I attended the Sommelier wine exhibit organized by Avi Ben-Ami and held at the Scottish House in Jaffa. As is by now known, even though the fair was open primarily to those in wine and wine-related professions, I was pleased to meet, even if only briefly , with several of our forum members there.

Approximately 42 local wineries were represented and nearly all of the major players on the import scene had a major presence, some going to no less effort than they would at VinExpo or other foreign professional exhibitions. If there was a major surprise awaiting most, it was in the display set up by the supermarket chain Tiv Ta'am which is now signing on as a major importer with more than 150 wines from countries as diverse in character as France, Spain, Italy, Argentina and Moldava,

As is my wont, I arrived even before the fair officially opened, taking advantage of the more quiet open hours of the fair to taste quite a few Israeli wines that I had either not tasted earlier as well as several that I specifically wanted to re-taste. As the crowd began to build up, I shifted my focus, not so much to continued tastings (formal tasting being quite impossible on a hot day when surrounded by a great many people, many with perfume, even more with after-shave lotion and quite a few showing distinct signs of perspiration) as to talking with local winemakers, making advance arrangements for future visits and tastings at their wineries, meeting with importers and checking out new catalogues (many printed especially for distribution at the fair).

Overall, this was a professionally and well-organized exhibit and well deserving of whatever compliments come its way!

Following are the tasting notes of those of the Israeli wines I tasted for the first time today. Those noted with tentative scores are of barrel samplings. As will be seen, my tastings held several surprises, not the least of which is that the new Teperberg Reserve series of Efrat marks a giant step forward for this long-established winery.The notes are presented in no special order - just the order in which I happened to type them.

Best,
Rogov

The Cave, Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot, 2001: Deep garnet in color, this well balanced, full-bodied, oak-aged Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot shows tempting aromas and flavors of currants, plums and berries, those with overlays of coffee, Mediterranean herbs and spicy oak. Drink now-2007. Score 88. K

Efrat, Teperberg Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002: Youthful royal purple, full-bodied, with soft, well-integrated tannins and appealing aromas and flavors of currants, blackcherries and wild berries. Well balanced and just enough complexity to capture the imagination. Drink now-2007. Score 86. K

Efrat, Teperberg Selection, Meritage, 2003: A Bordeaux blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Deep ruby towards garnet in color, with spicy oak, soft tannins and appealing plum, currant and berry fruits. Full-bodied, round and well-balanced. Drink now-2007. Score 87. K

Efrat, Teperberg Reserve, Chardonnay, 2003: Fermented and developed on its lees in French oak barriue forsix months, this medium- to full-bodied white shows appealing citrus, pear and melon fruits, those on a round and creamy background. Drink now. Score 87. K

Efrat, Teperberg Reserve, Chenin Blanc, 2003: Golden-straw colored, medium- to full-bodied, with good balance between tropical fruits and citrus, crisp acidity and a light creamy overtone from the oak in which the wine was aged. Bordering on elegance. Drink now. Score 87. K

Efrat, Teperberg Selection, Chardonnay-Sauvignon, 2003: Light straw in color, with lively acidity, a hint of oak and appealing citrus and tropical fruits as well as a hint of grassiness. A good quaffer. Drink now. Score 84 K

Efrat, Teperberg Selection, Emerald Riesling, 2003: Light in color and body, semi-dry, with floral and citrus aromas and flavors. An appealing entry-level wine.Drink up. Score 84. K

Amphorae, Med.Red 2003: Deep garnet red in color, medium-bodied, with spicy oak balanced and chunky, country-style tannins backed up nicely by blackcurrant and black cherry fruits. Oak aged, with appealing wild berries and spices on the moderately-long finish. Drink now-2008. Score 89.

Neot Smadar, Sauvignon Blanc Fume,2003: Golden straw in color, medium-bodied and reflecting just the right hint of smoky-toasted oak on a background of grassy, citrus aromas and flavors. Drink now. Score 85.

Bar, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002: Soft and round, medium-bodied and with soft, well-integrated tannins, the wine offers appealing currant and berry flavors. Drink now. Score 85.

Bar, Jonathan Red, 2002: Aged in used oak barrels for 9 months, this blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon shows good balance between blackberry, earthy and spices. Medium-bodied, with chunky tannins, a pleasing country-style wine. Drink now, Score 85.

Bar, Sauvignon Blanc, 2003: Bright and lively, with citrus, earthy and grassy overtones. Nothing overly complex here but a well made and thoroughly enjoyable wine. Drink now. Score 85.

Bar, Merlot, 2002: Soft and round with forward black cherry, raspberry and herbal aromas and flavors. Soft tannins and a just funky enough earthy-tobacco and smoky wood finish to add charm. Drink now. Score 86.

Bar,Carignan 2002: Medium-bodied, well-balanced with smooth, almost sweet tannins and black cherry and herbal aromas and flavors.Soft and lively. Drink now. Score 85.

Vitkin, Riesling, 2003: Made from Johannisberg Riesling grapes, this deep golden straw colored, medium-bodied wine shows aromas and lightly spicy flavors of citrus and spring flowers. Drink now. Score 86.

Vitkin, Gewurztrmainer, 2003: Made entirely from Gewurztraminer grapes and developed on its lees in stainless steel, this medium-bodied white is generous with its traditional Gewurztraminer flavors and aromas of litchis, and spicy summer fruits. Drink now-2007. Score 86.

Vitkin, Blanc, 2003: Light- to medium-bodied, this lively blend of 60% Viognier and 40% French Colombard offers pleasant notes of lime and orange peel. Clean and refreshing, a good quaffer. Drink now. Score 85.

Vitkin, Late Harvest Riesling, 2003: Medium-bodied, quite thick in texture and unabashedly sweet, this dessert wine offers aromas and flavors of summer fruits and wild flowers. Faulted somewhat by a lack of the acidity that might have given the wine an additional sense of liveliness. Drink now-2007. Score 85.

Vitkin, Cabernet Franc, 2003: Dark garnet towards royal purple in color, this oak-aged, medium- to full-bodied blend of 90% Cabernet Franc,6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon offers generous dark plum, black cherry and spice flavors, all complemented nicely by chocolate and spicy notes. On the clean, long finishy look for hints of kirsch liqueur. Drink now-2007. Tentative Score 86-88.

Vitkin, Pinot Noir, 2003: Made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes from the Jerusalem Mountains and aged in oak for 10 months,this medium-bodied, very softly tannic wine offers up appealing berry-cherry fruits on a background of vanilla and mocha. A not overly complex wine but a very pleasant one. Drink now-2007. Score 87.

Vitkin, Petite Sirah, 2003: Dark ruby towards garnet, this medium-to full-bodied, and moderately tannic blend of 90% Petite Sirah and 10% Cabernet Franc developed for 14months in oak. Aromas and flavors of blackberries and purple plums and a long spicy finish. Drink now. Tentative Score 85-87.

Vitkin, Carignan, 2003: Dark garnet red, reflecting its year in French oak barrels with generous smoke and vanilla, those matched nicely by soft tannins and generous plum and wild berry fruits. Drink now-2007. Tentative Score 85-87.

Vitkin, CLasic, 2003: An unlikely blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Syrah and25% Carignan each vinified separately and aged in oak for six months before blending and another six months in oak. Medium-bodied, with soft, perhaps flabby tannins, and with berry-cherry and currant flavors but somehow the wine fails to pull together. Perhaps better with bottle age. Meant for drinking in its youth. Tentative Score 83-85.

Yuval Ben-Shoshan, Merlot, Avdat, 2003: Medium-bodied, with firm but well integrating tannins and appealing plum, black cherry and smoky wood aromas and flavors. Well balanced and appealing. Drink now-2006. Score 86.

Benhaim, Petite Sirah, Grande Reserve, 2000: Oak-aged for 30 months, this dark, almost chewy red offers up aromas and flavors of sweet-scented violets, cinnamon,vanilla and raspberries. A bit of unwanted coarseness on the finish. Drink now. Score 78.

Benhaim, Rose de Cabernet, 2003: A rose made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes kept on the skins for only a short time and then allowed to develop in 500 liter barrels for 2 months. With aromas and flavors of strawberries and raspberries, a pleasant and refreshing little wine. Drink now. Score 84. K

Giv'on,Cabernet Sauvignon, Solo, 2003: A medium-bodied, softly tannis blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot. Somewht one-dimensional but with appealing plum and berry fruits. A good quaffer. Score 84.

1 November 2004