74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot and 11% Merlot 15% abv
Full body, bright purple colour. Intense, jammy aroma of ripe fruits, liquorice, sweet spices, herbs and oak notes. Complex, blackberry, plum and black olives palate following by dark chocolate, grippy tannins, vital acidity and a bit earthy but juicy finish of good length. Rich and powerful, bold structured and concentrated but far from elegance or balance. Well pairing to spicy poultry stew. Serve 14ºC - 16ºC. Still too young, open two/three hours ahead or better start drink in couple years.
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This “Bordeaux” blend sourced from the Judah Hills is comprised of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% merlot, and 11% petit Verdot, was aged 20 months in new French barleys, clocks in at a whopping 15% ABV, and is not mevushal. Appearance was deep ruby with royal purple edges and syrupy viscosity. The nose was an intense, beautiful bouquet of fruits and earth. Crushed blackberries and raspberries, black currant, blackberry bramble, menthol, black pepper, eucalyptus, graphite, lots of tobacco leaf, new leather, baking spices, incense, and cigar box. On the palate it is a big bruiser, full bodied and powerful with muscular tannins, bright slightly spicy acidity, and concentrated fruit. Black cherries, roasted black plum, cassis, loam, anise, black tea, ink, molasses, pipe tobacco, and vanilla. Long, tannic, mouth-puckering finish of Dutch chocolate. This is not a typical Bordeaux, more like a California cab with a Bordeaux stylistic flair but it is a powerhouse of a wine and really phenomenal. Can age for a long time as it is still quite youthful. 93-94.
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Domaine du Castel, Grand Vin, Haute Judée, 2016: Lots of buzz and hype around this vintage. Tasted prior to decanting. What a beast. Powerful, extracted, velvety. Damn. Then decanted for 5 hours (and up to 7 hours). Deep inky purple in color, with a bright ruby hue. On the nose, crushed ripe cassis, blackberries, black cherries, a touch of toasty oak, some green foliage and cigar humidor. Full-bodied, highly concentrated but with a suave, velvety texture. On the palate, ripe black forest berries, black licorice, a hint of black pepper, medium-plus acidity, Cuban cigar, with abundant grainy, ripe tannins as well as notes of baker’s chocolate on the long, rich and plush finish. Had I tasted this wine blind I would’ve named a very high end Napa CabSav, not Bordeaux and certainly not Castel. Very impressive nevertheless. 15% Abv. Drink 2022-2030. 93-94
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Domaine du Castel tasting led by Eli Ben-Zaken (Wine-Route, Tel-Aviv): clear, deep purple clean, profound dark ripe fruits aroma with jammy notes dry, high acidity, high integrated tannins, full body, good balance & harmony, well structured, good complexity, rich dark fruits flavours, long finish, still young and requires further ageing
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9/24/2023 - vlzat wrote: 91 Points
74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot and 11% Merlot
15% abv
Full body, bright purple colour. Intense, jammy aroma of ripe fruits, liquorice, sweet spices, herbs and oak notes. Complex, blackberry, plum and black olives palate following by dark chocolate, grippy tannins, vital acidity and a bit earthy but juicy finish of good length. Rich and powerful, bold structured and concentrated but far from elegance or balance. Well pairing to spicy poultry stew. Serve 14ºC - 16ºC. Still too young, open two/three hours ahead or better start drink in couple years.
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5/15/2021 - GavrielT Likes this wine: 93 Points
This “Bordeaux” blend sourced from the Judah Hills is comprised of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% merlot, and 11% petit Verdot, was aged 20 months in new French barleys, clocks in at a whopping 15% ABV, and is not mevushal. Appearance was deep ruby with royal purple edges and syrupy viscosity. The nose was an intense, beautiful bouquet of fruits and earth. Crushed blackberries and raspberries, black currant, blackberry bramble, menthol, black pepper, eucalyptus, graphite, lots of tobacco leaf, new leather, baking spices, incense, and cigar box. On the palate it is a big bruiser, full bodied and powerful with muscular tannins, bright slightly spicy acidity, and concentrated fruit. Black cherries, roasted black plum, cassis, loam, anise, black tea, ink, molasses, pipe tobacco, and vanilla. Long, tannic, mouth-puckering finish of Dutch chocolate. This is not a typical Bordeaux, more like a California cab with a Bordeaux stylistic flair but it is a powerhouse of a wine and really phenomenal. Can age for a long time as it is still quite youthful. 93-94.
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4/13/2020 - Marselimadhe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful, balanced and elegant wine. It develops much more after a few hours opened. A bouqet of flavours and tastes.
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8/23/2019 - Raizes Likes this wine: 89 Points
黑莓、黑醋栗，太妃糖和摩卡咖啡，以及一点潮湿的灌木气息，合作搭建了这款酒极为成熟甜美的个性风味。入口单宁比较细腻，而酸度显而易见地有所欠缺，使得酒的结构显得略微沉闷。醒酒后果味的逸失反而比桶味更快，所以一段时间里呈现出了只有桶味和轻微酒精的波本威士忌感。醒酒超过三个小时后酒的平衡感最佳，经历陈年可能会有改善，但并不会太多。
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4/20/2019 - JJN Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderful
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9/1/2018 - Gabriel Geller Likes this wine: 93 Points
Domaine du Castel, Grand Vin, Haute Judée, 2016: Lots of buzz and hype around this vintage. Tasted prior to decanting. What a beast. Powerful, extracted, velvety. Damn. Then decanted for 5 hours (and up to 7 hours). Deep inky purple in color, with a bright ruby hue. On the nose, crushed ripe cassis, blackberries, black cherries, a touch of toasty oak, some green foliage and cigar humidor. Full-bodied, highly concentrated but with a suave, velvety texture. On the palate, ripe black forest berries, black licorice, a hint of black pepper, medium-plus acidity, Cuban cigar, with abundant grainy, ripe tannins as well as notes of baker’s chocolate on the long, rich and plush finish. Had I tasted this wine blind I would’ve named a very high end Napa CabSav, not Bordeaux and certainly not Castel. Very impressive nevertheless. 15% Abv. Drink 2022-2030. 93-94
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7/19/2018 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
Domaine du Castel tasting led by Eli Ben-Zaken (Wine-Route, Tel-Aviv): clear, deep purple
clean, profound dark ripe fruits aroma with jammy notes
dry, high acidity, high integrated tannins, full body, good balance & harmony, well structured, good complexity, rich dark fruits flavours, long finish, still young and requires further ageing
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9/9/2017 - ourielm Likes this wine: 92 Points
En primeur tasting.Powerful and structured. Highly concentrated. Classic israeli pushed ripeness. Mouth coating tannins on the finish. Incredible
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