Winemaker Notes
Covenant Israel Syrah 2017 is sourced from the same vineyard as the 2016 vintage – Tel Faris, in the Golan Heights. Like every one of their Covenant wines, this one is fermented with native yeast, which they feel promotes added complexity and best highlights the natural terroir of the region. It is big, bold and packed with black fruit and spice flavors. The tannins are soft and silky, making the wine very accessible early on. But it will age too.
Blend: 90% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2017 Covenant Israel Syrah offers excellent density on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine sends black fruit, anise, and tar onto the palate. Enjoy it with a juicy, well-marbled, high-grade ribeye. (Tasted: July 16, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
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.