canelli, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier from Galilee. 13.5% ABV | […]

Galil Mountain Winery Upper Galilee Sauvignon Blanc 2015

Galil Mountain Sauvignon Blanc 2015

Continuing my tour through Galil Mountain’s current releases, this lean and linear Sauvignon Blanc from Upper Galillee offers up a bouquet of lemon blossom, d’Anjou pear, and green apple. On the palate, an arching acid spine of pure white grapefruit, lemon pith, cress, and limestone. 13.5% ABV | Sample Galil Mountain Winery 8.9 Points

Galil Mountain Winery Upper Galilee Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Galil Mountain Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

An excellent value from Galil Mountain Winery—on opening, the 2016 Upper Galilee Cabernet Sauvignon expresses layered, dulcet tones of cassis, black currants, blackberries, vanilla, sandalwood, and sweet tobacco. On the palate, it’s more linear than the nose belies, furnished in fine tannins and enlivened by burst of acidity that wends its way through a black-fruited […]

Golan Heights Winery Yarden Blanc de Blancs 2009

Golan Heights Winery Yarden Blanc de Blancs 2009

Another jewel from Golan Heights Winery—the 2009 Yarden Blanc de Blancs is made from 100% Chardonnay sourced from the Galil (Galilee) appellation, Israel’s coolest viticultural area. Aged five years en tirage, the 2009 boasts an orchard fruit and citrus mélange of yellow skinned apples, poached pear, pineapple cake, clover honey, and a kiss of brioche. […]

Yarden Golan Heights Winery Odem Organic Vineyard Chardonnay 2014

Yarden Odem Organic Vineyard Chardonnay 2014

Lemon Yellow in the glass and medium-bodied without perceptible heaviness. There’s an air of restraint to this Israeli Chardonnay from Golan Heights Winery—yellow apple skin, white peach, poached pear, lemon tart, and a nuanced whiff of white flowers and toast. In the mouth, it’s focused—a textbook Chardonnay profile, and really nicely done. Perched acidity hits […]

Galil Mountain Winery Yiron Upper Galilee Viognier 2014

Galil Mountain Winery Yiron Upper Galilee Viognier 2014

A lighter, leaner style of Viognier than I might have expected from Galil Mountain Winery. Truth, be told, this is my first Israeli Viognier, so I had no idea what to expect. Exceedingly pretty aromatics of pear skin, toasted almond, and a top note akin to my mother’s favorite perfume, something like honeysuckle. On the […]

Galil Mountain Winery Yiron Galilee Dry Red 2012

Galil Mountain Winery Yiron Galilee Dry Red 2012

My first wine from the Galilee appellation in Israel. It’s a mountainous, stony terrain, but for all the stress I imagine vines go through in this formidable environment, Galil Mountain’s 2012 Bordeaux-style blend is stunningly pure, with almost pillowy-plush aromas of black currants, blackberries, violets, spice box and anise. Aged 16 months in French oak, […]

CHRISTINE HAVENS
McMinnville, OR

christine@christine-havens.com