Last Week's Tasting Notes (4.19.19)

​Domaine la Terre de Lune Côtes du Rhône Rosé ($11.99)
Rhône Valley, France
From the producer:
"Vine growing : the vines are planted with a density of 4000 per hectare. The number of treatments is limited to a minimum and depends on the weather. Limited amounts of fertilizers are used, only to maintain a balance in the soil, and when required by the vines. This is based on soil and leaf analysis. The yield is kept at a low level in order to have a high quality of grape. This is done by hedging, leaf-thinning and green harvesting.

40% Cinsault  30% Grenache  20% Syrah  10% Mourvedre 

A rosé wine with a light and bright pink colour. A fruity nose of red berries and a fleshy character of peach. Elegant in the mouth with a pleasant freshness and final notes of red currants."

From me:
The high Cinsault content of this wine really sets it apart from others in the region, which contain mostly Grenache. In this case the result is a little more delicate floral note to set off the fruit. If you usually drink rosés from Provence, do try this one; there's a little more elegance and character present, and it pairs really well with ham, pasta, salads, tuna, salmon, and spicier foods.

​Dominio de Punctum Vaiven Blanc de Noir Tempranillo ($15.99)
Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
From the producer:
"Vaiven Blanc de Noir is made from organically grown grapes in our Estate. We harvest our grapes at night for optimal temperature before pressing. Vaiven is produced by quickly removing the skins from the juice after the grapes have been pressed.

Vino de la Tierra de Castilla, organic and biodynamic wine. 
Bright yellow color with pearly iridescence at first sight. Fresh and floral bouquet mixed with red berries aromas. Good acidity, gentle, tasty and full body.

Pairings: salads, all white meat such as chicken with garlic, pork, etc."

From me:
Tempranillo is usually vinified as a red wine (if you've had Rioja, you've had Tempranillo), but here we have a unique Blanc de Noir that keeps some of the red fruit notes while also exhibiting floral overtones. It is full-bodied, with just enough acidity to create good balance. This is one of the more unique wines you'll find.

Tzora Vineyards Judean Hills Red 2014 ($33.50)
Judean Hills, Israel
From the producer:
"The Judean Hills rise sharply from the coastal plain, and exhibit ideal growing conditions for growing wine grapes. Man made terraces cling to this rugged area in a multitude of directions as they follow the contours of the steep slopes. Cold winters, sharp temperature drop during the short summer nights and early morning summer mists, as well as variations in soils from rocky limestone outcrops to ones rich in minerals, all contribute to the character, the balance and the great longevity of the wines.

This wine is made from selected plots of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Merlot grown on old terraces with top-soil of limestone rich in minerals.

Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, this wine has wonderful texture and complex aromatic profile of black fruit and hint of earthiness. The finish is fine and fairly long."

From me:
Kosher wine has a bit of a bad rap, but there are many fine examples, of which this is one. Israel has some stunningly good areas for wine growing, and Tzora takes advantage of their geography to create really beautiful products. This is their entry-level wine, and it is an excellent example from the region. The vintage I'm selling is 2014, so it should be at peak right now.