Not too long ago I suggested to Barry Saslove, the owner and winemaker of Saslove Winery, that the time had come to do a vertical tasting of his wines. On the evening of December 13th I accepted an invitation to Saslove's home and there, among friends and colleagues, tasted ten of his wines. The following day, ensconced comfortably in my own tasting room, I re-tasted several of those and several others that I also had in my cellar. Few things give wine lovers (and wine critics) greater pleasure than following the history of a winery, especially a still young boutique winery, that is obviously on the way up. As will be seen in the following notes, Saslove's wines have risen in quality, complexity and interest from year to year.

Before reading the notes, it is worth noting that Saslove's very first wine, from the 1993 vintage, was made in a very limited quantity (under 200 bottles if memory serves) in the cellar of a Tel Aviv's wine store; the wines produced in 1994, 1995 and 1996 were made when he was in a partnership at Soreq winery; and only those from 1997 and on were made at his new winery at Kibbutz Eyal where his annual production is now between 33,000 - 35,000 bottles.

Saslove Winery
2000

Saslove Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon, Aviv, 2000: Made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, this medium bodied wine is full of youth and exuberance. With plenty of silky smooth tannins and just the right balance between fruits, vanilla and spices, the wine is drinking beautifully now but should cellar nicely for 2 - 3 years longer. Score 90.

Saslove Winery, Merlot, Aviv, 2000: After re-reading the notes made when I first tasted this wine, I find they are almost identical to those I made at this recent tasting. Remarkably appealing, this medium bodied blend of about 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon cannot help but please. Plenty of vanilla and spices here, but what delights is an overlay of black cherry flavors and aromas. Let the wine open in the glass for 15 minutes and you will also find hints of cinnamon and tobacco, all of which come together very nicely indeed. Even though the wine is fully ready to drink now, it will continue to develop nicely for 2 - 3 years in the bottle. Score 89.

Saslove Winery, Sauvignon Blanc 2000: Unoaked and well made, this nicely balanced, medium bodied white shows lovely green apple, citrus and guava fruits along with hints of other tropical fruits and a warm peppery overtone. Crispy refreshing, the wine is very well now. My own choice for a food match will be for grilled lobster or coquilles St. Jacques. Revised score 88.

1999

Saslove Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon, 1999: Surprisingly full bodied for a wine that was selected by Saslove as his "second wine" (the Reserve version has yet to be released), this well made wine shows deep flavors and aromas of blackcurrants, cherries (red or black, couldn't make up my mind at this tasting) and raspberries. Add to that sweet oak flavors that are beginning to develop and the promise that in two - three years you will feel tobacco and chocolate here, and you have a very lovely wine indeed. Drink now or in the next 3 - 4 years. Score 91.

Saslove Winery, Aviv, 1999: This deep purple, medium-bodied Cabernet is an unmitigated delight.
Aged in small oak casks, with the addition of oak chips to add to its vanilla and spicy flavors, the wine is smooth and remarkably appealing, it flavors of currants, raspberries, red and black cherries and cinnamon and moderate level of silky-smooth tannins making it eminently approachable despite its youth. Score 90.

Saslove, Chardonnay, 1999: An unoaked Chardonnay with fresh and appealing citrus, green apple and melon flavors, plenty of natural acidity and just bare hint of minerals and spices in its aromas and flavors. Without great depth but very pleasant indeed and fully ready for drinking now. Score 86.

Saslove, Muscat Dessert, 1999: After undergoing cold fermentation in small stainless steel vats together with oak chips that added a hint of honey to its aromas and flavors, and with the addition of brandy to stop the fermentation process and reinforce the wine to a hefty 16.5% alcohol content, one might to well to think of this beverage more as an digestif than as a wine. Sweet but not syrupy, with plenty of attractive pear and spice flavors that linger nicely, this is a wine destined for early drinking, especially when accompanied by fruit pies, and berry or cherry ice creams or souffles. Score 86.

Saslove, Blanc de Noirs, Reserved, 1999: I enjoy teasing Saslove about this off-blush wine made from red grapes, but I suspect he enjoys teasing me almost as much in return. Whatever, now pale pink in color, and with so many flavors and aromas that it might have been a fruit cocktail (I smiled as I found pears, apples, pineapple, bananas, oranges and grapefruit flavors and aromas here), this is nothing if not a fun wine. Deeper in body and flavor than most rose or blush wines, but still light enough to make a very pleasant quaff with truffled scrambled eggs or eggs Benedict at brunch. When I first tasted this wine, I awarded it a score of only 82 I suspect Saslove will now be the one smiling when he sees that I now find the wine well worth the score of 85 that I awarded it at this tasting. Drink now.

1998

Saslove Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon, 1998: Still in its youth, this dark, ripe wine has a tight core of black currant, black cherry and plum flavors all overlaid nicely with just the right hints of vanilla and spices. Medium to full bodied, nicely textured, with just the right level of smooth tannins, and a refined finish, and with flavors that linger nicely the wine is approachable now but will be at its best only in 2 - 3 years. A wine worth seeking out. Depending on where you find it, the price will vary from NIS 68 - 78. Score 90.

Saslove Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserved, 1998: A wine that has opened beautifully since it was first tasted. Now showing smooth tannins, a rich core of fruits and flavors that linger very nicely indeed on the palate. Let the wine open in the glass for 10 - 15 minutes and then look for (among other things) currants, cherries, plums, vanilla and spice flavors and aromas. Deep and complex, the wine is drinking nicely now and should cellar for 2 - 3 years longer. Score 89.

Saslove Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon, Aviv, 1998: Made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes hand picked at one of the best vineyards at Kerem Ben Zimra in the North, this charming wine was aged partly in French and partly in American oak barrels for three months before being blended.
Smooth, polished and easy to drink but with a surprising level of complexity the wine now shows lively black currant, plum, berry, vanilla and spices, all of which come together nicely in this medium bodied package. Drinking well now, but promises to hold comfortably for another year or so. Score 90.

1997

Barry Saslove, Cabernet Sauvignon, 1997: The first wine made by Saslove at his new winery, produced in a small amount, all of which was purchased by the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem. Medium bodied, with smooth tannins, remarkably fresh, still youthful and with plenty of currant, black cherry and light overtones of spices. Perhaps lacking depth or breadth, but a notably appealing little wine, still drinking very nicely indeed. Score 87.

Barry Saslove, Muscat Dessert Wine, 1997: Made from Muscat Canelli grapes and fortified with home-made brandy, this remains even now a very pleasant dessert wine, just sweet enough and with plenty of acid and appealing grapefruit and kiwi aromas to make it lively. At its best with fruit tarts. Score 85.

1996

Barry Saslove, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mirage 1996: At the time this wine was made, Saslove was in the process of cultivating his new vineyard in the Upper Galilee and had just established his new winery at Kibbutz Eyal. This wine, however, a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% of Merlot grapes, was made while he was still at Tel Shachar. In its youth this medium bodied wine proved a great improvement over the 1995 version, with appealing black currant, mint and pepper flavors and aromas.
The wine has now passed its peak but still shows good balance between fruits, tannins and acidity. Current score 85.

Soreq Winery

Soreq, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mirage, 1995: Problematic from the time it was released largely because the medium bodied, moderately tannic wine was so tightly wound into itself that it had to be decanted for nearly two hours before it started to open and reveal its character. Once opened, however, one could find red and black cherries, black currants and spring flowers and vanilla all coming together nicely. For reasons probably better understood by chemists than wine critics, the wine never did find its balance. Nor did it "loosen up", still demanding an unreasonable wait before being able to enjoy it.
The wine is now past its peak.

Soreq, Cabernet Sauvignon, 1994: Saslove's first commercial release and not an overly successful one, for although it might have been difficult to say this was a bad wine, it was far from a good or exciting one. The decision not to release the wine to stores but to sell it only to visitors at the winery was a wise one. The wine is well past its peak now.

Saslove, Unlabeled, 1993: This Cabernet was in small containers, with no exposure to wood in the cellar of a Tel Aviv wine shop. I recall my first tasting with fondness, for the wine was a simple but unmitigated delight, loaded with currant, cherry, berry and light spicy aromas and flavors. That the wine has passed on is no sin, for it has passed on with honor.

© Daniel Rogov