Celebrate Shavuot and the beginning of summer with our list of 20 of the best white and rosé wines available now in the wine stores.
By NERIA BARRUpdated: JUNE 10, 2016 15:14White and rosé wines(photo credit: PR)
Among the many customs associated with Shavuot, serving dairy foods is the most well known. To complete the experience and in accordance with the hot weather, there is nothing better than serving chilled white and rosé wines with your fish, quiches and cheesecakes.WHITE WINEKayoumi single vineyard Riesling 2014 This award-winning wine is one of the best Israeli white wines. It comes from the celebrated Kayoumi vineyard in the foothills of Mount Meron in the Upper Galilee, made from 100% Johannesburg Riesling. The Carmel Riesling is pale-straw with green hints, with aromas of white flowers and green apple. Medium to full body and prominent and refreshing acidity. NIS 80 La Vie Blanc du Castel 2015 The new and youngest addition to the Castel wine family, this is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer grapes. The wine has a refined golden color and a fresh and rich complexity of tropical fruit notes with lemony freshness. NIS 89.Amphora Rhyton Sauvignon Blanc 2014 This dry white wine is full of fresh fruits flavors, with a hint of lemon. The slight citrus taste is enriched by tropical exotic notes. Very good balance between acidity and invigorated freshness. NIS 80 to NIS 85.Amphora Mediterranean Blanc de Noir 2014 Halfway between white and rose, this white wine is made from red grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The color is golden, with shades of green, with floral aromas as well as tropical fruit, honey, caramel, with gentle vanilla notes. Well balanced, with a long finish. NIS 70.Benhaim Chardonnay Reserve 2014 This is a full-bodied Chardonnay with oak and vanilla aromas, as well as tropical fruit. It will pair very well with fish dishes and cheeses. NIS 129 Tulip NET Sauvignon Blanc 2015 This is a very dry wine, with typical fresh herbal aromas, as well as citrus and pineapple. Good acidity and light golden color. Great accompaniment for fish dishes. NIS 109.Tzuba Metzuda Semillon/ Sauvignon Blanc 2014 This dry white wine is made from a blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc grapes and 50% Semillon grapes. It is aged in French barrels for four months in Surlie style. A lovely fresh wine with rich fruity aromas and a balanced acidity, it goes very well with quiches, cheese platters, salads and pasta dishes. NIS 85.Dalton Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2015 The grapes came from three vineyards – Alkosh and Kerem Ben Zimra in the Galilee and one in the Golan Heights. It is a crisp and fresh greenish almost transparent wine with good acidity, which makes it a perfect pairing for fish, pasta dishes and goat cheeses. NIS 65.
Bravdo Chardonnay 2015 The award-winning Chardonnay is golden in color, an aromatic and wellbalanced wine that offers powerful aromas of pineapple, pomegranate and tropical fruit, as well as gentle vanilla. Fruity and buttery, this wine will go well with a cheese platter, fruit and fish. NIS 90.Teperberg Impression, Gewürztraminer 2014 A floral semi-sweet wine with noticeable rose and tropical fruit aromas, it is round and well balanced.This wine can be served as an aperitif, as well as with desserts and Asian dishes. NIS 40.Teperberg Inspire Famitage The Gewürztraminer – Chenin Blanc white blend is a unique combination of distinct character varieties, which come together into one harmonious wine. This dry wine is bursting with summer fruit aromas and characterized by a soft, pleasant texture. NIS 60.Hayotzer Sauvignon Blanc 2013 Crisp with herbal aromas and light yellow-green color, this wine is perfect on a hot day. Pair it with fish and pasta dishes. NIS 40.Vina Encina Blanco 2011 A mevushal kosher dry white wine from Spain, this is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscatel. An aromatic wine with flavors of lychee and grass. NIS 39.Villa Chavin 2014 This is a semi-dry French Chardonnay, with straw color and floral aromas of white flowers and herbs with hints of vanilla. A very refreshing mevushal kosher wine. NIS 40.Mantinia Moschofilero Troupis 2014 From the Greek Peloponnese peninsula, this single vineyard wine comes from Mantinia. It is an aromatic wine combined with crisp freshness.Elegant and delightful. NIS 70 to NIS 75. NK.Masi Masianco 2013 This is a fresh white wine, aromatic and fruity in style; the unmistakable result of combining Pinot Grigio delle Venezie and Verduzzo varieties, with the Appassimento technique, which is the winery’s specialty. A “super Venetian” wine with great style from the renowned Masi winery. NIS 75. NK ROSEIn the wine world, rosé wines are a sub-group of the whites. Not very popular only a few years back, more and more wineries are now choosing to produce rosé. Serve it with light meals and desserts or as an aperitif for the sheer joy of its lovely color. The following are five of the best rosé wines tasted recently.Dalton Rosé 2015 Made from Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Barbera and Grenach, the Dalton Rosé 2015 is an aromatic wine with hints of roses, strawberry and red grapefruit. A semi-dry lightmedium wine, it is very refreshing and well balanced. Serve it with antipasti and soft white cheeses, such as feta. NIS 47.Carmel Vineyards Rosé Emek Kadesh 2014 This is a dry and elegant rosé made from Tempranillo and Shiraz. Very light pink in color with aromas of berries, roses and spice. Medium body and well balanced, it will pair very well with salads and goat cheeses. NIS 65.Rosé du Castel 2015 The perfect summer wine, this blend of Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc has a very light pink color. This fresh and crisp wine, which is also complex, offers fruity notes and a smooth creamy body, ending with a crisp finish.NIS 95.Villa Chavin 2014 This is a semi-dry French Grenach rosé wine. Almost red in color, the wine is very fruity and spicy, well balanced, with a medium finish. Kosher mevushal.NIS 40.Rosa Dei Masi 2013 This is a lovely rosé with aromas of wild strawberries and some spice. Pretty salmon color, with some rose petal notes. Made from Refosco grapes grown on the estate’s property. A small proportion are dried using the appasimento method to concentrate the wine’s acidity and freshness. It is an ideal aperitif but will also pair well with fish and pasta. NIS 75. NK