Once in a while I attend a gathering of an Israeli wine group called Toameha (טועמיה) run by my friend Yitzchak Nimni. Many of the members including Yitzchak are regular attendees of RCC Israel, so it is a nice way to catch up with people in a non-RCC setting. This past Wednesday night a group … Continue reading Flam Visit – Mini Blanc Vertical, Syrah Vertical + Noble ’14
RCC Israel # 26 – Kislev 5779
Our chef's took a much deserved vacation this month so we were back at Kinor BaKikar. They do a nice job overall - though I'll probably look for other options for next time, just to change things up. Would have done that this time, but my wine schedule has been overwhelming with events this past … Continue reading RCC Israel # 26 – Kislev 5779
Mid October Trip to the US
Over the last year I have started visiting the US more and more - primarily to have the opportunity to spend time with my grandmother who is 94 and my parents and siblings who I see far too infrequently. I also usually get a chance to enjoy wines with friends that I also see all … Continue reading Mid October Trip to the US
RCC Israel # 25 – Cheshvan 5779
Wow - I can't believe I haven't written all month! Between the Chagim and work it's been a little crazy. There are definitely some cool wines that I have sampled that I will have to try and write up - but for now, let's stick to the topic at hand - this month's RCC. The … Continue reading RCC Israel # 25 – Cheshvan 5779
RCC Israel # 24 – Tishrei 5779
Scheduling an RCC for Tishrei is always tricky. There are very few usable days in the month because of the chagim - early in the month is hard becasue of all of the prep for each chag and pushing it until after means that you are very close to the next month. Doing it before … Continue reading RCC Israel # 24 – Tishrei 5779
2017 Barkan Beta Series Riesling
This is the last of the Barkan Beta Series initial releases that I am tasting. You can find the previous installments here and here. I was really looking forward to this bottle as a friend of mine had already had it and liked it - in fact he liked it more than the other 2 … Continue reading 2017 Barkan Beta Series Riesling
RCC Israel # 23 – Elul 5778
Another RCC has come to a close. This month our chefs Uri & Bracha papered us with an Asian inspired menu - and each dish really shined. I would point out the highlights, but really, they were all incredible, the Sashimi had incredible freshness and heat, the Pho had some incredible flavors layered in a … Continue reading RCC Israel # 23 – Elul 5778
2017 Psagot Cabernet Franc
As I've written before, when wineries change winemakers there is often an internal conflict between giving the winemaker free reign to make wines as he/she sees fit and creating a wine that fits in with the profile of previous vintages of the same bottle - especially when the previous vintages have been successful. Often times … Continue reading 2017 Psagot Cabernet Franc
2018 Jerusalem Wine Festival at the Israel Museum
In terms of general consumer wine events in Israel, the Jerusalem festival held annually at the Israel Museum is probably the largest and longest running. When it started, it really was a great way to sample a huge variety of wines at all price levels outside of premium and get have a nice relaxed night … Continue reading 2018 Jerusalem Wine Festival at the Israel Museum
RCC Israel #22 – Av 5778
As Ashkenazic customs of the 9 days prohibit the consumption of wine even on Rosh Chodesh Av we had the RCC brought forward by a couple of days to accommodate. While every dish that we had was wonderful (and beautifully plated), the clear star of the night for me was the dual preparation of Flat … Continue reading RCC Israel #22 – Av 5778