| The Upper Galilee region of northern Israel boasts | | | | The next meal centered around a pan-fried veal chop |
| some of the country's highest mountains, reaching | | | | that I cooked with brown mushrooms and garlic. The |
| more than a kilometer (five-eighths of a mile) into | | | | side dishes were red potatoes in the microwave and |
| the sky. This may be a great place to grow wine | | | | an rather unspicy oriental tomato, pimento, and hot |
| grapes; the days are hot, the nights are cold, and the | | | | pepper salad. The Pinot Noir was multi-layered with a |
| soil is poor. What more could a winemaker want? | | | | fine balance between acidity and fruit. It had silky |
| Over two millennia ago people grew wine grapes in | | | | tannins, and tasted of dark cherries, leather, and |
| this very area. Today's winery was founded in the | | | | tobacco. The mushroom and garlic combination |
| year 2000. It encompasses five vineyards with 90% | | | | intensified the Pinot Noir's acidity. With the potatoes I |
| red and 10% white grapes leading to 80,000 cases in | | | | tasted mostly chocolate; the wine was finely acidic |
| 2010. If you are in the neighborhood make sure to | | | | and long. With the salad the taste of earth |
| tour their visitor's center. | | | | predominated. |
| OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste | | | | My final meal was a broiled Atlantic salmon steak |
| and review are purchased at the full retail price. | | | | which was marinated in soy sauce and sliced garlic. |
| Wine Reviewed | | | | This Pinot Noir was quite powerful, well-balanced, |
| Galil Mountain Pinot Noir 2007 KP 14.5% alcohol about | | | | round, and long. It tasted of dark fruit and earth. The |
| $18 | | | | potato patties didn't change the flavors or the length. |
| There were no marketing materials so I will quote | | | | Finally a negative note, with a zesty guacamole, this |
| part of the back label. Style: Perfumed and silky with | | | | Pinot Noir became more uni-dimensional. |
| typical aromas of wild berries, violets and hints of | | | | Before going to the cheeses I tasted this wine with |
| tobacco and oak. Aged for 10 months in French oak | | | | Matjes herring. The wine was quite long with dark |
| barrels. And now for my review. | | | | cherries. The Pinot Noir lost its power when trying to |
| When I first tasted this wine without any food, I | | | | deal with whipped cream cheese. The second cheese |
| found it powerful and multi-layered with good length. | | | | was a Wisconsin Swiss. The wine came back, tasting |
| My initial meal consisted of slow cooked beef ribs | | | | of black cherries. But frankly it was wasted on the |
| with potatoes. I tasted earth and mushrooms in the | | | | cheese. I enjoyed the end of the bottle when the |
| wine. A little wine went a long way. There was some | | | | cheese was gone. |
| chocolate, dark cherries and tobacco. This Pinot Noir | | | | Final verdict. I would definitely buy this wine again. I |
| was really present. I added a fair amount of Louisiana | | | | had to pay several dollars more than the American |
| red pepper sauce and the chocolate taste was | | | | Internet price quoted above. And I would still buy it |
| intensified. The side dish was an unspicy Turkish salad | | | | again. But as usual, I wouldn't waste it on cheese. I |
| based on sweet pimentos, tomato paste, and hot | | | | am sure that one can find better cheese pairings for |
| peppers. The wine was still present and quite long. | | | | this fine wine. But why bother? |