On 19 February, "El Al", the national airlines of Israel, held a tasting the goal of which was to select the wines that will be offered on their business and first class flights. The tasting was hosted and guided by the wine consultant firm of Jaffa based "Ish ha Anavim" ("The Wine Man"). Thanks to the courtesy of both El Al and Ish HaAnavim, I was invited to sit with the tasting panel even though it was made clear that my own notes would not be shared until I printed this article.

The wineries represented, all producing kosher wines within Israel (a requirement for a wine to be accepted by El Al) were the Golan Heights Winery, Carmel Mizrachi, Barkan, Binyamina, Tishbi, Dalton, Segal and Efrat, each of which had at least one representative on hand as an observer. The tasting was done blind, in 14 flights some consisting of five wines, others of as few as 2. Following are reviews of the wines I tasted, arranged in various categories and listed in descending order of the scores they received. As always, my scores are based on a maximum of 100 points. Wines that earn scores of 90 - 95 are exceptional in every way. Wines with scores of 85 - 89 are excellent and highly recommended; those with scores between 80 - 84 are recommended; wines earning 70 - 79 are average but at least somewhat faulted; and those earning under 70 points are not recommended. As will be seen at the end of this article my own choices of best wines in the tasting were not always in accord with the collective conclusions of the partly professional/partly not professional tasters on the panel.

Semi Dry White Wines

Golan Heights Winery, Gewurztraminer, 2000: Hints of lychees, apricots, cinnamon and honey come together in a wine that has a nice level of spiciness, good acids to keep it lively and a moderate level of dryness that makes the wine appropriate equally appropriate as an aperitif , with goose-liver dishes or with fruit-based desserts. Nicely balanced and with good concentration. Score 86.

Barkan, Emerald Riesling, 2000: With a lively light golden color, just fruity and lively enough and not overly sweet, this is a pleasant but not overly sophisticated half-dry white. Score 84.

Binyamina, Muscat, 1999: Light to medium bodied, with light honey, peaches and apricots aromas and fresh fruits in its flavors, this pleasant little semi-dry wine will probably be most appreciated as an aperitif. Score 84.

Binyamina, Emerald Riesling, Special Reserve, 1999: Light, not overly sweet and full of flowery and fruity aromas and flavors but without either depth or enough acidity to make it truly refreshing. A wine that will be popular with those who like their wines semi-dry and without too much sophistication. Score 81.

Segal, Emerald Riesling, Ben Ami, 1999: Appealing in its dark straw color but without much in the way of flavor, aroma, liveliness or charm. Score 80.

Efrat, Emerald Riesling, 1870 Series, 1999: Light, not to bright but with a somewhat bitter aftertaste that detracts somewhat. Score 80.

Carmel Mizrachi, Emerald Riesling, Private Collection, 2000: Bright and light in color, but so loaded with fruits that one might think that one was sipping a sweetened fruit cocktail and not a wine.
A wine for beginners. Score 78.

Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon-Chardonnay Blends

Dalton, Sauvignon Blanc, Reserve, 2000: Smooth, polished and refreshing, this well made white wine has just enough citrus, pear and earthy mineral flavors to make it appealing. Score 87.

Golan Heights Winery, Sauvignon Blanc, Yarden 1999: Ripe and aromatic, with a tendency towards oaky flavors but with good overlying pear, apple and melon flavors, all complimented by hints of spices. Well balanced. Drink now or in the next 2 - 3 years. Score 86+.

Carmel Mizrachi, Sauvignon Blanc, Private Collection, 2000: Broadly aromatic and with appealing citrus, pear and spicy flavors. Smooth, supple and with flavors that linger nicely. Score 86.

Carmel Mizrachi, Chardonnay-Sauvignon Blanc, Private Collection, 2000: Tight, tart and with lots of lemon and grapefruit aromas, but rounding out a bit on the finish with light buttery notes. Lively and appealing. Score 85.

Efrat, Sauvignon Blanc, 1870 Series, 1999: Soft and fruity, with strong hints of vanilla in its aromas
and flavors, this is a wine probably best described as pleasant but not special. Score 84.

Segal, Ben Ami, Sauvignon Blanc, 1999: Crisp and refreshing, with grapefruit, green apple and a hint of nectarines, this is a simple but crisply refreshing and tasty wine. Score 84.

Barkan, Sauvignon Blanc, Reserve 2000: Light in color and body but fruity and appealing, with pear and a few herbal flavors that linger comfortably. Score 83.

Tishbi, Sauvignon Blanc, Tishbi Estate, 1999: Crisp and dry but a bit too austere with only modest floral and apple flavors that fade too quickly in the glass. Score 82.

Binyamina, Sauvignon Blanc, Special Reserve, 1999: A pleasant, straightforward wine, with lime and orange flavors and flowery aromas, and somewhat sweet flavors that linger at the finish, but without the grassiness or depth that typifies more exciting wines from this varietal. Score 82.

Segal, Sauvignon- Chardonnay, Premier, 1999: Crisp and refreshing but a bit lean and simple in its apple and herbal flavors. Score 81.

Chardonnay

Golan Heights Winery, Chardonnay, Katzrin, 1998: Generous, round and beautifully proportioned this buttery full bodied wine has an abundance of spicy pear and apple flavors on a frame of rich oak. Rich and complex, picking up hints of minerals and earthiness, this is wine that can be tried now or stored for five, six or more years. NIS 75. Score 91. (*)

Dalton, Chardonnay, Reserve, 1999: Packed with aromas and flavors of pears, hazelnuts and melon and with just enough vanilla that comes from the wine having spent 9 months in oak barrels, this smooth and polished wine has just enough natural acidity to make it lively. As the flavors linger on the palate look for the hint of honey that develops in this attractive medum-bodied wine. Score 88.

Golan Heights Winery, Chardonnay, Yarden, 1999: Subtle and delicious, this deep golden colored wine has lovely spice and butterscotch aromas, all on a solid core of apple, quince and pear flavors.
Well balanced and bordering on elegance the wine can be opened now or in the next 3 - 4 years.
Score 89+.

Barkan, Chardonnay, Reserve, 1999: Bright and lively, but a bit on the simple side, with floral notes and ripe pear and apple flavors. Light on the palate and pleasant to drink now or in the next year or so. Score 85+.

Tishbi, Chardonnay, Tisbhi Estate, 1999: Very lightly oaked, this well crafted wine has apple, pear and hazelnut aromas and flavors and just enough flinfty-mineral feeling to hint of the wines of Chablis. Charming and meant for young drinking. Score 85.

Binyamina, Charonnay, Special Reserve 1999: With hints of green apples, citrus fruits and pears, this fresh and lightly spicy wine has a sharp, clean finish. Pleasant but lacking the harmony or depth that would earn it a higher score. Score 84.

Carmel Mizrachi, Chardonnay, Private Collection, 1999: Light, refreshing, with hints of lemon and mandarin oranges. Simple but pleasant and meant for early drinking. Score 84.

Merlot

Golan Heights Winery, Merlot, Yarden, 1998: Ripe, complex and bold, delicious and elegant, with tiers of rich plum, currant and blackberry flavors and aromas, smooth tannins and a deep aftertaste that lingers nicely on the palate. A blend of 85% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon that was aged in small oak barrels for 14 months, the wine can be approached now but will store nicely for at least 6 - 8 years longer. Worth buying a case or more to watch the development of the wine over the years. Score 91.

Tishbi Merlot, Special Reserve, 1998: I was favorably impressed at an advance tasting of this wine more than a year ago, and continue to be impressed. Smooth, supple and harmonious, with bright cherry, wild berry and currant flavors and aromas and nice toasty flavors, this is a nicely focused wine.
Drink now or in the next 3 - 4 years. Score 89.

Tishbi, Merlot, Tishbi Estate, 1999: Deep in color, this lean trim wine has a nice vanilla edge that overlays nice berry, herb and currant flavors. Plenty of tannins and good balance. Drink now or in the next 2 - 3 years. Score 87.

Barkan, Merlot Reserved, 1998: Ripe, polished and distinctly fruity, with lots of wild berry, raspberry herbal and chocolate flavors, this delicious wine is ready to drink now but will be at its best in another year or so. Score 87.

Carmel Mizrachi, Merlot, Private Collection, 1999: Firm and tannic, but with plenty of cherry, herb and oak flavors that come through on the palate to add interest and pleasure. Drink now or in the next year or two. Score 86.

Carmel Mizrachi, Merlot, Private Collection, No. 1, Ramat Arad, 1998: More tannic and with more of an astringent sharpness than one usually expects from a wine made entirely from Merlot grapes. Despite that, a pleasant medium bodied wine with herb and wild berry flavors and appealing mineral accents. Drink now or in the next year or two. Score 85.

Binyamina, Merlot, Special Reserve, 1997: A wine that showed great promise when it was young, but the blueberry, currant, black peppers and toast flavors that I felt earlier are already fading. Still pleasant but best to drink now before the wine starts to go downhill. Score 84.

Ephrat, Merlot, Premier, 1999: Light, crisp and firm, with some spice, currant and earthy notes overlying somewhat stingy fruit aromas and flavors. Lacking complexity the wine is fully ready for drinking now. Score 84.

Segal, Merlot, Ben Ami, 1999: Cherry red in color, this medium bodied wine has licorice and dill aromas that turn a bit weedy on the palate. Score 82.

Ephrat, Merlot, 1870 Series, 1998: Even though this wine spent one year in new French oak casks, it remains simple, not quite ripe and not well balanced enough to give the promise of ripening in the future. Moderately tart berry and leathery flavors fail to come together for interesting drinking.
Score 79.

Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot Blends

Carmel Mizrachi, Cabernet-Merlot, Private Collection, 1999: Earthy, lean and tight, with currant and cherry notes that struggle, not fully successfully, to break through. Plenty of oak on the finish
Score 85.

Segal, Batzir Adom, 1998: A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that never quite fits together.
Herbs, pepper and modest currant and berry notes are all there, but somehow the wine finishes rather
dlat on the palate. Score 82.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Golan Heights Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon, Yarden, 1997: Supple, rich and complex, this harmonious young wine has layers of ripe cherry, black currants plum, and spicy oak flavors. Smooth tannins make the wine drinkable and appealing now and even though it may not be meant for really long-term storage it will be even better with short-term cellaring and should be at its best in about three more years. Score 91+.

Tishbi, Jonathan Tishbi Special Reserve 1998: Full bodied (which surprises from this winery), and brimming with cassis, plum and berry flavors and aromas, all with light spicy overtones. Well balanced and with tannins that are smoothing out nicely to reveal flavors of oak, chocolate and even a hint of anise. Score 90.

Dalton, Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserved, 1998: Young and tight, this medium to full bodied wine opens to reveal ripe black cherry and currant flavors. Well focused and with smooth tannins and good balance the wine is drinkable now but should store nicely for another 2 - 3 years. Score 87+.

Binyamina, Cabernet Sauvignon, Special Reserve, 1998: Smooth and flavorful, with appealing smoky notes and just enough cherry and currant flavors. An appealing wine, one of Binyamina's best efforts to date. Score 86+.

Barkan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve, 1997: A wine that has opened very nicely since my first tasting.
Medium bodied and moderately tannic, with plenty of black currant, plum and herbal aromas and flavors, the wine is ready for drinking now or in the next year or two. Score 85.

Tishbi, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tishbi Estate, 1999: Soft, supple and smooth, with herb, currant, cedar and fruit flavors that come together nicely. Soft tannins predominate and make the wine approachable now or in the next year or two. Score 85.

Carmel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Private Collection 1999: Ripe and with good firm tannins and a solid core of black cherry and cedary oak flavors. Drinkable now. Score 85.
Segal, Ben Ami Red, 1999: A medium bodied Cabernet with anice smoky, toasty character that comes together with plummy, almost prunelike flavors. Not complex but enjoyable. Drink now. Score 84.

Ephrat, Cabernet Sauvignon, 1870 Series, 1998: Aged in 4 - 5 year old oak casks for 16 months and then blended with about 10% of Merlot to soften and round it out, the wine is pleasant enough, with ripe plum, currant and cherry flavors. Drink now or in the next year or two. Score 84.

Carmel Mizrachi, Cabernet Sauvignon, Ramat Arad, No 1, 1998: Dark in color and with firm tannins but light in flavor with only a few plum and berry notes barely managing to make themselves felt. Drink now or in the next year or two. Score 84.

Binyamina, Cabernet Sauvignon, Special Reserve 1997: A bit light and cooked in flavor, but finishing with a nice spicy touch. Lacking intensity but easy to drink. Score 84.

The Choices of the Panel

© Daniel Rogov