For their lives, for our lives, for life, especially now: Wine and alcohol recommendations for Rosh Hashanah.
By YANIV GRANOT/WALLA! Psagot Winery(photo credit: PR)
Glenmorangie Nectar 16
Glenmorangie Nectar 16 (credit: PR)
The old Scottish distillery opens a year with the most Israeli Highlands combination available, just in time for the most necessary moments of the holiday, and especially the holiday table. Glenmorangie Nectar 16 is a single malt inspired by the famous patisseries of France. It was aged for 14 years in ex-Barban barrels, passed from them to another two years in white dessert wine barrels, and converged into a rich drink with dessert aspirations. It has a medium body, carries sweet aromas of brioche dough and pudding and provides a balanced sip, rich in fruit and nut flavors, with a present honey finish. Like there, like here.
Recanati Winery
Recanati Winery (credit: PR)
The respected Israeli winery opens a new year with a catalog full of possibilities, and in an intriguing northern row. Recanati's Galil vineyards series is the product of the optimistic tenacity of his people, and the product of the wineries on the border of Lebanon. It will be officially launched in just a few months, and for now two white wines that are terroir are on the holiday table. Galil Vineyards Chardonnay vintage 2023 (NIS 65) consists of grapes that were aged in French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks for eight months, and came out with citrus aromas and a refreshing-cool feeling. Galil Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2023 vintage (NIS 65) is based on old vineyards in the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights, and carries grapefruit aromas and light floral flavors.
Galil Mountains Winery and Beewise
Galil Mountains Winery and Beewise (credit: PR)
A northern collaboration between the excellent winery and the robotic beehive mizen converged into a Rosh Hashanah gift that highlights locality and Israeliness, without losing hope. The Galil Mountains Winery, which lost more than 300 dunams of its territory since the beginning of the war, continues to operate even now, exists and sustains, and reaches out to the Beewise people in Beit HaEmek, who developed smart beehives while trying to save the bees in Israel, and in the whole world. These beehives were also placed in the Matisyahu vineyard of the winery, near fruit trees, and allowed the bees to produce cylindrical, real and lovely terroir honey.
The result is a special case (NIS 219), spectacular in its design, containing first-fruit honey from the aforementioned hives, apple jam with honey from "Zota" and wines from the winery's new Fall series - Red Fall, White Fall and Galil Alon.
Teperberg Winery
Teperberg Winery (credit: PR)
The Israeli winery celebrates a new year with four optimistic table stars, as much as possible, and elaborate gift boxes for the guests, and for you. Merlot Essence 2018 is based on vineyard products in the Elah Valley and the Ephraim Mountains that were aged in French oak barrels for 18 months, and released to the market after another eight months in the bottle. The result is a wine with a deep color, fruity aromas and hints of pine trees, full body and a long finish.
Cabernet Sauvignon Essence 2018 consists of grapes from the vineyards in the Galilean Kedesh Valley and Ephraim Mountains rum that matured in French oak barrels for 18 months, and were assembled into a final blend that continued to mature in the bottle for another six months. The wine, dark red in color with a black finish, in return provides aromas of berries and cocoa, a strong presence and a smooth finish. Vision Rosé semi-dry 2023 consists of Gewurztraminer and Malbek grapes from vineyards in the Mitzpe Ramon area.
The wine, rosy in color, carries refreshing tropical aromas, and light, excellent sour flavors. Grenache Sira Marslane 2023 is the newest addition to the Inspire Art series. This is a dry red Babland based on Grenache, Syrah and Marsallan grapes from the Ayalon Valley that were aged for about 8 months in American oak barrels. The wine, relatively light in its shades, combines flower and fruit aromas, and a complex and balanced sip. All these, and more, come together in Teperberg's Rosh Hashanah packaging, in which an excellent "brick box" (NIS 159) includes a lightly sparkling moscato, a semi-dry gewurztraminer with a delicate sweetness, as well as a Late Harvest Riesling that will wait for dessert, and to leave the final impression.
Tabor Winery
Tabor Winery (credit: PR)
The popular Galilean winery celebrates the Tishrei holidays with a wide local collection and two prominent gift offers that combine values, emotion and professionalism. Eco Adom is an elegant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Merlot grapes from the winery's vineyards in the Upper Galilee, the Golan Heights and the Jerusalem Mountains aged in French oak barrels for 18 months.
Price: NIS 84. Adama Sauvignon Blanc is a white wine whose grapes were harvested in the vineyards of Kfar Tavor, and in return provide tropical aromas, a light character and a refreshing citrus taste.
The excellent kibbutz winery opens a new year with an intriguing and wide catalog, and two festive table anchors. Rosé 2023 is a dry blend of Cabernet grapes and Malbec Franc that provides a great peach shade, fruity aromas of strawberries and citrus, refreshing acidity and a cherry aftertaste.
Price: NIS 110. Chardonnay 2023 is a dry white wine aged for eight months in French oak barrels, and in return provides light aromas of citrus fruits and a balanced sip.
Price: NIS 110. Alexander Winery (credit: PR)
Alexander Winery
The Beit Yitzhak boutique winery opens a year with a festive catalog, and a prominent table star. Alexander Reserve Rosé Rosé 2023 is a blend created on the basis of Mourvère, Grenache and Syrah grapes grown in the Ben Zimra vineyard. It is characterized by a relatively low alcohol percentage (12.8%) and combines natural and fresh acidity, fruity aromas and a great tone that all come together for a festive, chilled and proper sip.
The boutique winery in the Binyamin region celebrates a new year with shelves full of options, and boxes that group them together for an invested gift, under the format "Wine will make a human heart happy" of course. The boxes - self-assembled or as they are - include olive oil and honey with a clay spoon, chocolate from the "Cocoa Forest" house and designed wine glasses, a set of accessories for walking (and drinking) favors, handmade natural wine soap, dried flowers and flower pots as well, and quite a few options for accompanying bottles All of this, probably.
Tura Winery
Tura Winery (credit: PR)
The family boutique winery in Rachel opens a year with a wide table and gift collection, and a particularly festive bottle. Chardonnay 2022 of Tura Winery is a dry white wine from Kerem Bracha grapes aged for ten months in wooden barrels. The wine has bright yellow hues, holds citrus-vanilla aromas, and provides a sour and refreshing sip.
Price: NIS 95.
Segal Winery
Segal Winery (credit: PR)
The outstanding Galilee vineyards of the veteran winery open a year with the UF 2021 edition, one of Segal's concept wines. This is a red wine based on Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from the 2021 vintage, boasting complex and elegant features, fruity and sweet aromas and a balance that knows how to respond to a contemporary opening but also to be carried away with proper sTurage.
Price: NIS 110.
The old Israeli winery opens a year with justified hope for "moments of togetherness", as it defines it, and with two new bottles on the holiday table. Chardonnay Private Collection from the 2023 vintage is a dry white wine from one of the winery's prestigious series, which carries aromas of green apple and tropical fruits, and continues from there to a sour and balanced sip.
Price: NIS 45.
Cabernet Sauvignon Selected from the 2023 vintage is a dry red wine from the winery's popular series, which manages to maintain a youthful spirit, with fruity-caffeine aromas and noticeable lightness.
Price: NIS 35.
Carmel Wineries
Carmel Wineries (credit: PR)
The old winery opens a new year with wide wine shelves, and two especially festive bottles. Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 from Barkan's Gold Wines series is a dry red wine from grapes harvested in the area of Kerem Ben Zamera and Moshav Alma. The wine was aged in oak barrels, and is characterized by sweet plum aromas and a soft finish.
Price: NIS 39. Chardonnay Gold 2022, from the same reputed series, is a dry white wine from the Beko area on the Judean slopes that was aged for five months in French and American oak barrels, and came out of them with a yellowish hue, tropical-citrus aromas and a fresh finish.
Price: NIS 39.
Barkan Winery
Barkan Winery (credit: PR)
Seror Winery
Seror Winery (credit: PR)
The boutique winery in the south of the Golan Heights opens a new page and a new year with a wide range of wines, and a prominent star. L'Or Rouge from the 2021 vintage is a dry red blend consisting of three grape varieties - Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot - from a successful vineyard in the Plateau region, aged in French barrique barrels for approximately 18 months. The wine has a dark and deep red hue, ripe fruity aromas and a sip that touches chocolate.
