Winemaker Notes
Elegant with an aroma of blackcurrant, cassis, exotic spices with a hint of eucalyptus.
Pair with roast lamb and aged hard cheeses.
This wine is Kosher for Passover
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Limited Edition is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Petit Verdot and just 5% Malbec, aged for 16 months in French oak (50% new). It comes in at 13.5% alcohol. A VERY different wine than the Yatir Forest and the high-end label produced by Carmel's sister winery, this is leaner, crisper, fresher and greener. Also showing more slate, earth and lead, it is far more old-school Bordeaux than it is Napa. I rather liked it, but for those with some preconceptions on how Israeli wines must show (big, fat, sweet and very ripe), this may require just a little palate adjustment. The structure is far better than the fruit. I do hold out some hope that with age it will come together and be even more interesting than it is now. The freshness should certainly help preserve it.
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Wine Enthusiast
Dark purple in the glass, this wine has a clean nose of ripe summer cherry. It is easy on entry with slowly building tannins and flavors of woodland fruits: lingonberry, black pepper and eucalyptus. As the tannins crescendo they are ever-so-slightly stiff, but are soon overtaken by a burst of acidity that is punctuated by pleasing notes of juniper berry and iodine.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
With a rich history of wine production dating back to biblical times, Israel is a part of the cradle of wine civilization. Here, wine was commonly used for religious ceremonies as well as for general consumption. During Roman times, it was a popular export, but during Islamic rule around 1300, production was virtually extinguished. The modern era of Israeli winemaking began in the late 19th century with help from Bordeaux’s Rothschild family. Accordingly, most grapes grown in Israel today are made from native French varieties. Indigenous varieties are all but extinct, though oenologists have made recent attempts to rediscover ancient varieties such as Marawi for commercial wine production.
In Israel’s Mediterranean climate, humidity and drought can be problematic, concentrating much of the country’s grape growing in the north near Galilee, Samaria near the coast and at higher elevations in the east. The most successful red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah, while the best whites are made from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Many, though by no means all, Israeli wines are certified Kosher.