GrapeLines

A review of the Domaine du Castel Rosé 2011 and a look at the Mint Julep.

There are few better summer indulgences than a glass of chilled rosé. Not the horrific, semi-sweet “white” blush wines from California that remains surprisingly popular. The rosés worth drinking are “dry,” without significant residual sugar, and display bright fruit flavors balanced with crisp acidity. They are usually created by either allowing the pressed juice to have only minimal contact with the skins or by a method known as “saignee” (bleeding), which removes lightly colored juice from vats to concentrate the remaining future wine. Nearly every red grape has been made into a rosé. Regardless of the methodology, the goal is to create a wine that maintains elements of the varietal’s character in a lighter more refreshing fashion.

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A review of the Gvaot Gofna Chardonnay-Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 and Grand Old Parr 12 year old De Luxe Scotch Whisky.

Integral to Jewish belief and religious practice is the concept of separation. Many objects, certain behaviors and even time itself are differentiated as either holy or secular and mundane. The dietary laws exclude certain foods, while demanding that some foods first be elevated from mundane to holy before they may be consumed.

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Review of Bravdo Karmei Yosef Shiraz 2009 and a look at 2 Bourbon’s without an age statement, Basel Hayden and Old Grand Dad.

Making wine is a marriage of nature and technology. The interaction of yeast and grapes has been investigated for centuries with the results implemented in the vineyards and wineries. But winemaking is not an exact science, and great wines are not a result of formulas or recipes. Inspiration also has its role, especially when based upon a sound scientific foundation.

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Reviews of the Flam Classico 2010, Casa Vieja Tequilas, Tio Pepe Fino Sherry and Dupuy XO Cognac.

One of the major advantages of being a relatively new winemaking region is the lack of rules and regulations that govern viticulture and vinification compared with the Old World wine-producing regions. In France, for example, most of the best winegrowing areas are beset by myriad governmental regulations which mandate specific grape varietals are grown in precisely delineated locations, and prohibit certain agricultural practices, and in some instances even prohibit blending different grapes. Not so for “New World” wine producers. Among “New World” producers, experimentation, creativity and risk are the bywords of their craft.

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A review of the Distillery No. 209 Kosher for Passover Gin and Vodka along with a look at the Shiloh Winery.

Before the Temple was built, before Jerusalem became the center of Jewish national and religious life, Shiloh was Israel’s capital. It was the place where the “whole congregation of Israel assembled” to set up the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Today, Shiloh is also the name of one of Israel’s most well-regarded boutique wineries. The winery is situated in the modern – and Modern Orthodox-community of Shiloh, which is just a few dozen meters from Tel Shiloh, the archaeological site that is widely thought to be all that remains of the pre-Davidic capital of the Jewish nation where the Talmud tells us the Mishkan stood for 369 years. Established in 2005, the winery’s roots actually go back thousands of years as evidenced by the ancient winepresses found in the nearby Samarian (Shomron) hills.

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A review of the Tulip Just Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, the Tulip Just Merlot 2010 and the Glennfiddich Cask of Dreams Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

With the onset of spring it seems appropriate that our next Passover seder wine suggestions are from Israel’s Tulip Winery. Established in 2003 by the Yitzhaki family, the winery rests on a hillside overlooking the Jezreel Valley in Kfar Tikva, a unique community that is home to 200 emotionally and developmentally disabled adults aged 20 to 74. This pastoral “Village of Hope” is recognized as one of the most innovative locations in Israel for adults with special needs. The village has a staff of 85, and 20 full-time volunteers from Israel and abroad, and their philosophy includes integrating the residents within the community at large, and providing creative and productive outlets for them – such as working at the local candle factory, craft workshops or the Tulip Winery.

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A review of the Barkan Altitude +624 Cabernet Sauvignon and the Isle of Arran 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

While there are many factors that can be manipulated to affect the quality of a wine, there is one fundamental aspect that cannot be changed: the place where the grapes are grown. The monks in France’s Burgundy region spent hundreds of years painstakingly characterizing and classifying the precise aspects of specific hillside plots in the Cote D’Or and the result is some of the world’s most profound wines. Matching the correct varietal to the local climate and geography is likely the most critical decision that will assure a winery’s success. It is exactly as the old the real estate adage goes: location, location, location.

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