Ya'akov Oryah 'Light from Darkness' is a fun blend of four red grapes vinified white - Grenache (34%), Mourvedre (33%), Cinsault (24%), Barbera (9%). 2023. 10.5%. Produced by Yeruham Agro Industries Ltd, Israel.
Beginning in 2004, Ya'akov Oryah has worked with Barry Saslove at Soreq winery nd later with the Negev grower Eran Raz from whom he brought white grapes. He produces White, Skin Contact White, Dessert White, Red and Special Edition White wines.
Or Haganuz Amuka Cabernet Sauvignon light 9%
How many times have we been given the excuse that Spanish or Greek wine is 14.5% or 15% because they are grown in a hot climate? We know that producers feel unable to pick early enough or modify their vinification practices so as to keep the Abv low but in the end it remains a choice and this 9% Cabernet Sauvignon from Israel demonstrates what can be done if you excercise that choice even if the vinification involves some 'inovative technology and advanced equipment.'
Admittedly this is not a great winebut it is pleasantly dtinkable and won't give you a headache even if it doesn't put hair on your chest.
Orient 1848 5th Generation Winery Colombard, Grenache Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc blend. Galilee. 12%
The 1848 5th Generation Winery has a fascinating history and testifies to a history of winemaking by Jewish immigrants to Palestine which is longer than may be imagined. Here is a history from the winery's website'
The date 1848 refers to the year when the patriarch of the family, Rabbi Mordechai Avraham Galina emigrated from Ukraine to Palestine.
His son Yitzhak Galina-Shor, saw a clear need for quality wine and decided to establish a family winery. His brother in law, Baruch Shor, had the necessary license required by the Ottoman authorities, so the family changed their name to Shor. The winery was situated on Haggai Street in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. It was the earliest winery in Israel. Grapes were purchased from the local market, wines were made in large casks and sold in small barrels. There were no bottles or labels. Sales were by word of mouth. Nearly all the wines were sweet. The first evidence of the new family profession was shown in the census commissioned by Moses Montefiore in 1849.
Shmuel Shor was the 2nd
generation of the family. He managed the winery in the Old City of
Jerusalem. His wife Rosa, was a great character. She opened the first
wine bar and shop in the Cotton Market in the Muslim Quarter, serving
wine, brandy and arak. It was known as ‘Hamra Rosa’, which is Aramaic
for ‘Rosa’s Winery’. The Shor family winery purchased grapes from Arab
owned vineyards in the Hebron area, which were carried in baskets to
Jerusalem on camels and donkeys. Families buying wine would go to the
winery to fill up the only glass bottle they had, or another available
container, returning when they needed a refill.
Rosa Shor took over the management of the winery, when her husband Shmuel died in 1921. After a ruling by the British Mandate in 1925, the winery was forced to find a new home after nearly 80 years in the Old City. They moved to Beit Israel in west Jerusalem and re-established the winery there. The family lived on the upper floors, the winery was in the cellar-basement. Rosa, who lived opposite the winery, became the first woman to manage a winery in Israel. She was responsible for the successful transition from the Old City to their new home and winery. Grapes were local, including indigenous varieties such as Dabouki, which were still sourced from Hebron vineyards, and brought to the winery on donkeys. Wines were termed ‘sweet,’ or ‘sour’ (referring to dry and semi dry wines.)
The brothers Avraham Meir and Moshe Shalom Shor together formed the 4th generation. The winery was known as Shor Brothers. They were amongst the first to bottle and label wines, The labels in those days showed only basic information typed on an otherwise plain white background. This was a difficult time in the wine industry. Sales declined, many growers turned to citrus and the economy was in a depression, however the brothers managed to keep the winery going. Alicante (Grenache) was the main variety used.
Owing to the growing family, in the mid 1940’s the
brothers split the business into two. Avraham Meir Shor continued to
produce wine and manage what became known as AM Shor Winery. His brother
found a new company, undertaking only to produce grape juice and
spirits. After the founding of the State of Israel, labels became more
colorful as marketing became an issue for the first time. When it became
the norm to give businesses commercial instead of family names, the
winery was renamed Zion Winery, which re-emphasized the family’s
connection to Jerusalem. For the first time wines were given brand names
like Port, Sherry, Malaga, Tokay and Medoc. The first distribution
system was set up.
Elisha Shor, grandfather of Yossi Shor, was the 6th Generation. Significantly during his time, wine production became more mechanized. New machinery and equipment, that improved the control of the winemaking process, gradually replaced manual labour. A bottling plant was introduced. The winery grew in size. In 1982 they arranged to move to a larger site in Mishor Adumim, near the outskirts of Jerusalem, in what is the beginning of the Judean Desert. By now the grapes were grown in the Shefela (Judean Foothills.) Carignan came to be the dominant grape variety used.
Yarden 2T Touriga Nacional and Tinta Cao. Galilee. 14%
We think we have had this one before and seem to remember it was disappointing then. On this occasion, with a new vintage, it showed the typicity of the Touriga Nacional and Tinta Cao quite well. An interesting table wine with Port varieties.
We've never had an Israeli Port-type wine. No doubt they exist as they do in South Africa and Australia. Very good no doubt from the showing of these grapes on this occasion.
Dalton Asufa 'Majestic' Cinsault. Galilee. 13%
A funny one this. Impossible to tell that it has come from a warm climate let alone a hot one. At first it tasted so acidic, mean even that you might have thought it came from an inapropriately northern latitude but after some time it opened out and made for a quite pleasantly light quaffing wine if slightly lacking in fruit.
Again, it just goes to show that a hot climate does not necessarily a fruit bomb make.
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