Winecast: Israeli Wine

A few words about wine from Israel and on a local grape, Argaman.

[@lorenzmuller3542]

I found my passion for wine in Israel drinking red wine on the mount hermon wineyards.

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

I'm happy to hear that. Israel is a great place to discover a number of passions of which wine is certainly not the least. Sounds like it was a lovely experience. Cheers!

[@Underneaththebottle]

This video is golden! Don't think I've seen a book/page covering this much of Isreal as a wine country. This is how important you are to us! Keep it up my friend 😊🍷

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

Thanks as always for being such a terrific friend of the channel! I'm glad to hear the casts fill a niche and that they're helpful. Cheers!

[@manychaim]

Check out Wine Spectator Magazine issue Oct 15 2016 the Magazine is The Wines of Israel.

[@manychaim]

Thank you for the great cast. And thanks for mentioning the Argaman grape varietal. Jezreel wine producer makes a high end Argaman cheers!

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

It was my pleasure. I really love Israel and Israeli wine, so I had a great time researching and putting together the cast. Thanks for the recommendations. Cheers!

[@BigMoneyMeechh]

Love the videos! Taking my Somm level 1 test in Vancouver BC next week! Wish me luck!

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

Good luck, indeed! Just be sure to relax and get into a good place in your head -- that's really half the battle. Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers!

[@thegastrotraveler]

Awesome stuff. I get a lot of Israeli visitors and they always tell me of their wine. Never gonna find it in madrid. Cracking vid!

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

Many thanks! Sorry to hear about the dearth of Israeli wind in Spain, but luckily for you Israel is just a (relatively) short plane trip away. Cheers!

[@eEvron]

Another great video, many thanks. I should say though the area called the Shomron is not where the maps shows (that's the western Galilee) The Shomron is part of the gray region on the map (Center east - in the disputed territories), The Judean hills wine region is the small pink area in the very center of the map.

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

I appreciate the comment. I mentioned at 4:45 that the map I’m using is not a map of Israel’s wine regions - I searched for an image of such a map to no avail and only to discover that any such map would be inaccurate because, as I noted in the cast, since the last map was drawn up in 1977 vineyards have been planted outside of the regions that are treated as if they were in the regions and that the system and map are in need of extensive revision. The solution I settled on was to use a regional map of Israel with tags pointing approximately to where the regions are/would be. I tried to make that as clear as I could but perhaps could have done a better job. Thanks again for taking the time to watch and write in with feedback. Cheers!

[@oborotenn]

Very comprehensive overlook. Although, I think that the map of wine regions is wrong - Shomron region is to the East and has no border with Lebanon. Regarding Argaman, I would like to recommend you Segal Argaman that costs around 25$ in Ben-Gurion duty free shop and is also available abroad to see the heights the variety can be lifted to, only if treated properly. Shavua tov!

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

Thanks for the feedback. I noted at 4:45 that the map I was using wasn't a proper map of wine regions but a regional map of Israel. I looked in vain for an image that specifically demarcated wine regions and my understanding is that the last version of such a map (made in 1977) is in need of revision. The next time I'm in Israel I fully intend to try more varietal Argaman as it's difficult to come by in the U.S., even in cities with large Jewish populations; so, thank you for the suggestion and that fact that it's available at Ben-Gurion makes it good option for the beginning of my (hoped for) trip within the next couple of years. Shavua tov and cheers!

[@zappoid1]

Thank you for this new video. Was suprised not to see garnacha on the list of varietals. It could be natural choice but it is not. Why?

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

Grenache was more widely planted in Israel during the early and mid-20th Century than it is today. For good or for ill, quality wine in the minds of many Israeli consumers is associated with Bordeaux varieties (the influence of the Baron de Rothschild may be important here). So, as Israel moved toward quality production in the 1980s a lot of older Grenache plantings were pulled up in favor of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It's a good illustration of the fact that decisions about what to grow and what wines to make are often dictated as much by the forces of the market and consumer preference/expectation as they are by more rational decisions based on what grows well in an area. The Pinot Noir boom in California in the early 2000s was a good example of this, with that grape being planted in all sorts of places where it wasn't likely to do well, all because of a perceived consumer demand for Pinot. Hope that's helpful. Cheers!

[@luciengoulet824]

Great cast as always. By the way where are you in your wine studies? Thanks again for the work you do with these videos. CHEERS

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

lucien goulet Thanks! Currently working on the Italian Wine Scholar through Wine Scholar Guild. Cheers!

[@WineOnTheDime]

Seeing the Guadalupe Valley made me wonder, have you ever thought about doing a Texas wine video?

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

I have. I figured that once I did casts on Oregon and New York, Texas would be the logical candidate for an additional casts. I'm going to be in Austin the second week of April, so I'm planning to use that visit to sample the local grape as extensively as possible. Hoping to try some Texas Tempranillo, Barbera and Sangio as well as some blends. Do you know any good urban wineries in Austin or good bottle shops that carry local wines?

[@WineOnTheDime]

Just sent you a private message on KZbin. :)

[@distlledbrewedreviewed]

I did one review on Israeli wine with more in the pipes. Interesting.

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

Yeah, I remember the review. It was a Cab Sauv, right? Looking forward to the next one you do. Cheers!

[@manychaim]

hillbillywine101 which Israeli wine did you do a review on ?

[@distlledbrewedreviewed]

Chaim Schon Ben Ami Cabernet Sauvignon.

[@distlledbrewedreviewed]

The Unknown Winecaster yes Ben Ami