4/16/2024 - Yako (New Haven Vino Club) Likes this wine:

Good not overly complex wine, good acidity, sour cherry, herbal, with some mushrooms and barnyard.

Many people have reported that this wine was dead, but it was not the case here, quite enjoyable and very Italian.

88-89

12/13/2023 - Yako (New Haven Vino Club) wrote:

Way overpriced imo and lacking complexity, a decent run of the mill wine.

If this develops more complexity as it ages it might get better, we shall see if it has what it takes.

7/4/2021 - Adam Pritzker wrote:

Sour terrible Earth awful flavors. I've had a few of this wine that has tasted like this. This was a 10th anniversary selection direct from the winery which has been well stored. Inexplicably this is absolutely horrible and this is the second or third bottle like this that I've had. I asked the winery and they were not aware of any problems with this wine. Proceed with extreme caution. They have so many other vintages that are so good best to avoid this one

10/17/2023 - Adam Pritzker Does not like this wine:

Maybe a flawed bottle, but I'm concerned its not. You can taste the 15% alcohol and there are also sour notes (which is maybe a sign that its a flawed bottle). Its worth trying a 2nd time to make sure, but I still am concerned about the 15% alcohol both short term and especially long term

10/1/2022 - Kosher.wine.tastings Likes this wine:

Get me to a rooftop. Time to once again yell to the masses about the greatness of Recanati Winery. I tell anyone who will listen to look no further than Recanati for consistently good wine across the spectrum of their offerings.

Recanati is the culmination of the dream of Lenny Recanati and Uri Shaked, founded in 2000, and utilizing the proper balance of Old World and New, classic and modern, finesse and power. Recanati and Shaked had the inspiration during a night harvest in 2007 to produce wines focusing on Mediterranean varieties such as their beautiful Wild Carignan. Additionally, they began to produce native Israeli varieties such as Marawi, first commercially produced in 2014, and Bittuni, released just a few years ago.

These Mediterranean varieties are far better suited to Israel's climate and head winemaker Kobi Arviv has become a master at getting the best out of every grape, whether indigenous to Israel or not. Carignan, the focus of this note, can be harvested later in the growing season due to its naturally high acid, allowing for great fruit character with good tannin while maintaining its acidity.

The true greatness at Recanati is the consistency at each price point entry. I rely on great quality from the entry level Yasmin line, both Red and White in each vintage. Priced at just over $10, it's difficult to find better value. The Reserve line showcases precisely what a mid-level priced wine should - quality, depth, beauty. If only this were the case at every winery.

For the first Shabbos of the new Year, I pulled a nicely-aged Recanati from the cellar, the Reserve Wild Carignan, 2014. It was near perfect right out of the bottle. I wouldn't say this is a great impossiblity for an Israeli $30 wine, but it's another feather in the cap of Recanati how great this wine is now.

In the glass, dark red-to-purple. Pronounced nose of jammy, brambly raspberry, pipe tobacco, some smoke and cedar. On the palate, cranberry, raspberry, very nicely integrated fruit showing austerity. The acid is fresh and lively with nicely rounded tannins. Wow. A big winner for me. Beautiful wine showcasing the best of Israel.

$42, 14%ABV, non-mevushal

1/18/2022 - Kosher.wine.tastings Likes this wine:

Gva’ot, Vineyard Dance, 2017

Think about most of the wine varieties you drink nowadays. Can you name them? I bet most will think of one of only a handful of varieties: Cab, Merlot, Pinot, Chard ...

But the world is not a young place, and the Bible speaks of grapes and wine (in both good and more troublesome ways!), but not only are there other grapes made into wine which are not available on many store wine shelves, there are exponentially more grape varieties not made into wine.

Can you guess how many varieties are currently identified worldwide? Over 10,000!

Still, one man, Dr. Shivi Drori, a molecular biologist-slash-agronomist-slash-winemaker, is doing his part to change the “Walmartization” (and French grape stronghold) of the wines of the world, and making a greater name for Israel wines on the world stage. Consider for a moment: much as other wine countries around the world are known for specific varieties, Israel might one day be known for ancient, indigenous varieties of its own.

Dr. Drori founded Gva’ot alongside businessman (and Drori’s father-in-law) Amnon Weiss (himself an incredible story as a former Paralympic champion and founder of Gush Emunim) in 2005 at the center of the just over two-decade old Givat Harel, a beautiful small community nestled among the rolling hills. Located in the Binyamin region of Shomron about an hour north of Jerusalem and west of Tel Aviv, the town is surrounded by the vineyards of Gvaot Winery.

Dr. Drori is known for his research into indigenous and feral grape strains, identifying over 600, with 82 being unique. This particular study led to the resuscitation of ancient varieties such as the white Hamdali Jandali and the red Bittuni, and the creation of thoroughly modern wines.

Gva’ot’s vineyards sit at elevations of 700-900 meters and the winery sits atop a hilly drive through gorgeous vineyards.

The eponymous Gva’ot label is the third of this boutique family winery, with the Reserve-line Gofna series and the flagship Masada series as the others.

$35, 13.5% ABV, mevushal

Tasting notes in comments.

#kosher #kosherwine #kosherwinetastings #pv #cab #merlot #vineyard #dance #acid #oak #shomron

11/4/2022 - Kosher.wine.tastings Likes this wine:

Domaine des Marronniers, Les Marronniers, Chablis, 2020

Tasted in last night's WSET Level 3 class. Chilled slightly, as I personally never overchill most whites as I find it dulls both the aromatics and palate. Life lesson: Be happy with the chill. Don't seek the overchill.

In the glass, pale lemon. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, developing. Pear, green apple, lemon, underripe peach, blossom. Some vanilla, toast, biscuit. On the palate, more green apple, blossom, wet stone, flint, vanilla, toast, biscuit. Dry, high acid, medium alcohol, medium+ body with nice heft, creamy, medium+ intensity, with a medium+ finish.Very well-balanced, good intensity, good concentration= Very good. Can drink now but good potential for aging.

I believe this wine is aged on the lees for 12 months in stainless steel vats, giving it the secondary notes of vanilla, toast, biscuit. You should be able to cellar this wine an additional 3-5 years with its status as mevushal in mind giving it perhaps a greater sense of urgency.

$34, 13%ABV, mevushal

3/5/2023 - Marc Tropp wrote:

The initial taste seemed sour. After it aired it,it was much better. Drank the same bottle the next day and it was much better. Clearly had room to age. Would decanter a few hours before drinking.

1/3/2023 - Adam Pritzker wrote:

Some funky flavors. Not sure what to make of it. off bottle?

6/21/2021 - Kosher.wine.tastings Likes this wine:

Vineferia, Castel Luciano, Super Tuscan, 2018

This is a blend of 50% Merlot, 28% Syrah, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon

Aged in French Oak barrels 18 months. IGT Costa Toscana Rosso. 14.5% ABV.

Super Tuscan wine means that the grapes used are not indigenous to Italy. It is very common for Super Tuscans to be named, and in this case, "Castel Luciano." James Suckling has said the term "Super Tuscan" was coined in the early 1980s by either a writer or a Master of Wine.

Anyway, on to the wine:

In the glass, deep, dark ruby. Clear.

On the nose, clean, very pronounced fruit: blackberry, dark cherry, licorice and spice- green bell peppers primarily. Vanilla and tobacco.

On the palate, medium plus acidity, medium plus tannins, full bodied, shows juicy dark red and black fruits, some loamy earth, bell pepper, and oak. Medium finish with long tannins.

Very enjoyable wine and one of only a couple kosher Super Tuscan wines now available. This one is imported and sold exclusively by The Cellar Lakewood

Paired with a house-dried Wasserman and Lemberger salami.

$45, non-mevushal

3/11/2021 - Adam Pritzker Likes this wine:

Slightly past peak, but still quite good. Ripe grenache berry fruit with some hints of smoke, leather, earth. Still has nice fruit but still starting to taste tired. I bet a year or two ago it was probably smashing. One bottle left to try which I'll do relatively soon

9/19/2021 - Odedis.Wine.reviews Likes this wine:

Dark purple/ruby in color with a reddish rim and medium intensity.

Strong nose of cherries, red currants, bitter herbs, earth, vegetables, light thyme, wood, spices, black tea and peppercorn.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Very dry on the palate with currants, sour cherries, tangy strawberries, light oak, spices, earth, bitter herbs, tobacco leaf, bitter vegetables and peppercorn.

Medium finish with round tannins and tangy pomegranates.

This is a nice Italian Sangiovese.
Tangy and spicy. Showing mild complexity with a nice mouthfeel.

Still young and would be better in 5 years. Needs a couple of hours to open up properly and bring the tannins to play. The high alcohol is nicely integrated, so watch out.

A good food wine that will pair nicely with pizza.

100% Sangiovese grapes were grown at 1,500 feet of elevation and aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. Kosher and not Mevushal.

15% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$35.

1/24/2020 - raccah Does not like this wine:

Dead DRINK NOW!!!