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Wine Tips: Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon and Wild Yeast Chardonnay
Greetings from Vintage Connections!
This week,we feature an Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon and a Wild Yeast Chardonnay.
Also, see our Fun Fact at the bottom of the page. For more information about these wines and classes, visit our Vintage Connections Wine Blog.
Golan Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 from Golan Heights Winery near Katzrin in Israel. Founded in 1983, Golan Heights Winery began changing the face of wine making in Israel.
The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep red in color with full-bodied flavo
r and texture. Very drinkable now, it should be able to be cellared for up to 10 years. It has aromas and flavors of dark red fruits with hints of tobacco, chocolate and spice. It was aged for six months in mostly American oak barrels.
It is a Kosher wine, following all the criteria necessary to make it Kosher without harming the final product with pasteurization.
We were introduced to this wine by our friend John Nase and liked it so much that we are planning to use it for our “Wines of the World” class being offered at Montgomery County Community College.
Alcohol is 13.9% by volume. PLCB product code is 26931 and sells for $15.99 a bottle. It is available at many PA wine and Spirit stores especially during Jewish holidays.
Errazuriz Chardonnay 2007 from the Escultura Estate in Casablanca Valley in Chile, this Chardonnay was made from wild yeasts that are naturally present on the grape skins and in the air. Grapes are hand-picked, the juice fermented at low temperatures and then allowed to sit for 10 months in French oak barrels. It has tropical fruit aromas with toasty, nutty flavors and a long finish.
La Escultura Estate is located just twenty miles from the Pacific Ocean, so it benefits from the moderate temperatures of the Pacific breezes during the ripening period. In 2007 when the grapes were ripening the weather was unusually cool allowing the grapes to mature slowly which benefited the final product by allowing the grapes to “maintain their natural fruit flavor and acidity“.
Allowing the juice to ferment with wild, native yeasts “produces different concentrations and proportions of by products, adding distinctive flavors - and therefore more complexity - to the wine”. Seventy percent of the wine also went through malolactic fermentation.
Errazuriz Chardonnay is light yellow straw colored and is medium bodied.
We were a little concerned with what this wine was going to taste like having been made using the wild, native yeasts rather than the tamer yeast additives usually used. But we wanted to try it anyway. “Nothing ventured….” We were very happily surprised and thoroughly enjoyed the wine. So much so that we have decided to use it paired with plantain chips at the upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebration at the Gallery School in Pottstown.
Alcohol is 13.5% by volume. PLCB product code is 22502 and is sold for $14.99 a bottle at many PA Wine and Spirit stores.
Up-coming Events
Wines of the USA
Thursday, April 22
6:30 - 9:30 PM
A one night wine seminar at Montgomery County Community College's West Campus in Pottstown. $52 per person
Register ASAP by calling Lisa Miller at MCCC at 610-718-1861 by Wed 4 PM.
Wines of the World
Thursday, April 29
6:30 - 9:30 PM
A one night wine seminar at Montgomery County Community College's West Campus in Pottstown. $52 per person
Additional information about theses courses is available on page 30 of this brochure.
Register for this class.
Cinco de Mayo
Wednesday, May 5
Wines from Spain, Chile, and Argentina at the Gallery School of Pottstown.
Begins promptly at 6:30 PM. $45 per person
Register for Cinco De Mayo by going to the Gallery School's website.
American Wine Society Educational Foundation Benefit Tasting
Saturday September 18
Wine and Appetizer Pairing, Perkiomen Valley Library, Schwenksville
Time and cost TBD
See more about the Perkiomen Chapter of AWS.
Mom's House Benefit Wine Dinner
Saturday, October 23
Five course dinner, each course paired with a different wine. Kimberton Arts Center 6:30 PM, $75 per person or $525 for a table of 8. For more information about Mom's House, click HERE.
This week’s Fun Fact
From “The Amazing Book of Useless Information”
It takes an average of 600 grapes to make one bottle of wine.
This week,we feature an Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon and a Wild Yeast Chardonnay.
Also, see our Fun Fact at the bottom of the page. For more information about these wines and classes, visit our Vintage Connections Wine Blog.
Golan Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 from Golan Heights Winery near Katzrin in Israel. Founded in 1983, Golan Heights Winery began changing the face of wine making in Israel.
The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep red in color with full-bodied flavo
r and texture. Very drinkable now, it should be able to be cellared for up to 10 years. It has aromas and flavors of dark red fruits with hints of tobacco, chocolate and spice. It was aged for six months in mostly American oak barrels.It is a Kosher wine, following all the criteria necessary to make it Kosher without harming the final product with pasteurization.
We were introduced to this wine by our friend John Nase and liked it so much that we are planning to use it for our “Wines of the World” class being offered at Montgomery County Community College.
Alcohol is 13.9% by volume. PLCB product code is 26931 and sells for $15.99 a bottle. It is available at many PA wine and Spirit stores especially during Jewish holidays.
Errazuriz Chardonnay 2007 from the Escultura Estate in Casablanca Valley in Chile, this Chardonnay was made from wild yeasts that are naturally present on the grape skins and in the air. Grapes are hand-picked, the juice fermented at low temperatures and then allowed to sit for 10 months in French oak barrels. It has tropical fruit aromas with toasty, nutty flavors and a long finish.
La Escultura Estate is located just twenty miles from the Pacific Ocean, so it benefits from the moderate temperatures of the Pacific breezes during the ripening period. In 2007 when the grapes were ripening the weather was unusually cool allowing the grapes to mature slowly which benefited the final product by allowing the grapes to “maintain their natural fruit flavor and acidity“.Allowing the juice to ferment with wild, native yeasts “produces different concentrations and proportions of by products, adding distinctive flavors - and therefore more complexity - to the wine”. Seventy percent of the wine also went through malolactic fermentation.
Errazuriz Chardonnay is light yellow straw colored and is medium bodied.
We were a little concerned with what this wine was going to taste like having been made using the wild, native yeasts rather than the tamer yeast additives usually used. But we wanted to try it anyway. “Nothing ventured….” We were very happily surprised and thoroughly enjoyed the wine. So much so that we have decided to use it paired with plantain chips at the upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebration at the Gallery School in Pottstown.
Alcohol is 13.5% by volume. PLCB product code is 22502 and is sold for $14.99 a bottle at many PA Wine and Spirit stores.
Up-coming Events
Wines of the USA
Thursday, April 22
6:30 - 9:30 PM
A one night wine seminar at Montgomery County Community College's West Campus in Pottstown. $52 per person
Register ASAP by calling Lisa Miller at MCCC at 610-718-1861 by Wed 4 PM.
Wines of the World
Thursday, April 29
6:30 - 9:30 PM
A one night wine seminar at Montgomery County Community College's West Campus in Pottstown. $52 per person
Additional information about theses courses is available on page 30 of this brochure.
Register for this class.
Cinco de Mayo
Wednesday, May 5
Wines from Spain, Chile, and Argentina at the Gallery School of Pottstown.
Begins promptly at 6:30 PM. $45 per person
Register for Cinco De Mayo by going to the Gallery School's website.
American Wine Society Educational Foundation Benefit Tasting
Saturday September 18
Wine and Appetizer Pairing, Perkiomen Valley Library, Schwenksville
Time and cost TBD
See more about the Perkiomen Chapter of AWS.
Mom's House Benefit Wine Dinner
Saturday, October 23
Five course dinner, each course paired with a different wine. Kimberton Arts Center 6:30 PM, $75 per person or $525 for a table of 8. For more information about Mom's House, click HERE.
This week’s Fun Fact
From “The Amazing Book of Useless Information”
It takes an average of 600 grapes to make one bottle of wine.
posted by Dean and Lisa Foster at
7:59 AM
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