The number of vineyards and the amount of grapes available for making wine within Israel have increased in recent years by more than 20%. Wineries, large and small are expanding their output in some cases by up to 30% annually, and the number of wines now being imported exceeds one million bottles monthly. Here, as in Europe, North and South America and Australia and New Zealand, a glut of wines is making its way to market and many are beginning to wonder just who is going to drink all of that wine. Despite these fears, optimism reigns supreme and four new local wineries have just opened, each is hoping to woo the palate and pocketbooks of potential consumers. Each of the new wineries boasts state of the art equipment and technology as well as large supply of new French and American oak barrels. Three have winemakers who trained and worked abroad and each is hoping to have a major export capability and one can expect to find their wines appearing not only in Israel but in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

Located in Emek Hefer, the new Recanati Wineries is owned in part by Lenny Recanati and Dr. Shlomi Ben-Ari and has American born and University of California at Davis trained Lewis Pasco as their winemaker. The first wines, 170,000 bottles of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot of Recanati are now making their way to market and another 130,000 bottles, mostly of red wines have been set aside for further aging in oak barrels before final blending and release in a Reserve Series in 2002 -2003. The goal of the winery is to produce one million bottles annually by 2005.

Equally new and with the potential for producing a million and a half bottles of wine annually is the Galil Mountain Winery. With vineyards located in the Upper Galilee, this winery is a joint venture between the Golan Heights Winery and Kibbutz Yiron. Even though the five vineyards are now in full production, the winery itself has yet to be built and the wines, made by winemaker Gaby Sadan, who trained at the Viticulture and Winemaking School in Bordeaux and the University of Dijon in Burgundy, are currently being made at the Golan Heights Winery in Katzrin. Three hundred thousand bottles of wine, have just been released from the 2000 harvest. It does not take a great deal of perspicacity to realize that here too the releases are of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

The next largest effort is that of the medium sized Cfar Tabor Wineries. Located in the lower Galilee, and set in a charm-laded complex that houses the hyper-modern winery, a visitor's center, a restaurant and a store, whose current potential production stands at about 100,000 bottles of wine annually. The first releases, an Emerald Riesling, a blend called "Tabor Adom", and of course a Chardonnay, a Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon are now making their way to market. Although the winery has no full-time winemaker, they rely on the consulting services of Amram Sorosky, the senior winemaker at Binyamina winery.

As revealed by pre-release barrel-tastings and a tasting of the few wines that have already been bottled, the most exciting venture, which is the smallest of the four and a true boutique winery, is that of Amphorae Vineyard. Owned by a consortium of largely American investors, the winery has given complete freedom to talented University of California trained winemaker Gil Shatsberg who, in gaining valuable experience at the Jordan Winery in California also previously worked for local wine giant Carmel Mizrachi.

Following are notes on each of the wines now being released by these wineries. As always, wines that earn scores of 90 - 95 are exceptional in every way and those with scores of 85 - 89 are excellent and highly recommended. Those with scores between 80 - 84 are recommended but without enthusiasm and those earning 70- 79 are average but at least somewhat faulted. Wines noted with an asterisk (*) are those I consider good value for money. (Note: Prices are given in Israeli shekels. The current exchange rate is about $US 1.00 = NIS 4.25).

Amphorae, Chardonnay, 2000:Lively, deep and well rounded, with plenty of rich and concentrated grapefruit, pear and fig flavors. Smooth, ripe and complex, with nice feeling of toast oak and spices this is a delicious wine from start to finish. Drink now or in the next 3 - 4 years. NIS 80. Score 91. (*)

Recanati, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2000: Fermented together with the grape skins and then aged in new oak for about eight months, this medium- to full-bodied wine has attractive cherry, currant and plum flavors. Perhaps lacking a bit in concentration but with overall good balance and flavors that linger nicely, the wine is definitely worth trying. About NIS 55. Score 88 (*)

Recanati, Merlot, 2000: A charming Merlot, ripe and generous in flavors, this stylish wine has plenty of blackberry, currant and spice flavors that come together harmoniously. Drink now or in the next 2 - 3 years. About NIS 55. Score 88. (*)

Recanati, Chardonnay, 2000: After fermentation and nine months sur lie in new French oak barrels, this medium to full bodied Chardonnay has generous citrus and tropical fruit aromas and flavors, an appealing overlay of vanilla and just the right hints of spices to add a special zing. With flavors that linger nicely, the wine is ready for drinking now but will store nicely for 1 - 2 years.
About NIS 55. Score 87. (*)

Galil Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2000: Medium to full bodied, this smooth, ripe and fruity wine has lots of wild berry, plum and currant flavors. Well balanced and with soft tannins, the wine has both style and grace. Drink now or in the next 2 - 3 years. About NIS 39. Score 87 (*)

Galil Mountain, Merlot, 2000: A stylish, medium bodied Merlot, generous in its flavors of berries, with light overtones of Mediterranean herbs and light vanilla flavors, all with bare hints of tobacco and coffee, this well crafted wine can be approached now or stored for another 2 - 3 years. About NIS 39. Score 86. (*)

Galil Mountain, Chardonnay, 2000: Crisp, with lemon, grapefruit and passion flower aromas and flavors, and with just a hint of the oak barrels in which it was aged for a short white, this near-elegant wine offers a generous mouthful of flavors that linger nicely on the palate. Fully ready to drink. About
NIS 34. Score 86. (*)

Kfar Tabor, Chardonnay, Galil Reserved, 2000: After being aged sur lie, that is to say, on its yeasts and sediments, for 7 months in new French and American oak barrels, this is a soft and pleasant but not exceptional wine, with pretty pear, vanilla and citrus flavors. A bit on the light side and fully ready for drinking now. Like all of the wines released, this one comes with a label that while attractive because it contains the reproduction of an old photograph is almost impossible to read. NIS 59. Score 85.

Kfar Tabor, Merlot, Galil Reserved, 1999: Light and silky, with modest berry, cherry and currant flavors and a hint of herbs at the finish. Drink now. NIS 69. Score 84.

Kfar Tabor, Cabernet Sauvignon, Galil Reserved, 1999: Medium bodied and only moderately tannic. Modest currant, oak and spice flavors and what may be too much vanilla from having spent 18 months in new oak barrels, this is a somewhat awkward mix of oak, tannin and fruits. NIS 79. Score 84.

Kfar Tabor, Tavor Adom, 2000: A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot that spent seven months in new French and American oak, this young, medium bodied, barely tannic and highly fruity wine is meant for early drinking, perhaps at its best lightly chilled. NIS 44. Score 83.

Kfar Tabor, Emerald Riesling, 2000: Why a winery striving to make an upswing name for itself would produce a not-at-all sophisticated, half-dry Emerald Riesling, eludes me completely. Not overly sweet, with plenty of natural acids to make it refreshing, but with no special charm. NIS 39. Score 78.

© Daniel Rogov