Valentines Day is on February 14 so it’s time to get a gift for the one who love. What’s better than a romantic bottle of wine, book about Israeli wine, or stemware or other wine accessory.

Here is our list of 10 Valentines Day Wine Gifts for the Israeli Wine Lover

6. It goes without saying but Daniel Rogov’s annual wine guide has always been the premier guide for what to drink and what not. With Rogov’s passing, this is the final and ultimate guide to Israeli wine. It’s a hefty 700 pages, with information about wine tastings as well as the most comprehensive list of Israeli wines ever published.

If you buy one book about Israeli wines, this is it. Buy it now!

5. Janna Gur’s The Book of Israeli Food: A Culinary Journey is a coffee table book that must grace every foodie interested in Middle Eastern food. With great articles and breathtaking photos, Gur takes on the Israeli culinary potpourri, from shakshuka at the shouk to gourmet halva. While there are amazing recipes, it’s just a tremendous read. In addition, the wine section, written by Adam Montefiore, tells the story of the Israeli wine revolution from inception to present. There’s no one better to write about Israeli food than Janna Gur and no one better to write about wine than Adam Montefiore.

If you’re interested in Israeli food, kosher food, kosher wine, or Middle Eastern food, check it out!

4. Looking for affordable red wine glasses? My recommendation: Schott Zweisel is my go-to-brand for those who don’t want more expensive Riedel Vinum Bordeaux Wine Glasses, Set of 6. Depending on your size and budget these two are highly recommended:

• Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Stemware Pure Collection Burgundy 23.4 Ounce, Set of 6
• Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Stemware Forte Collection Red Wine/Light Soft Whites 13.6 Ounce, Set of 6

For white wine glasses:

• Schott Zwiesel Forte Sauvignon Blanc/White (Set of 6)

For champagne flutes:

• Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Stemware Forte Collection Champagne Flute With Effervesence Points 7.7 Ounce, Set of 6
• Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Stemware Cru Classic Collection Champagne Flute with Effervesence Points 8.4 Ounce, Set of 6

3. If you want wine and not vinegar, you need to invest in proper storage. While we would love a cave or wine cellar, most of us can’t afford this. Instead, a wine fridge has to do the job.

Have lots of wine or a big budget? Try Danby DWC612BLP 75 Bottle Wine Cooler – Platinum

Smaller budget or smaller collection? Try Haier HVTM16ABB 16-Bottle Wine Cellar with Electronic Controls

2. I discovered Vacu Vin when I was a young child in my parents’ liquor store and I’m still in love with the best wine stoppers. Buy Vacu Vin Stainless Steel Wine Saver Gift Set

1. There are lots of books and magazines about food and wine. Never miss them with the Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi. Then don’t forget to sign up for your favorite wine magazine subscription

And if you’re in Israel or want to give a gift to someone in Israel, why not a bottle of wine or high quality wine glasses and other accessories. You can get a custom order and even delivery at great prices from contributor David Rhodes. Contact him at israeliwineguy@gmail.com for a custom quote and inquiry.

Adam is the great-great-great grand nephew of Moses Montefiore (1784-1885), considered by many to be one of (if not “the”) the most significant benefactors of World Jewry and Israel in the 19th century. The Montefiore name is on street signs in many cities in Israel (as well as institutions throughout the world) and the Montefiore Windmill in Jerusalem still stands today as a symbol of Moses’s effort to bring the Industrial Revolution and jobs to then struggling residents of the Old City. Even though Moses wasn’t a winemaker, he was no teetotaler and he was renowned for drinking a bottle of wine each day. Recent findings about the health benefits of wine may help explain how Moses lived to the ripe old age of 101.

If Moses was any example, Adam still has decades to add to already impressive record as a key player in getting the word out about what’s right today with Israeli wines. Adam was already well entrenched in the wine business in the United Kingdom before making Aliyah in November of 1989. And that’s where he first became acquainted with Israeli wines having helped get some Israeli wines into British restaurants and hotels. It was a big move or rather a big “leap in faith” to move here with his wife and then three young children without a job in hand.

It would be six months before he landed at Israel’s largest winery, Carmel. His first two years Adam worked at Carmel developing and training hotel and restaurant clients, similar to the job he had left in the UK. Adam helped to introduce wine by the glass at Israeli restaurants and printed wine lists. At that time it was uphill battle marketing Carmel wine to restaurants and hotels as it would be another ten years before they would start to be seen as a consistent producer of quality wine instead of mass marketers of “liquid religion.”

A terrific opportunity arose for Adam at the winery cited for starting the quality wine “revolution” in Israel.  Adam would move over to the Golan Heights Winery, which first planted vineyards in 1976 (releasing its first wine in 1983) with the sole purpose of producing quality varietal driven wines in contrast to most of the Israeli wines then catering to religious Jews in Israel and overseas. Hundreds of wineries would follow over the next thirty odd years but the Golan Heights wines would lead the way first under the guidance of noted consultant Peter Stern then followed by winemaker Victor Schoenfeld, who preceded Adam’s start by just a few months, and has continued as Golan’s winemaker for two decades and counting. Adam would be instrumental in presenting the Golan Winery and its different labels (Yarden, Gamla, Golan) as international brands and just not brands known to Jewish consumers.  Additionally, Adam would introduce the first sommelier and wine waiter courses to Israel through the Golan Heights Winery that continues to this day. Adam had a familiarity with the Golan Heights Winery dating back to his days in the UK when he introduced the Yarden label to a chain of 60 non-kosher restaurants. After two years mirroring his previous role at Carmel, Adam stepped up to the critical role as Export Manager and for a few years even managed the export efforts for the then up and coming Tishbi Winery under a cooperative agreement.

When Adam would be lured back to Carmel in 2002, its estimated that Carmel and the Golan Heights combined were responsible for about 90% of all Israeli wine exports. With over 50% of that going to North America and the United Kingdom, Adam’s background with Anglophile oenophiles propelled him to be the public face for Israeli wines at many international wine competitions, tastings and expos.  Upon Adam’s return to Carmel he once again would team up with a new winemaker, Israeli born Lior Lacser, who would steer Carmel away from a winery stressing bulk sacramental wines and grape juice towards quality wines that incidentally met most the religious requirements of its targeted consumers. At about the same time, the Yatir Winery was launched as a sister boutique winery of the Carmel Winery and Adam would take on the role as the Wine Development Director for the Carmel Winery and Yatir.

Over the last ten years, Adam’s new role has put him on stage to accept many awards for Carmel and Yatir wines not only in Israel but in the United States, France and back in the United Kingdom, where Carmel as well as other Israeli wines have been winning more and more international awards and acceptance. Adam remembers back twenty years ago when there was “no world class restaurants in Israel, no wine lists, no wine by the glass, no professional waiters, no wine stores, no Hebrew websites or wine magazines” compared to today when Israel has its fair share.

As an advocate of Israeli wines, Adam has been contributing as a prolific writer for Israeli and British wine magazines, wine books and websites including regular articles in the Jerusalem Post and Jewish Chronicle and most notably as an advisor to noted wine author Hugh Johnson. Whichever winery Adam works for he’s proven to be an incredibly effective advocate for his employer as well as for the Israeli wine industry as a whole so much so that when someone speaks of “an Israeli Wine Ambassador” it’s Adam Montefiore who most often comes to mind.

Seemingly, Adam won’t be the last member of the Montefiore family to continue his work with wine. His son, David, has won the best ‘mixologist’ (bartender) title in an Israeli competition and has represented Israel abroad. David has also just completed successive harvests interning with wineries in the Barossa Valley in Australia as well as in the vicinity of Priorat, Spain. Additionally, Adam’s daughter, Rachel, is a graduate of The Wine Academy Course at Ramat Gan College and is the sommelier at the ‘Ha’Ternogol Hakahol’ (The Blue Rooster) Restaurant in Tel Aviv. Rachel has been sighted with her father at wine events and like other aficionados of Israeli wine, both David and Rachel could only benefit from Adam’s enthusiasm, experience and wealth of wine knowledge.

David Rhodes, known as the Israeli Wine Guy, is a California trained sommelier, wine educator & broadcaster specializing in Israeli wines.

Admission is 70 NIS or 35 NIS if you purchase here.

There will be over 30 wineries (I don’t know which wineries) attending, allowing visitors to taste their wine, and a session on cooking with wine.

The event will take place from 3:00 PM until 10:00 PM in the Teddy and Oranim Halls at the International Convention Center (Binyanei HaUma).

The term “brandy wine” come from the Dutch for “burnt wine” and is a fermented wine of about 8 to 12 % alcohol (most often from white wine grapes) then distilled into a finished product typically resulting in a bottle at a robust 40% alcohol. The unique distillation process used in making brandy can often produce flavors and aromas that transcend the original wine’s profile so much so to mask the original source of what fruit was used for the base wine. Only a few wineries in Israel, out of hundreds, make brandy and the Carmel Winery by far has the largest selection available with currently 5 brandies readily available with occasional “special” editions and cellar gems available at their shop in Zichron Ya’acov.

With so little brandy available and produced in Israel, I was elated to be invited to a tasting at Carmel’s Rishon Le Zion facility, first for the brandy and more esoterically to visit the location which at over 120 years old is one of Israel’s oldest industrial plants. We would go on to taste nine brandies after a thorough tour. The Carmel Winery has been Israel’s largest winery for over a century but its only producing half the wine it did 20 years ago as its made a transition to stress making quality wine over quantity and in the last ten years, it has dozens of awards and reviews to measure their progress on that sojourn. As its production has halved, Carmel is transitioning and condensing most of its production and operations from its two sister wineries to just one in Zichron Ya’acov with the Rishon winery for the time being retaining bottling operations for the dozens of Carmel wines that end up in 15 million bottles a year. There is another limited facility at Kayoumi in the Galilee that assists in processing Carmel’s extensive plantings in that prestigious appellation.

Now closed to public, I had long awaited a tour of Carmel’s Rishon operations and for me the day sort of had a Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory feel and I felt like Charlie with a golden ticket being guided by Carmel’s Development Manager Adam Montefiore. Who knows, maybe Carmel has purple skinned Oompa-Lumpas working behind the scenes instead of orange skinned chocolate laborers. Either way, a parade of nine Carmel brandies awaited just us five writers as we tasted the brandies in three flights guided by Adam.

The first flight featured Carmel’s value brandies, Carmel Extra-Fine and Carmel 777. These are Carmel’s most readily available and affordable brandies respectively priced at 80 NIS for the two year aged Extra-Fine and only another 5 to 10 NIS more for the three year a aged 777. They were both pleasant with the 777 leaning towards being a bit more fruity than the Extra-Fine. For the price, compared to other brandies in Israel, these brandies are your best bet when considering a relatively inexpensive aperitif or as a base for a Sidecar or Brandy Alexander.

Our second flight of fancy offered some rare treats and a glimpse into the potential of Israeli made brandies. First up was a barrel tasting of a yet to be released brandy made entirely from Muscat of Alexdrania grapes. This was a deviation from the other brandies that we tasted, mostly composed of Colombard grapes (as its the most common white wine grape in Israel also used to make France’s most famous brandy, Cognac and Armagnac). As it was a cask sample it was at 70% alcohol since with many distilled beverages (such as whiskey) water is typically added back after to distillation to bring the bottled product down to a more easily consumable and fragrant 40%. Tasting it before and after adding water was illuminating and it was interesting and enticing enough on its own to hopefully warrant its own release as it was richer with a longer smoother finish than their value brandies and stood up to blend we would later taste.

Next was another rare find from Carmel’s own cellars including a taste of maybe their only bottle left of Carmel 777 Gold which was a one off release of a 6 year brandy that was my first hint that Carmel could deliver a remarkable brandy to the marketplace. The next two brandies in this flight were also rare and enticing brandies now only sold at Carmel’s visitor center in Zichron with only a few bottles left.

The first was a nine year oak aged Carmel 100 commemorating Carmel’s 100th anniversary. There are only a few bottles of this award winning brandy remaining selling for 1,500 NIS. Its flight mate was a just as rare 15 year aged Carmel XO available for 2,200 NIS in a special decanter bottle. Both of these brandies were expressive of white fruit and vanilla and worthy conversation starters but maybe not the best investment for a newcomer to brandy but rather for a connoisseur or someone seeking out a special gift.

Where the first 6 brandies we tried were expressions of Carmel’s past, the last three we would try would be a taste of their future plans for releasing premium brandy: Carmel 100 (a new version), Carmel 120 and a limited edition of 300 bottles (one barrel’s worth) as a tribute to the recently departed wine critic Daniel Rogov. At 200 NIS, 550 NIS and 500 NIS respectively the Carmel 120 seemed to be the consensus favorite of all of at the tasting with the Rogov tribute brandy a sentimental favorite as a way to spur a conversation about someone almost every one who met him has a story worthy of telling.

At this juncture, I don’t pretend to have the familiarity or expertise with brandy that I have been credited with concerning wine but after this tasting of Carmel’s brandies enticed me to be more curious and adventurous in the future in that I’m a fan of any well executed expression of grapes whether its off the vine, fermented, fortified or distilled.

Terravino 2011 has taken place. This is one of the main Israeli tasting competitions in the wine calendar, but it is the only open to international entrants.

The competition is organized annually by Ish Anavim, The Grape Man.

The big Israeli winner this year was Barkan. They won the prize for the best kosher wine and best winery. The winning wine was the Barkan Superieur Pinotage 2007. This is a grape variety the both specialize and excel in. Barkan is Israel’s second largest winery. It is owned by Tempo, Israel’s largest brewery & second largest beverage company. Their brands include Goldstar, Heineken, Absolut, Chivas Regal, and Pepsi Cola. Barkan also own Segal Wines. Their winery is at Hulda.

The prize for best boutique wineries was shared by Alexander and Adir. They each had two Double Gold Medal winning wines. Alexander Winery is situated at Beit Yitzhak in the Sharon Plain. It was founded in 1996. Adir Winery is situated in the Ramat Dalton Estate in the Upper Galilee.

The full list of winners is as follows.

The Best Kosher Israeli Wine – Barkan Wine Cellars Ltd Barkan Superieur Pinotage 2007

The Best Israeli Boutique Winery – Alexander Winery (Co-Awarding)

The Best Israeli Boutique Winery – Adir Winery (Co-Awarding)

The Best Israeli Small Boutique Winery – Shoshana Boutique Winery Shoshana Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

The Best Israeli Winemaker – Barkan Wine Cellars Ltd

Adir Winery Adir Tbr 2008 – Double Gold Medal Category 107 – Price US$ 50.00 to 84.99

Adir Winery Adir Plato 2009 – Double Gold Medal Category 107 – Price US$ 50.00 to 84.99

Alexander Winery Alexander Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008- Double Gold Medal Category 108 – Price US$ 85.00 to 119.99

Alexander Winery Alexander Reserve Merlot 2008 – Double Gold Medal Category 108 – Price US$ 85.00 to 119.99

Barkan Wine Cellars Ltd Barkan Superieur Pinotage 2007 – Double Gold Medal Category 107 – Price US$ 50.00 to 84.99

Shoshana Boutique Winery Shoshana Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 – Double Gold Medal Category 108 – Price US$ 85.00 to 119.99

Alexander Winery Alexander Reserve Shiraz 2008 – Gold Medal Category 108 – Price US$ 85.00 to 119.99

Arza Winery Auteur Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 – Gold Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Barkan Wine Cellars Ltd Barkan Superieur Shiraz 2006 – Gold Medal Category 107 – Price US$ 50.00 to 84.99

Barkan Wine Cellars Ltd Barkan Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 – Gold Medal Category 103 – Price US$ 11.00 to 16.99

Bazelet HaGolan Winery Bazelet Hagolan Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

2009- Gold Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Benhaim Winery Ltd Benhaim Grand Reserve 2006 – Gold Medal Category 106 – Price US$ 37.00 to 49.99

Benhaim Winery Ltd Benhaim Shiraz Tradition 2009 – Gold Medal Category 103 – Price US$ 11.00 to 16.99

Bustan Hameshushim Banjas Red 2009 – Gold Medal Category 102 – Price US$ 7.01 to US$ תחרות היינות והכהלים הבינלאומית –TERRAVINO 2011

Domaine Ventura Nahmans 2007 – Gold Medal Category 108 – Price US$ 85.00 to 119.99

Domaine Ventura Domaine Ventura Grande Cuvee Rose 2010 – Gold Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Eyal Boutique Winery Eyal Merlot 2009 – Gold Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Mond Winery Mond Merlot 2005 – Gold Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Mond Winery Mond Rouge 2005 – Gold Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Odem Mountain Winery Ltd Odem Mountain Merlot 2008 – Gold Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Odem Mountain Winery Ltd Odem Mountain Syrah 2009 – Gold Medal Category 106 – Price US$ 37.00 to 49.99

Or Hganuz Winery Namura Cabernet Franc 2009 – Gold Medal Category 107 – Price US$ 50.00 to 84.99

Or Hganuz Winery Or Haganuz Marom Vineyard Shamay Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 – Gold Medal Category 107 – Price US$ 50.00 to 84.99

Or Hganuz Winery Namura Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 – Gold Medal Category 107 – Price US$ 50.00 to 84.99

Or Hganuz Winery Or Haganuz Har Sinai – Gold Medal Category 107 – Price US$ 50.00 to 84.99

Red Sea Winery Red Sea Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 – Gold Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Shoshana Boutique Winery Shoshana Syrah 2008 – Gold Medal Category 107 – Price US$ 50.00 to 84.99

Stern Winery Rotem 2009 – Gold Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Tabor Winery Tabor Adama Sauvignon Blanc 2011 – Gold Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Adir Winery Adir “A” 2009 – Silver Medal Category 106 – Price US$ 37.00 to 49.99

Adir Winery Adir Kerem Ben Zimra Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 – Silver Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Baram Winery Baram Forest 2009 – Silver Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Barkan Wine Cellars Ltd Barkan Altitude Cabernet Sauvignon +624 2008 – Silver Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Barkan Wine Cellars Ltd Barkan Assemblage Eitan 2008 – Silver Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Barkan Wine Cellars Ltd Barkan Reserve Chardonnay 2010 – Silver Medal

Category 102 – Price US$ 7.01 to 10.99US$

Barkan Wine Cellars Ltd Barkan Assemblage Reichan 2008 – Silver Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Barkan Wine Cellars Ltd Barkan Altitude Cabernet Sauvignon +412 2008 – Silver Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Benhaim Winery Ltd Benhaim Gran Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 – Silver Medal Category 106 – Price US$ 37.00 to 49.99

Dadah Winery Dadah Malbec Barbera 2008 – Silver Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Domaine Ventura Domaine Ventura Merlot 2009 – Silver Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Domaine Ventura Domaine Ventura Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 – Silver Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Galil Mountain Winery Meron 2008 – Silver Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Galil Mountain Winery Galil Mountain Shiraz Cabernet 2009 – Silver Medal Category 103 – Price US$ 11.00 to 16.99

Galil Mountain Winery Yiron 2008 – Silver Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Gush Etzion Winery Haalon Haboded Shiraz 2009 – Silver Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Gush Etzion Winery Haalon Haboded Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 – Silver Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Mony Vineyards Mony Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2009

- Silver Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Mosto Chardonnay Di Zimbalista 2010 – Silver Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Naaman Winery Naaman Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 – Silver Medal Category 105 – Price US$ 27.00 to 36.99

Naaman Winery Deep Purple 2008 – Silver Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Ramot Naftaly Winery Ramot Naftaly Shiraz 2009 – Silver Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Ramot Naftaly Winery Ramot Cabernet Sauvignon Special Adition 2010 – Silver Medal Category 103 – Price US$ 11.00 to 16.99

Ruth Vineyard Ruth Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2007 – Silver Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Savoine Wine Savion Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 – Silver Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Shamaim Winery Shehakim 2009 – Silver Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Shiloh Winery Shiloh Shiraz Merlot Shor 2007 – Silver Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Stern Winery Stern Winery- Cabernet Franc 2009 – Silver Medal Category 103 – Price US$ 11.00 to 16.99

Tzuba Winery Tzuba Chardonnay 2010 – Silver Medal Category 104 – Price US$ 17.00 to 26.99

Nachmani Wines Nachmani Reserve Shiraz 2008 Gold Medal & Best Home Wine Award

Zuker Home Winery Jerusalem Zuker Merlot 2008 Gold Medal

Zuker Home Winery Jerusalem Zuker Shiraz 2008 Gold Medal

Kinarti Winery Kinarti Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Gold Medal

Metar Metar 2010 Gold Medal

Nachmani Wines Nachmani Reserve Merlot 2008 Gold Medal

AG Aroma of Grapes 2009 Silver Medal

Argov Argov Petite Sirah 2009 Silver Medal

Nahum Winery Shalom Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Silver Medal

Argov Sagol 2008 Silver Medal

Gabriel Gabriel Malbec 2009 Silver Medal

Hazan Winery Hazan Shira 2009 Silver Medal

Galach Aharon Galach Aharon 2009 Silver Medal

Zeev Winery Zeev Merlot 2009 Silver Medal

W&R 59 W&R Merlot 2009 Silver Medal

Gabriel Gabriel Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Silver Medal

Maimoni Maimoni Cabernet Franc 2009 Silver Medal

Har Adar winery Har Adar Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Silver Medal

Har Adar winery Har Adar Merlot Reserve 2009 Silver Medal

Binyamina Spirits Arak Hanamal 40 – Extra Fine Arak Anise/Licorice – Double Gold Medal

Galil Flavor Ltd. Pomegranate Dessert Wine Wine Fruit Sweet – Double Gold Medal

Sons of Baheej Kawar Industrial Ltd. Kawar Arak 45 Liqueurs Anise/Licorice – Double Gold Medal

Galil Flavor Ltd. Pomegranate Port Style Wine Wine Fruit Sweet – Gold Medal

Rafael Grappa Rafael Old-Fasioned Oak Barrel Grape Brandy Others – Gold Medal

Rimon Winery Ltd.Rimon Galilee Premium Pomegranate Port Style Wine 2006 Wine Fruit Sweet – Gold Medal

Rimon Winery Ltd.Rimon Red Semi Sweet Pomegranate Wine 2010Wine Fruit Sweet – Gold Medal

Anat’s Liqueurs Anat Orange Liqueur Liqueurs Fruit – Silver Medal

Anat’s Liqueurs Anat Irish Espresso Liqueur Liqueurs Coffee – Silver Medal

Ben Ari Winery Ben Ari Pomegranate Wine Wine Fruit Sweet – Silver Medal

Morad Winery Danue Passion Fruit Liqueurs Fruit – Silver Medal

Niv S.T. Healthy Ltd. Pomero 2010 Wine Fruit Sweet – Silver Medal

Rafael Grappa Rafael Grape Brandy Others – Silver Medal

Varda Beverages Varda Beverages Arak 2007 Liqueurs Anise/Licorice – Silver Medal

In a brilliant and original marketing ploy, a new wine has been launched which is totally secret. So secret it has no name, no variety, no story on the back label. Even the winery is unknown. All there is to go by is a QR code, which can be read by a smart phone, which leads to the secret wine website and facebook.

The idea is presumably that the tasting should be totally blind without any pre conceived ideas from the critic or consumer. It is obviously produced by a winery interested in showing improved quality and image, when in the past it has been known for wines of lesser quality.

The idea will launch a new series and the secret winery will reveal all in due course.

The rumor mill indicates the winery is Arza, which is situated at Mishor Adumim, east of Jerusalem. Arza is one of the three wineries owned by the Shor family. They opened the first recorded winery in Jerusalem’s Old City in 1848. The three wineries mainly pandered to the strictly orthodox market, producing Kiddush wine and grape juice. Of the three,Zion is the one that has made the best effort to improve quality and enter the table wine market. Hacormim has not moved quality wise, but they still sell their famous brand of Kiddush wine, Conditon. This new marketing idea may show Arza’s new will & determination to improve quality and image.

Arza is a large winery, the 12th largest in Israel. There have been two recent encouraging signs. Firstly they employed an internationally trained winemaker. Philippe Lichtenstein studied in Montpelier, France. He was for many years the winemaker of the Zichron Ya’acov Winery. This showed intent, because there is no point in employing a good winemaker to make basic wines.

They then invested in a market most other traditional wineries have fled from, the sweet Kiddush wine market, but they did so in a very innovative way. They created a new series of wines called Hallel, in an effort to modernize the traditional world of Kiddush wines. They put varieties and vintage dates on the labels. They increased the range by adding a low alcohol and a semi sweet wine. All the range are closed by a zork stopper, a very innovative user friendly closure. So, they modernized a very conservative category.

Up to now their main table wines are called Charisma and Cadenza, but these whilst good value, are reasonably inexpensive supermarket wines. Maybe the new secret wine will show that Arza is joining other traditional wineries in the move to quality table wines.

Carmel Winery has launched a new prestigious, limited edition, ‘wine finished’ brandy in memory of Daniel Rogov, z”l, who passed away recently. Daniel Rogov was Israel’s most celebrated wine critic, the voice of the Israel wine revolution and a strong advocate for Israeli wines. For nearly thirty years he was Israel’s most famous writer on both food and wine.

Rogov Brandy was distilled mainly from Colombard grapes. It is made up of components of 10, 15 and 27 year old brandies, matured separately in Carmel’s 120 year old cellars. The blend was then ‘finished’ in a used wine barrel. Although ‘wine finished’ whisky is a popular trend, to produce a ‘wine finished’ brandy is rare. However it is considered particularly appropriate in honor of a wine critic.

The individual components celebrate different stages in Daniel Rogov’s career. The 27 year old brandy represents the early 1980’s, when Rogov began to write on food and wine in Israel. The 15 year old brandy represents the 1990’s, when Rogov, writing in the Jerusalem Post, became established as Israel’s most prominent food and wine critic. The 10 year old brandy represents the 2000’s, when Rogov, by now writing for Haaretz, cemented his international reputation, and received international recognition as the world’s leading expert on Israeli and Kosher wines.

Rogov Brandy is rich, very fruity, with a warm, rounded middle palate and long lingering finish. This special and unique brandy comes in a numbered bottle, in its own gift box. Only 300 bottles were produced. It will only be available at the Carmel Wine & Culture Shop, Winery St., Zichron Ya’acov.

Carmel Winery stated producing brandies in 1898 to use excess grapes. The winery has won many trophies and gold medals for its brandies over the years. Rogov Brandy joins the other quality Carmel brandies:

Carmel 100 Brandy

This was created to celebrate Carmel’s 100^th anniversary.

Carmel 100 Brandy won the ultimate award for a brandy at one of the world’s most prestigious competitions for spirits:

Winner of ‘The Oude Meester Trophy for Best Brandy Worldwide 1998.’(IWSC*, London)

Carmel 120 Brandy

This was a limited edition brandy released to celebrate Carmel’s 120^th harvest. Only 2,000 bottles were produced. This brandy received rave reviews, including from Daniel Rogov himself. He regarded it as Israel’s finest brandy.

“The newly released Carmel 120 Brandy raises Israeli brandies to a new level, one frankly that I had not thought possible in the past. This one comfortably earns 95 points.” Daniel Rogov

* The International Wines & Spirits Competition in London.

]]> http://www.israeli-wine.org/2012/01/06/rogov-brandy/feed/ 0 http://www.israeli-wine.org/2012/01/05/castel-yatir-excel-again/ http://www.israeli-wine.org/2012/01/05/castel-yatir-excel-again/#comments Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:01:39 +0000 Avi http://www.israeli-wine.org/?p=2487 The following is from wines-israel.com and reprinted with permission. 

The Wine Advocate has published its annual December tasting of Israeli wines.

The three most successful wines were Yatir Forest, Castel Grand Vin and Carmel Limited Edition.

The target of any winery is to receive 90 points or more in the Wine Advocate.

The wines which succeeded in this objective were:

Castel Grand Vin 2009                                                        92 points

Yatir Forest 2008                                                                  92

Carmel Limited Edition 2008                                             91

Carmel Mediterranean 2008                                             90

Carmel Shiraz, Kayoumi 2008                                            90

Castel Blanc du Castel 2010                                                90

Yatir Merlot Shiraz Cabernet 2008                                    90

Barkan Assemblage Mount Eitan  2008                           90

Barkan Cabernet Sauvignon Superieur  2007                 90

Barkan Cabernet Sauvignon Superieur 2008                  90

Alexander Amarolo 2007                                                    90

Alexander Cabernet sauvignon The Great 2007            90

Margalit Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve 2008      90

The Wine Advocate is the newsletter of the world’s most powerful wine critic, Robert Parker. Mark Squires tastes the Israeli wines on Parker’s behalf.

Now Daniel Rogov is deceased, the scores of Mark Squires, arguably the main expert on Israeli wines, become even more significant.

The surprise was the success of Israel’s two largest wineries. Both Barkan and Carmel had three wines on the list.

Of the smaller wineries, Alexander, Castel and Yatir each had two wines which reached the coveted 90 points.

The Wine Advocate has now been regularly tasting Israeli wines for five years.

By far the most successful Israeli wines during this period are Castel Grand Vin and Yatir Forest.

No other Israeli wine comes close to the record of these two Bordeaux style blends.

Castel Grand Vin is produced by Domaine du Castel at Ramat Raziel. Yatir Forest is produced by Yatir Winery at Tel Arad.

The Castel Grand Vin has six times received 90 points or more:

2003   90

2004   92

2006   90

2007   91

2008   93

2009   92

The Yatir Forest has on six consecutive vintages scored 90 points or more:

2003  93

2004  91

2005  90

2006  91

2007  91

2008  92

As of now, forty six Israeli wines have scored 90 points in the Wine Advocate. So it is no longer as rare as it used to be. However,

only 19 Israeli wines have succeeded to score 91 points or more in the Wine Advocate. This makes a far more select list.

The wines with 91 points or more, are as follows:

Yatir Forest 2003                                                           93 points

Castel Grand Vin 2008                                                  93

Margalit Cabernet Sauvignon Sp. Res.  2007                93

Clos du Gat Sycra Muscat 2007                                    93

Castel Grand Vin 2004                                                  92

Yatir Forest 2008                                                           92

Castel Grand Vin 2008                                                  92

Clos du Gat Sycra Syrah 2007                                      92

Tzora Or 2006                                                               92

Carmel Limited Edition 2007                                         91

Carmel Limited Edition 2008                                         91

‘C’ Blanc du Castel 2005                                              91

Castel Grand Vin 2007                                                 91

Yatir Forest 2004                                                         91

Yatir Forest 2006                                                         91

Yatir Forest 2007                                                         91

Margalit Kadita Cabernet Sauvignon 2007                 91

Yarden HeightsWine 2005                                          91

Yarden Katzrin 2003                                                   91

Both Castel and Yatir again lead the way having scored 91 points or more on five occasions.

Carmel, Clos du Gat, Margalit, and Yarden have each achieved this twice.

Israeli wine has always had a special place in its surrounding society. It has had the same relevance and prominence from the days of Ancient Israel in Biblical times, through the Pre-State period at the end of the 19^th century, to the now, more than 60 year old, State of Israel. In ancient times wine was a major industry and vines, grapes and wine were frequently used as imagery that people could relate to.

In modern times, wine still plays a crucial role. The settling of the country, the planting of vineyards and production of wine has helped develop the country. Time and again the farming villages or settlements have set the political tone. Wine was at the forefront at every stage of Israel’s history.

It started with the founding of a modern wine industry in what was an outpost of the Ottoman Empire. This in itself was a surprise. The Turks were not in favor of the immigration of Jews to the Holy Land, nor was wine a desired industry for a Muslim protectorate.

Baron Edmond de Rothschild, the founder of Israel’s wine industry, had to move carefully. He kept a low profile. His managers and administrators had to be politically astute in dealings with the Sultan. They were only able to achieve what they did by strictly and painstakingly adhering to all the demands of an overblown bureaucracy and receiving all necessary approvals, one by one. Occasionally baksheesh had to be paid as was common in those times. However the fact that Rothschild undertook to improve the infrastructure of his farming villages, and fulfilled his promises, helped the Turks to turn a blind eye to the proceedings. Tension though, was never far away, and the Turks constantly thought the large winery cellars were to be used ulterior motives. More than once building was halted on instruction of the Sultan, so the officials could check that some sort of military fortress was not being built.

The wineries at Rishon Le Zion and Zichron Ya’acov and vineyards, in particular in the Shefela and Mt. Carmel regions, were symbols of the First Aliyah. The idea of working the land and making it your own was adopted by the so called Labor Zionism movement. The fact that David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister worked at the Rishon Le Zion Cellars and Levi Eshkol, Israel’s third Prime Minister, managed the vineyards surrounding the cellars, only underlined the importance of wineries as a symbol of the new Israel. When Theodore Herzl, the founder of Zionism, visited Israel in 1898 he was taken to see the Rishon Le Zion Cellars as an active example of the Zionist dream come true. He was impressed enough to become a shareholder of the Carmel Wine Co. branch that opened in Vienna.

Carmel Winery remains the largest winery in Israel until today. Its parent company is SCV des Grandes Caves. They own the historic cellars of Rishon Le Zion and Zichron Ya’acov and the modern wineries of Kayoumi in the north and Yatir in the south. Modern Israel had its roots in the success of the new farming villages, the vineyards and wineries. Carmel was the mainstay of Israeli wine for over 100 years. Carmel became Israel’s first brand and first exporter. As in Biblical times, wine was again the premier Israeli industry.

Wine was prominent enough an issue, to attract the intervention of politicians. When Joseph Seltzer from Hungary wanted to found a winery in 1952, he did so, on the site of a disused perfume factory in Binyamina. The company was named Eliaz, in memory of his son, Eliezer, who fell in the War of Independence. The initial approval was given only for a liqueur factory. When they started to produce wine, the SCV (Wine Growers Cooperative) was up in arms. There were disputes between PICA, the administrators of all the Rothschild colonies, who owned the site, Binyamina Council and the winery itself. The dispute was exacerbated by demonstrations by new immigrants who had been promised jobs.

When things were getting out of hand, David Ben Gurion, by then Prime Minister, became involved and convened a special arbitration committee, to resolve the situation. The application to make wine was retrospectively approved, on condition that their fruit was not taken from SCV’s vineyards. Eliaz still exists in the center of Binyamina, but under a different name. It is now marketed as Binyamina Winery. In 2008 was purchased by the Hezi Hinam Supermarket chain and remains today the fourth largest winery in Israel.

Political intervention was also apparent in the founding of the Golan Heights Winery. The Wine Growers Cooperative was against it and they had a person of influence in the right position to lead the opposition. Pessah Grupper was the Minister of Agriculture, as well as being a veteran member of the Wine Growers Cooperative. A few years later he was to be made Chairman of SCV des Grandes Caves, a post he held for over fifteen years. This time the future of the winery was preserved only due the strong intervention and bulldozer approach of Ariel Sharon, who was then the Minister of Trade & Industry and was later to become the eleventh Prime Minister of Israel. He managed to secure the approvals and support for Shimshon Welner, the winery general manager, to help the development of the Golan Heights Winery and its move to its permanent premises in Katzrin. As with the case of Eliaz Binyamina, the final push was political.

Sometimes it was wine that put a region on the map. The Golan Heights Winery and its brands of Yarden, Gamla and Golan led the way to Israel producing world class wines. There were originally four moshavs and four kibbutzes from the south of the Golan overlooking the Sea of Galilee, to the northern Golan in the shadow of Mount Hermon, who combined to form the winery in 1983. The first vineyards had been planted on the Golan in 1976. Wine became the most visual export from the Golan and arguably contributed to the fact that the Golan was swiftly adopted by Israelis. The Golan Heights was a new area, which came in to Israel’s hands during the Six Day War. As a settlement project, it was a relative failure, judging by the number of people settling there. However the positive attributes of settlement pioneering, Israeli agriculture and advanced technology combined in the Golan Heights Winery. Its Yarden wines were Israel’s first world class wines. The Golan area came to be very much associated with the success of its wines.

Wineries have been pioneers of new regions right up until the present day. In 2000 Yatir Winery was founded at Tel Arad in the north eastern Negev. Their vineyards are situated in Yatir Forest. In the early 1960’s David Ben Gurion, this time the pioneer of the Negev rather than just a politician, demanded that a forest be planted in the meeting place between the Judean Hills, Judean Dessert and Negev Dessert. His experts returned and said “the scientists are against it.” Ben Gurion retorted “so, change the scientists!!” They did. In 1964 Israel’s largest forest was planted. Yatir Winery is the most prominent Israeli winery situated in the Negev Dessert and Yatir Forest is a whole new terroir for quality wines. The first vineyard in the Negev was planted at Ramat Arad in 1988 and the first vineyards in the forest were planted in 1996. Thus the winery, like the Golan previously, was a pioneer not only of the wine industry, but also of a whole new wine growing region. Yatir Forest is situated on the southern tip of the Judean Hills, bordering the ‘green line’. All the Yatir Forest vineyards lie within undisputed Israel. Yatir Winery is one of Israel’s most exciting ‘new’ boutique wineries.

The area known as the West Bank or Judah and Samaria, was more politically fraught. The first winery moved there in 1988. The company WEST, which was associated with Stock, rented property for their new winery, in the Barkan Industrial Estate, near the West Bank town of Ariel. Companies opening businesses in the West Bank received favorable rates and inducements to encourage them to move there. Unfortunately, WEST became bankrupt before the move was completed. In 1990, the winery was taken over by investors led by Shmuel Boxer and Yair Lerner and renamed Barkan Winery. Barkan grew to become the second largest winery in Israel. In 2005, the winery entered a partnership with Tempo, Israel’s largest brewery, which led to Tempo buying them outright. Tempo is a beverage empire with brands such as Goldstar, Heineken, Absolut, Chivas Regal and Pepsi Cola.

Gradually Barkan was seen as one of the companies symbolizing the settlement in the Territories. There were threads of boycotts and black lists. This was made worse by the partnership with the global beer giant, Heineken, who shared 40% of Tempo Beverages Ltd. The Dutch company did not want to be associated with a company situated in the West Bank. Before this storm arose, Barkan had procured land at Kibbutz Hulda, near Rehovot. In 2007 Barkan were able to open a brand new winery there. Good news for business. Barkan became Israel’s largest exporter.

In the last ten to 15 years, there are a number of new wineries that have opened in the Central Mountains, comprising Judea and Samaria, otherwise known as the West Bank. These include the Ramat Hebron Winery in Kyriat Arba and the Gush Etzion Winery, south of Jerusalem and Shilo and Psagot, north of Jerusalem. Daniel Rogov, the late, famous wine critic, used to sum up the situation very well. He said: “There are domestic and overseas customers who simply won’t buy the wine because it comes from the occupied West Bank.” He went on: “In contrast there are many others who lean towards the right wing orthodox Jewish side, who will look out those wines precisely because they come from there.” Most of the wineries there are not commercial operations, but rather domestic businesses, producing a few thousand bottles only. Together they are reviving wine production in this Biblical region. Many of these new wineries are geared towards tourism for commercial reasons, but also for public relations purposes. It is in their interest to show the Israeli settler as placid farmer types planting vineyards and growing wine. Again, wine is at the center of the political issues of the day.

Some on the far left have caught on about the success of the Israeli wine industry and seek to portray that all Israeli wine is sullied because it comes from disputed territory. Actually, this could not be further from the truth. Israel’s largest ten wineries have more than 92% of the Israeli wine production. The leading wineries are Carmel, Barkan, Golan, Teperberg, Binyamina, Tishbi, Galil Mountain, Recanati, Tabor and Dalton. Not one of them is situated in the politically charged West Bank. If one of them buys wine from a borderline West Bank vineyard, 99% of their vineyards are in Israel proper.

The same is true of the best wineries. The top ten quality wineries according to Daniel Rogov’s Guide To Israeli Wines are: 1. Golan Heights, 2. Yatir, 3. Margalit, 4. Castel, 5, Clos de Gat, 6. Flam, 7. Chateau Golan, 8. Pelter, 9. Carmel, 10.Galil Mountain. Not one of them is situated in the West Bank or sources wine from West Bank vineyards.

It is true that the wine appellations of Israel can be confusing. However this is not new, and is not intended to blur reality. Israel’s wine regions were registered in the 1960’s before the Six Day War and the start of settlement in the West Bank, and they have never been updated. Vineyards referred to as being in the Shomron Region, are mostly concentrated in the Mt Carmel and Ramat Menashe coastal area, which are in undisputed Israel. Likewise by far of the majority of Judean Hills vineyards lie in the corridor towards Jerusalem and in the foothills west of Jerusalem. Again, in undisputed Israel.

The Golan is another issue. It is a prime region for wineries and vineyards. However, only the most fervent, anti-Israel campaigners categorize the Golan as politically problematic. After all, there are no Palestinians on the Golan. The adjoining country is Syria, not Jordan, and their regime is controlled by the tyrant, President Assad, not a mensch, like King Hussein. It is like comparing apples and oranges. The situation is just not the same.

Daniel Rogov, a confirmed leftist, observed: ‘’I think most left oriented people do not consider the Golan as occupied territory and purchase these wines with no compunction whatever.’’ Daniel Rogov was someone who would visit wineries on the Golan, but would refuse to step in to the West Bank. Not with standing this view, the Golan Heights Winery has been in the front line for those who wanted to target Israel. This was probably because as a very successful, visible winery, it was an easy target. In the early 2000’s Selfridges, the prestigious store in London, delisted Yarden wines under pressure from Palestinian demonstrations outside the store. In 2006, Systembolaget, the alcohol buying monopoly in Sweden, refused to write ‘Made in Israel’ for a Golan wine. In this way, forces against Israel were using wine to make a political point.

Most people in the wine industry believe wine should be separated from politics. You don’t need a flag to grow grapes and wine should be judged on quality. In other words it should be above the fray.

After 130 years of pioneering, from the time the first Carignan was planted in Zichron Ya’acov, it is still wineries and vineyards that are in the center of the Israel discourse. These have contributed to raise Israel’s profile. Wine is one of Israel’s finest quality exports and arguably Israel’s finest ambassador. Wine continues to be attraction for the full spectrum of political views, covering every corner of the disputed and undisputed land. And those that want to glorify or vilify Israel, may still do so, through its wine.

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