By Al Davis
As previously admitted to, I am not a wine afficionado. My wine tastebuds are perfectly suited to “Blue Bottle.” For the uninitiated, this is Bartenura Moscato, a white fizzy wine, which my father-in-law (alav ha-shalom) referred to as “Seven-Up” – usually with a sneer. If I must drink “good wine,” I eschew a blend in favor of a straight Cabernet Sauvignon.
Recently, I had Shabbos dinner with a friend who has a nice wine collection, and the wallet to support the many fine bottles in his wine cellar. He selected a wine with a 2011 vintage, Domaine du Castel Grand Vin, from the Judean Hills in Israel. I never heard of it – knew nothing about it. But it was an Israeli wine, so I had to try it. My friend, Steve, went on about all the flavors and notes, but what struck me were distinct flavors of cherry and a hint of anise. Regardless, despite my lack of a “wine palate,” the wine was exquisite. At $200-plus for the bottle, it should have been.
After Shabbos, I looked it up online and am sharing what I read from Wine Enthusiast:
“Deep ruby to the eye, this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot has a bouquet of coffee and black currant preserves. It offers a frankly gorgeous interplay between fruit and cool herbal flavors, with black cherry joined on the palate by licorice, eucalyptus, butterscotch and flint. The drawn-out finish offers a surprisingly bright burst that inspires taking the next sip.”
I might have noticed the coffee along with the licorice (I originally thought anise – so similar), but missed the rest. The comment about long finish? Hits the nail on the head. Need a top-notch wine for the Rosh Hashanah Kiddush? If you have the gelt and can find this one, I highly recommend it.
Al Davis is a HaD’Var contributor and member of the HaD’var Committee.
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