A Brief on Israeli Wines and Wine Tasting

JCRCMarch 27, 2014

Agenda

About Us

Introduction

Brief History of Israeli Wines

Quality of Israeli Wines

Climate and Geography

The Five Wine Regions

Grape Varieties

Kosher Wines

Tasting Wines

About Us

Gail Beth ApplesonCommunications Editor, Armstrong Teasdale LLP

Freelance Writer

Wine Columnist, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

A wine story: ___

Guillermo A. RodríguezDirector, Int’l Projects & Study Abroad, Webster University

Hispanic Leader (Shalom Amigos, etc.)

Wine Consultant

A wine story: ___

Introduction

Wine has been produced in the Land of Israel since biblical times.

Israeli wine is produced by hundreds of wineries, ranging in size from small boutique enterprises to large companies producing over ten million bottles per year.

In 2011, Israeli wine exports totaled over $26.7 million; a growing industry. U.S. is largest export market.

Introduction

Today, less than 15% of Israeli wine is produced for sacramental purposes.

The three largest producers—Carmel Winery, Barkan Wine Cellars and Golan Heights Winery—account for more than 80% of the domestic market.

As of 2012, Israel had 12,355 acres of vineyards.

Annual wine consumption in Israel averages 4.6 liters per person; in the U.S. it is 10.5 liters.

Brief History of Israeli Wines

In the book of Deuteronomy, the fruit of the vine was listed as one of the seven blessed species of fruit found in the land of Israel(Deut. 8:8).

“And behold this vine...was planted in a good soil by great waters that it may bring forth branches and that it may bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.” – Ezekiel, 17.7

Brief History of Israeli Wines

In Roman times, wine from Israel was exported to Rome with the most sought after wines being vintage, dated with the name of the winemaker inscribed on the amphora.

In the 7th century, the Islamic conquest of the Middle East virtually wiped out the region's wine industry with wineries closing down and vineyards, planted with now lost indigenous grape varieties, pulled out.

Winemaking was temporarily revived in the Crusader states from around 1100 to 1300 but the return of Islamic rule and the subsequent Jewish Diaspora extinguished the industry once again.

Brief History of Israeli Wines

In 1848, a rabbi in Jerusalem founded the first documented winery in modern times but its establishment was short lived.

The root of the modern Israeli wine industry can be traced to the late 19th century when the French Baron Edmond de Rothschild, owner of the Bordeaux estate Château Lafite-Rothschild, began importing French grape varieties and technical know how to the region.

In 1882, Baron Rothschild helped establish Carmel Winery with vineyards and wine production facilities in Rishon LeZion and Zikhron Ya'akov near Haifa.

Quality of Israeli Wines

The Israeli wine industry was based predominately on the production of Kosher wines which were exported worldwide to Jewish communities.

The quality of these wines were varied, with many being produced from high-yielding vineyards that valued quantity over quality.

Many of these wines were also somewhat sweet or very sweet.

Quality of Israeli Wines

In the late 1960s, Carmel Winery was the first Israeli winery to make a dry table wine.

In1980s the industry at large saw a revival in quality winemaking, when an influx of winemaking talent from Australia, California and France brought modern technology and technical know-how to the growing Israeli wine industry.

Climate & Geography

Distinctly Mediterranean climate.

Two primary seasons: A hot, humid summer season (April to

October) with very little precipitation A cold, rainy winter season (late October to

March).

Dry growing season: Drip irrigation is essential to sustaining

viticulture. Vineyard managers use pruning and canopy

management techniques to maximize shade production from the sunlight.

The Five Wine Regions

Galil / Galilee / Golan - The most northern region and produces many of Israel's top wines.

The Five Wine Regions

Shomron / Samaria - Largest grape growing area; Includes the Sharon plain located near the Mediterranean coast and just south of Haifa.

The Five Wine Regions

Shimshon / Samson - The most widely planted region of Israel with almost 40% of the nation's grapes being grown here.

The Five Wine Regions

Judean Hills - Higher elevation region west of Jerusalem. The nights are cool and crisp.

The Five Wine Regions

Negev - A more arid, desert region of Israel. Popular in biblical times for growing grapes, it has redeemed some of its popularity thanks to new watering technologies.

Grape Varieties

Main Varieties:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon blanc

Grape Varieties

Emerging varieties:

Cabernet Franc, Gewurztraminer, Muscat Canelli, Riesling Syrah.

Other varieties planted to some significant degree:

Emerald Riesling, Muscat of Alexandria and Argaman.

Kosher Wines

Kosher wine is grape wine produced according to Judaism’s religious law, specifically, Jewish dietary laws (kashrut).

To be considered kosher, a wine may only be handled by observant Jews from the time the grapes are crushed.

However, if the wine is boiled or pasteurized, it may subsequently be handled by anyone without losing its kosher status.

Kosher Wines

Kosher wine cannot contain any non-kosher ingredients or fining agents such as isinglass, gelatin or casein.

None of the ingredients that make up wine (alcohol, sugars, acids and phenols) is considered non-kosher.

“Kosher for Passover” wine must have been kept free from contact with grain, brad and dough.

Kosher Wines

The kashrut laws specify that wine cannot be considered kosher if it might have been used for idolatry.

These laws include:

Yayin Nesekh ( נסך wine that has been poured to an -- (ייןidol;

Stam Yainom -- wine that has been touched by someone who believes in idolatry or produced by non-Jews.

Kosher Wines

When kosher wine is yayin mevushal (" מבושל cooked" or" - "יין"boiled"), it becomes unfit for idolatrous use and will keep the status of kosher wine even if subsequently touched by an idolater or non-Jews.

While none of the ingredients that make up wine (alcohol, sugars, acidity and phenols) is considered non-kosher, the kashrut laws involving wine are concerned more with who handles the wine and what they use to make it.

Kosher Wines

When kosher wine is produced, marketed and sold commercially, it must have the hechsher ("seal of approval") of a kosher supervising agency or organization, or of an authoritative rabbi who is preferably also a posek ("decisor" of Jewish law) or be supervised by a beth din ("Jewish religious court of law").

Although not all Israeli wine is kosher, virtually all of the large producers in Israel have kosher certification.

The Wines to Taste Today

WHITE: Dalton Canaan While Dalton Unoaked Chardonnay

The Wines to Taste Today

RED: Barkan Merlot, Reserve Series Barkan Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve Series

Tasting Wines

Sight

Look at 2 things in your glass

What is its appearance?

What is its color? Its shades?

Tasting Wines

Smell Your nose is the key; 2 things to

notice

Aroma – Related to the grape

Bouquet – Resulting from the wine making (fermentation, aging, etc.)

Tasting Wines

Smell

Process: Smell the wine without swirling the

glass. Swirl the wine and smell. This

liberates aromas and helps the wine develop with exposure to oxygen.

Evaluation: What does the aroma remind you of? Can you identify any different scents you know? Do you like the way it smells?

Tasting Wines

Taste

Sip the wine and move the wine around in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing.

Let it reach all of your palate and even suck in some air to help further liberate its flavor.

Tasting Wines

Taste Evaluation:

Focus on the wine’s characteristics, such as, sweetness, tartness, bitterness, fruitiness, and saltiness.

How does it taste? What types of flavors do you detect? How would you describe the texture

of the wine on your palate?

Tasting Wines

Touch

Evaluation of weight and body of the wine: How does it feel in your mouth? Is it, light, watery, thin? Is it medium in body; 2% milk? It is full bodied, like cream?

Tasting Wines

The Aftertaste

Swallow the wine

Evaluation: Pay attention to the finish, or aftertaste. Is it pleasant or awkward? Does it entice you to take another sip? Do the flavors linger on your palate or does it

disappear quickly?

Tasting Wines

The Aftertaste

Type of Aftertaste:

* Short - No aftertaste* Long - Lingering aftertaste - Notable for a long time* Clean - Pleasurable, free from defects* Unpleasant - Too bitter or too sweet

Tasting Wines

Overall ImpressionYour evaluation. All tastes are different, No right or wrong answer

Simple - Did you enjoy the wine? Mentally combine your impressions of the wine's appearance

and color, aroma and bouquet, taste, body, and finish. Evaluate the harmony among the various aspects of the wine.

An outstanding wine will have balance among all these elements, and each aspect of the wine will be well-integrated.

The End

Thanks. Gracias.

"Wine can be considered with good reason as the most healthful and hygienic of all beverages." - Louis Pasteur

"Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance." - Benjamin Franklin

"A meal without wine is like a day without sun" - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin