I made my way by train to Ashkelon, there to continue en route to Moshav Shachar to visit the two wineries that are located there – La Terra Promessa and Ramim. I had wanted coffee at the train station but was unceremoniously informed that smoking was not allowed there so had to wait until arriving at La Terra Promessa where fine Turkish coffee restored my good mood. From there it was on to tastings.

ROGOV

La Terra Promessa

Parma-born Sandro Pelligrini comes from a family of winemakers and he and his wife Irit founded this small winery in 1998 at their home on Moshav Shachar on the fringes of the northern Negev Desert. The winery relies on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes from the Upper Galilee and Ramat Arad, as well as from a vineyard being developed near the winery with Shiraz, Zinfandel, Sangiovese and Petite Sirah. The winery is currently producing about 4,500 bottles annually in three series, the premium Rubino Reserva, La Crime and La Terra Promessa. As so often in the past, I could not help but note throughout this tasting that many of Terra Promessa's wines have a distinct country-style Italian "flair" to them. And believe me, please … from me that is a compliment.

La Terra Promessa, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 (Barrel Tasting): Deep garnet in color, medium-bodied, with soft tannins and an appealing hint of sweet herbs backing up appealing plum and black currant fruits. An excellent entry-level Cabernet. Drink from release. Tentative Score 85-87. (Tasted 13 Feb 2006)

 La Terra Promessa, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004: Deep ruby towards garnet in color, aged in oak for 10 months and with soft tannins already integrating nicely. Aromas and flavors of currants, berries and cherries are matched nicely by spicy wood and light minerals that linger nicely in the background. Drink now-2008. Score 87. (Tasted 13 Feb 2006)

 La Terra Promessa, Zinfandel, 2003 (Advance Tasting): Showing far better than at barrel tastings. Almost inky purple in color, with generous acidity well balanced by wood and a fine array of wild berry, cherry and cassis aromas and flavors, all of which linger nicely on the palate. Drink now-2007. Score 85. (Tasted 13 Feb 2006)

 La Terra Promessa, Zinfandel, 2004 (Advance Tasting): Drink this and you're sure you're in Puglia sipping a Primitivo. Medium-bodied, with chunky country-style tannins, light wood influence, and on the nose and palate violets, hints of meatiness and an appealing hint of Brett to complement blackberry, cherry and cassis fruits. Drink from release-2008. Score 86. (Tasted 13 Feb 2006)

La Terra Promessa, Syrah, 2003: True to barrel tastings: Dark and spicy, with earthy overlays to wild berry, currant and cherry fruits, all of those with hints of anise and a light anise-leathery edge on the finish. Reflecting 14 months in oak with firm tannins but those yielding beautifully to highlight the wine’s intrinsically good balance and structure. Drink now–2008. Score 88. (Re-tasted 13 Feb 2006)

 La Terra Promessa, Syrah, 2004 (Barrel Tasting): Deep inky purple in color, medium- to full-bodied, reflecting 16 months in oak with firm tannins and generous smoky wood, those in fine balance with plums, red berries, and spices, all leading to a long smoked-meat finish. Drink from release-2009. Tentative Score 87-89. (Tasted 13 Feb 2006)

La Terra Promessa, Syrah, 2005 (Barrel Tasting): Medium-dark garnet, medium- to full-bodied, with appealing smoky oak and earthiness opening to reveal tempting black fruits and minerals. Generous and long. Drink from release-2009. Tentative Score 88-90. (Tasted 13 Feb 2006)

La Terra Promessa, La Crime, 2002: My most recent tasting note (2 Aug 2005) holds firmly: An unfiltered, medium-bodied blend of half each of Sangiovese and Shiraz, reflecting its 14 months in oak with generous spicy oak and firm tannins, those nicely balanced by fresh berry, black cherry and earthy-mineral aromas and flavors. Drink now. Score 87. (Re-tasted 13 Feb 2006)

La Terra Promessa, La Crime, 2003: A blend this year of 45% each Syrah and Sangiovese with the addition of 10% Cabernet Franc. As tasted earlier, dark, deep and rich, full-bodied and with still muscular tannins but those well balanced by smoky wood and generous berry-cherry and earthy aromas and flavors. Drink now or in the next year or so. Score 87.(Re-tasted 13 Feb 2006)

La Terra Promessa, La Crime, 2004 (Barrel Tasting): Syrah, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc come together nicely in a medium- to full-bodied red, showing gentle oak, soft tannins, and an appealing overlay of bitterness that highlights plum, berry, and lightly meaty-earthy aromas and flavors. Drink from release-2008. Tentative Score 87-89. (Tasted 13 Feb 2006)

La Terra Promessa, La Crime, 2005 (Barrel Tasting): Not yet a final blend but at this stage showing medum-bodied, with generous black fruit, tobacco and chocolate. Long, round and well-balanced. Drink from release-2009, perhaps longer. Tentative Score 86-88. (Tasted 13 Feb 2006)

La Terra Promessa, Rubino, 2002: My earlier tasting note (23 Apr 2005) holds: A full-bodied blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, oak aged in used French barriques for 24 months. Full-bodied, with generous spicy wood balanced nicely by soft tannins and on the nose and palate black cherries, currants and berries. Long and generous. Drink now-2008. Score 87. (Re-tasted 13 Feb 2006)

 La Terra Promessa, Rubino, 2003 (Barrel Tasting): Generous but not overdone spicy oak on this full-bodied, softly tannic and well balanced wine. Appealing aromas and flavors of blackcurrants, plums, and black cherries, those matched nicely by hints of cocoa and mint on the moderately-long finish. Drink from release-2009, perhaps longer. Tentative Score 87-89. (Tasted 13 Feb 2006)

 La Terra Promessa, Rubino, 2004 (Barrel Tasting): Dark garnet towards royal purple, full-bodied, with generous caressing tannins in fine balance with wood, natural acidity and fruits. On the nose and palate blackcurrants, blackberries and ripe plums, all with a hint of black truffles that makes itself felt on the finish. Perhaps the best yet from Terra Promessa. Best 2007-2011. Tentative Score 89-91. (Tasted 13 Feb 2006)

Ramim

Founded in 1999 by Nechemia Ya’akobi and Nitzan Eliyahu—who is also the winemaker—and producing their first wines from the 2000 harvest, this winery is located on Moshav. Grapes are planted in three of the winery’s vineyards, some in Kfar Yuval and Safsofet, both on the Lebanese border of the country, and others on Moshav Shachar. Red varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Syrah from France and Shiraz from Australia, as well as early plantings of Barbera, and Nebbiolo. White varieties include Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Semillon and Muscat.

The winery, which relies on Hungarian, French and American oak barrels, releases wines in three series: Reserve, Ramim and Yuval. Production in 2000 was 2,500 bottles, in 2001, 7,000 bottles, in 2002, 22,000 bottles, in 2003, 55,000 bottles and in 2004 about 75,000 bottles. Projected production for 2005 is for about 80,000 bottles. From the 2003 vintage the wines have been kosher.

Among other interesting things, I could not help but notice that the house style, especially with red wines, of Ramim is one that with only a few exceptions tends to medium-body, moderate levels of tannins and the kind of texture and structure that many will find rewarding and describe as "round" while others may not be quite as enchanted and may choose to use the term "soft". Some may also feel that the large number of various blends produced and the labeling of the various series and of the wines within each series may be just a bit confusing.

Ramim, Chardonnay, 2004: Aged in oak for 1 year, golden straw in color, medium-bodied, with generous smoky oak along with green apple, citrus and pineapple aromas and flavors. Not complex but appealing. Drink now or in the next year or so. Score 84. K (Re-tasted 13 Feb 2006)

Ramim, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002: Oak aged for 15 months, and with the addition of 6% Merlot, this dark ruby towards garnet wine shows medium-body, soft near-sweet tannins and appealing aromas and flavors of raspberries and cassis on a background of spices and smoky oak. Drink now. Score 85 (Re-tasted 13 Feb 2006)

Ramim, Cabernet Sauvignon, Psagot, 2002: A minor variation on a theme of the wine reviewed above, this one with only 3% of Merlot. My earlier tasting note holds firmly: Deep garnet in color, medium-bodied, and when first poured showing somewhat coarse tannins that tend to dominate, reflecting its 15 months in oak. However, given considerable time in the glass these recede and allow the currant, berry and black cherry flavors to show through. Drink now. Score 85. (Re-tasted 13 Feb 2006)

Ramim, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003: Oak-aged for 15 months in 165-liter Hungarian oak barrels, this medium to full-bodied blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Melot red shows tannins that have softened nicely since my last tasting. On the nose and palate an array of currant and plum fruits on a spicy background with appealing herbal hints coming in on the finish. Drink now–2007. Score 87. K (Re-tasted 13 Feb 2006)

Ramim, Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot, Yuval, 2002: My earlier tasting note holds firmly: This medium-dark garnet-red, medium-bodied blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot was aged in small oak barrels for 15 months. With tannins integrating nicely and good balance between tannins, wood and black fruits, this is a soft and smooth if not overly complex wine. Drink now. Score 86. (Re-tasted 13 Feb 2006)

 Ramim, Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot, Psagot, 2002: Another wine vastly different than the version I sampled about a year ago, this one a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, and this one aged in oak for 28 months. Generous wood here, tannins that seem firm at one moment and soft at another, and a generous spicy and vegetal overlay not fully in balance with blackberry, currant and plum fruits. Drink now. Score 84. (Re-tasted 13 Feb 2006)

 Ramim,Yuval 2003 (Advance Tasting): A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, aged in small and large barrels for 15 months. Dark ruby towards purple, medium- to full-bodied, with gripping tannins and generous wood but those yielding icely to revel red currant, berry and herbal aromas and flavors. Drink now. Score 86. K (Re-tasted 13 Feb 2006)

Ramim, Merlot, Psagot, 2002: Vastly different than the version of the wine I sampled a year ago, that version having been developed in oak for 18 months, this one for 28 months. Medium- to full-bodied, with super-generous spicy wood and a perhaps overabundance of acidity, both of which work hard to hide the red berry, cassis and black cherry fruits that fight hard to make themselves felt. Drink now. Score 83. (Re-tasted 13 Feb 2005)

Ramim, Barbera, Psagot, 2003: Aged in small barrels for 1 year, medium-bodied, with soft tannins nicely integrated with smoky oak and appealing currant, cherry, berry and earthy notes. Drink now-2007. Score 86. K (Tasted 13 Feb 2006)

Ramim, Chardonnay, Desert Ice, 2003: Showing dramatically better than at an earlier tasting, almost as if my palate was discerning two different wines. Medium-bodied, dark golden in color, with generously sweet kiwis, pineapple and citrus fruits backed up nicely by gentle acidity. At its best served as icy-cold as you can get it in the refrigerator. Score 84. K (Re-tasted 13 Feb 2006)

Also tasted, largely from unblended components and thus far too early for formal tasting notes Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, Barbera, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer from vintages including 2003, 2004 and 2005.