The following is printed with permission of the author

The ultimate, and final, Rogov Guide has been published. It contains nearly 687 pages. Last years version had a mere 603 pages! This year there is no International kosher wine Guide, nor a version in Hebrew. The book is published by Toby Press, the publisher, which has provided a wonderful service to Israeli wine over the years. Rogov’s Guide was first published in 2005 and the last in the series will be the 2012 edition.

It will be the final edition because of the untimely death of the author, Daniel Rogov, z”l, just over a month ago. Daniel Rogov for thirty years had been Israel’s most famous wine critic and the voice of the Israel wine renaissance. His mouthpiece was firstly the Jerusalem Post, then Haaretz and Rogov’s Wine Discussion Forum. However it was the annual Rogov’s Guide To Israeli Wines, which really made Rogov a household name.

The book contains 175 Israeli wineries. For this reason alone it is worth purchasing, because it is the most comprehensive list of Israeli wineries available anywhere, and that includes Israeli wine websites and even the country’s official wine bodies! So it is a valuable source of information. It also contains a data base of wine tasting notes and scores for older wines making it a complete source of information.

The eagerly awaited winery rankings by Rogov were increased this year from the usual ‘Top 10’, to a Baker’s Dozen, allowing the addition of three more wines to the standard list. The top wineries were:

1. Golan Heights Winery (Katzrin, Rom, Yarden, Gamla)
2. Margalit
3. Yatir
4. Castel
5. Clos de Gat
6. Flam
7. Chateau Golan
8. Pelter
9. Carmel (Limited Edition, Mediterranean, Single Vineyard, Appellation)
10. Sea Horse
11. Recanati
12. Tzora
13. Vitkin

The top wines released in the last 12 months were:

• Golan Heights Rom Yarden 2007 95 points
• Margalit, Cabernet Sauvignon, Special Reserve 2009 95
• Yatir Forest 2008 95

Tom Stevenson, the author of the Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia and editor of The Wine Report, wrote: “……thankfully sommeliers and consumers of Israeli wines everywhere can turn to Rogov’s Guide to Israeli Wines. The Guide ranks with Platter’s Guide in South Africa as head-and-shoulders above every other national wine guide.” A compliment indeed from one of the world’s most respected wine writers. The The Ultimate Rogov’s Guide is the biggest and best ever. It remains a fitting final memorial to Daniel Rogov’s giant contribution to Israeli wine. His memory is a blessing.

Close to three decades of Rogov’s writing weekly newspaper columns of wine and restaurant reviews and more recently yearly guides brought both attention and reflection on Israel as an emerging wine region and culinary destination into today when Israel has become accepted as a region that has come of age by the international food and wine press. Britain’s Hugh Johnson, who publishes the world’s best selling international wine guide, and Mark Squires, who writes about Israeli wines for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, both sent their praise for the most prolific writer about Israeli and kosher wines. America’s most popular and influential wine enthusiast, Gary Vaynerchuk, sent a video tribute, mentioning his affection for Daniel who had appeared on Gary’s Daily Grape video podcast while visiting the United States. Jay Buschbaum, of Kedem wines (the largest importer of Israeli wines into the United States) also sent his regrets for not attending (Hurricane Irene was to blame) and his appreciation for how Rogov’s reviews were critical to Israeli wines gaining acceptance in Israel’s largest overseas marketplace.

Adam Montefiore, who as spokesman for now Carmel and previously the Golan Heights Winery and as an unofficial ambassador for Israeli wine, has known Daniel for decades also took to the stage to impart kind words about a fellow Anglo immigrant whose substantial contribution to Israeli wine was needed if not always appreciated in the moment by wineries who came into Daniel’s focus. Also from Carmel were winemaker Lior Laxer and CEO Israel Ivzan and sister boutique winery Yatir’s laudable winemaker Eran Goldwasser. Carmel’s 2008 Single Vineyard Kayoumi Shiraz was one of the special treats served throughout the evening.

American born and trained Victor Schoenfeld, the winemaker of the Golan Heights Winery for the last twenty years, spoke eloquently about how his and Rogov’s career had mirrored each others for so many years and how Israeli wine had no better advocate and champion during the years it transformed itself from a region associated with making religious sacramental wines to the region it is today noted for making a wide selection of quality wines in different styles and from dozens of grape varietals. Tal Sendovski, Golan Height’s winemaker in charge of research and Israel’s first woman winemaker (since 1989), was also at Victor’s table. Boutique winemakers Uri Hetz of Chateau Golan and Tal Pelter of the Pelter Winery also made the drive down from the Golan Heights for the occasion.

From the Barkan Winery, another of Israel’s women winemakers Irit Boxer was present representing Israel’s second largest winery. Barkan’s Altitude 412 Cabernet Sauvignon and their Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve also filled a lot of glasses throughout the evening. Winemaker Na’ama Sorkin of the Galilee’s Dalton Winery, whose wines have been winning more and more favorable reviews from Daniel, joined Roni Saslove of the Saslove Winery and Illana Rabau of the Alona Winery as other “daughters of the vine” in attendance. Roni’s father winemaker Barry and mother Nili also represented their family winery with several vineyards most notably their Kadita vineyard. Tsina Avidan from the increasingly heralded Avidan Winery, a neighbor of the Saslove Winery, filled in the mix of Israel’s women winemakers who came to applaud their most ardent suitor, well at least of their wines.

And if one mentions the Kadita vineyard, no discussion would be complete without mentioning the Margalit Winery, Israel’s first boutique winery going back to 1989. Margalit has been a perennial favorite of Rogov’s going back to when Ya’ir Margalit founded Israel’s first boutique winery. Ya’ir’s son Assaf Margalit, who took over in 2000 as senior winemaker took an evening off from what is a slightly delayed harvest this vintage as the summer has been unseasonably temperate. Ya’ir was also the first winemaker at the Tishbi Winery, and it’s present winemaker, Golan Tishbi, the winemaker since 2000 also came to pay his respect from Israel’s largest family owned and operated winery.

When one mentions Margalit, often Domaine du Castel is also mentioned as a friendly rival and the Ben Zaken family was present with affable and soft spoken founder Eli one of the many well reviewed winemakers showing their appreciation to a man who showed his appreciation for Castel wines in print for years. South African born Paul Dubb, the former viticulturalist of the Castel Winery and the present winemaker of the up and coming Tzuba Winery came into Tel Aviv from the Judean Hills as well as vineyard pioneer Prof. Ben-Ami Bravdo and his daughter Hadar from Karmei Yosef’s Bravdo Winery.

Additionally, the winemakers from Binyamina (Sasson Ben Aharon & Asaf Paz), Vitkin (Doron & Sharona Belogolovsky), Clos de Gat, Ramat Naftali (Yitzhak Cohen), Galil Mountain, (Micha Vaadia), Recanati (Gil Shatzberg & Ido Lewinsohn) Seahorse (Zeev Dunie), Teperberg (Shlomo Rauchberger), Psagot (Josh Hexter), La Terra Promessa (Sandro Pellegreni) and the whole Flam Winery family ( Golan, Gilad, Israel, Gefen…) helped round out what was touching affair. As well, dozens of employees from many of the wineries , from CEO’s and marketing managers to sommeliers and office staff who have had occasion to host Daniel over the years also came to show their reverence for both the man and the industry he covered in his critiques. Several of Israel’s most famous chef’s and foodies were also in tow including Alon Gonen as well as many of Daniel’s peers in wine media, from print, radio and the internet including the tribute’s celebrity host Meni Peer.

Rogov, as he likes to call himself, was visibly moved by the turnout, the kind words and anecdotes offered and spoke briefly but poignantly at the end of the tribute with many of those attending staying late to commune with Daniel as the event came to a close. Even though over the years, those in attendance haven’t always agreed with each and every one of Daniel’s reviews, all agree on his influence and impact in an industry that they hold dear and many acknowledge the role he played in their wines or cooking gaining popularity.  As you might imagine, those who he had consistently panned over the years were less visible in the audience. A case of sour grapes I guess which is after all what Rogov was trying to help us avoid all these years he’s been writing.

If you are in Israel and want a wine dinner in your house contact David Rhodes 052-702-WINE (9463) and tell Dave Avi sent you…

As Levi writes:

Unlike venture capital, the Israeli wine industry has adopted a bottom-up approach.  A few individuals are helping introduce the Israeli Wine “brand” to an international audience. In particular, there is Daniel Rogov, author of Rogov’s Guide to Israeli Wines, and Adam Montefiore, Wine Development Director for Israel’s largest winery, Carmel and Yatir.

Rogov, as he prefers to be known, is someone who I first made acquaintance via his original Israeli wine forum, in which Rogov – who calls himself a curmudgeon and is no technoevangelist practices the most important rule of social media and content marketing (not sure he would appreciate that compliment, though!) which is simply to be open, accessible, informative, and welcoming. This premier critic always answers the questions of his forumites, always is available for tasting notes, and usually shares his views. More importantly, a man of integrity, he calls ‘em as he sees ‘em and doesn’t let his personal opinions get in the way of his tasting notes. Originally from Brooklyn, Rogov has lived in Israel for several decades.

Rogov helped popularize Israeli wines for a global audience. Now prominent wine critics Robert Parker, Hugh Johnson, Mark Squires and Oz Clarke feature sections about Israeli wines in their books. Even web sensation Gary Vaynerchuck tasted Israeli wines with Rogov on Wine Library TV.

The other important figure mentioned is Adam Montefiore, currently the Wine Development Director at Carmel. Since the 1980s, Adam has been marketing Israeli wines (not just Carmel and his former employer, Golan Heights Winery, but really promoting the entire industry) to a global market.  As a marketer myself, Adam has taught me a lot about marketing – notably the first rule: be responsive to your customers. I first met Adam having criticized something at Carmel (since changed and now at world-class standards) and since then he has truly become a mentor . A true man of integrity and Zionist, Adam cares about the whole wine industry and really helping to promote the real Israel to the global audience — a true passion of mine as well.

“My career and hobby is the same- advancing Israeli wine”, says Montefiore. He contributes the Israeli wine section for several of the most famous wine guides and writes about Israeli wine for the Jewish Chronicle (UK) and Jerusalem Post.

“The best resource we have is the wine itself. Doing tastings- with sommeliers, wine press, retailers- is the way to get the message across. While the symbol of Israel was once the Jaffa orange and the kibbutz, today it is quality wine and high-tech. We want people opening a bottle of Israeli wine to think of ingenuity, climate, technology and Mediterranean sunshine. Our industry can symbolize all that is good about Israel.”

For more about Rogov and Montefiore, read the article.

Getting to Know Israel’s Wine Country

With more than 200 wineries, five wine regions and a new focus on quality, Israel has plenty to explore. Learn more from three of its leading winemakers

Read  the article on Wine Spectator’s website

Watch his video

10 Reasons why I love Gary Vaynerchuk

10. Gary V reminds me a little of myself.

Gary Vaynerchuk turned his father’s Shoppers Discount Liquor into the $60 million a year Wine Library. My father also used to own a liquor store (as did my uncle and grandfather) but it was definitely not a $60 million a year business.

9. Gary V has passion. ‘Nuf said

8. Gary V’s really a closet geek. I mean, who else would post pictures of himself in a powder blue suit on Facebook? More importantly, who EVER owned a powder blue suit?

Dude, what’s up with his hair?

7. Gary V is a tech geek.

6. Gary V does his research. Dude learned wine from reading Wine Spectator before he was 21 and eating all sorts of food that was mentioned in the tasting notes.

5. Gary V is a MOT (member-of-the-tribe). Sorry, he gets a bonus point for that.

4. Gary V is a great business man. Gotta admire that.

3. Gary V “gets” social media. Heck, Gary V practically invented Wine 2.0.

2. Daniel Rogov respects Gary V and Gary V respects Rogov! (OK, that’s 2 reasons)

1. Gary V loves wine from Israel!

The following is from the Reuters wire service. Read the full article at Reuters

JERUSALEM (Reuters Life!) – Israeli wine has long stirred up associations with the syrupy libations of religious rituals, but modern techniques imported from top winemaking nations are now helping it find space on shelves from Paris to New York.

“Today, you’ll find that people are looking for Israeli wines that meet international standards and the good thing is we are actually producing wines like that,” Israeli wine critic Daniel Rogov says in an interview at a busy Tel Aviv wine shop.

“There is no contradiction between wines that are kosher and wines that are excellent.”

Israeli wineries, both industrial-scale and boutique, make over 33 million bottles a year, according to the Israeli Wine Council, but the vast majority of Israeli wine is kosher or made in accordance with Jewish dietary laws.

Whilst the rabbinical seal has long been associated with wines made to appeal to observant Jews rather than connoisseurs, the quality of Israeli wines is improving, helped by government incentives for smaller producers, and some vintages are now garnering international plaudits.

Robert Parker, among the world’s most influential wine critics, has heaped praise and points on some 40 Israeli wines. Fourteen of them won more than 90 out of a maximum 100 points in Parker’s rating system.

Wines from neighboring Lebanon, which traces its winemaking industry back over 4,000 years, have been winning international awards for decades. Israel enjoys the same Mediterranean climate.

Weighing in with 93 points was the red 2003 Yatir Forest label from a subsidiary of Carmel Winery.

Due to copyright restrictions, I am not posting the rest of the article. Read the rest from http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE57H1R520090818

1. Golan Heights Winery (Katzrin, Yarden, Gamla)
2. Margalit
3. Yatir
4. Domaine du Castel
5. Clos de Gat
6. Flam
7. Chateau Golan
8. Carmel (Limited Edition, Single Vineyard, Appellation)
9. Galil Mountain
10. Pelter

(This list is from Daniel Rogov’s 2009 Guide to Israeli Wine)

(These beautiful photographs are courtesy of Jessica Korman, The F Stops Here)