Winemaker Notes
Best served with entrecote steak, roast beef, forest mushroom risotto, rich gravy roasts and piquant cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2007 CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE is pretty much on par with the '06. It opens with oak and a streak of herbaceousness, as did the '06, but it develops beautifully in the glass, the sweet fruit and oak overtaking the streak of green. It adds a layer of depth to the Merlot Reserve, but remains graceful and elegant in the mid-palate, a wine that is easy to drink and quite tasty. It became tastier with air. It will perform best in the short to mid-term, and I thought the tannins resolved a bit faster here than on the '06. Drink now-2017.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
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.