2005 Chateau Golan Syrah “Special Reserve”

David Honig
Wine Reviews
1 min read
Uri Hetz is another American-trained Israeli winemaker. His formal wine education is from Oregon State University, and his hands-on training came from Joseph Phelps Winery in Napa Valley. Chateau Golan is in the Upper Galilee (Golan Heights). The Syrah "Special Reserve" was one of the best wines tasted while in

2012 Shvo Red

David Honig
Wine Reviews
1 min read
Gaby Sedan, formerly the winemaker at Golan Heights Winery, bought the vineyards for Shvo Winery in 2007. The vines are in the Upper Galilee (Golan Heights), and grow at approximately 800 meters. The Grenache and Mourvedre, both found in the "Red," are grown as bush, rather than trained, vines. The

2012 Lewinsohn Winery “Garage de Papa” Blanc

David Honig
Wine Reviews
1 min read
Ido Lewinsohn make both his wines, Garage de Papa Blanc and Garage de Papa Rouge, in his father's garage. The Blanc is made from chardonnay grapes grown in Upper Galilee (Golan Heights). The wine is fermented in neutral oak and does not undergo malolactic fermentation. The nose leads with pear,

Wine from the Holy Land, at Your Door

David Honig
Features
11 min read
Twenty years ago there was only a handful of Israeli wines, and very few of interest to the international consumer. Today, there are 300 different wineries, and many of them are making wines that are not only in the international style, but that can also compete on the international stage.

Freixenet Excelencia Cava Kosher

David Honig
Wine Reviews
1 min read
Freixenet, Spain's well known producer of méthode champenoise cava, has now released a glatt kosher version of its famous sparkling wine. The Freixenet Excelencia Cava Kosher was flash pasteurized and produced under kosher supervision, so it meets the highest level of kosher certification. The appearance is pale yellow, with the slightest

2011 Tulip “Black Tulip”

David Honig
Wine Reviews
1 min read
Tulip's flagship meets expectations as the best of its line. The nose shows black currant and black cherry. The first impression on the palate is the smooth, silky mouth feel. Black cherry leads, followed by blackberry, with hints of vanilla and spices. Good complexity and well-integrated tannins all shows a

2013 Tulip “White Tulip”

David Honig
Wine Reviews
1 min read
This is a lovely wine for the pool-side, fresh, bright, and refreshing. The color is a pale straw, and the nose shows pineapple, backed by pink grapefruit. The Sauvignon Blanc takes the lead on the palate, with grass and grapefruit. Pineapple, tart and sweet, come through on the mid-palate, followed

2013 Tulip “White Franc”

David Honig
Wine Reviews
1 min read
Off-dry and interesting. This curious and pleasant white wine is made primarily from the red wine grape, cabernet franc. There is no skin contact after the juice is pressed, so no color (which comes from the skins) is added to the wine. With 13-14 grams of residual sugar, there is