One of the first sentences I heard when I began to take an interest in wine was that if I choose Pinot Noir, I should only go for the real deal, meaning the one from the Burgundy region. In other words: "If it's not from Burgundy, it's not worth it. Everything else is just imitation."
I assume this is what people say because Pinot Noir is considered one of the most difficult and particularly temperamental varieties to grow compared to its red counterparts. It requires the most meticulous nuances to be at its best and needs its original growing region to be especially successful. On top of that, creating such a sensitive variety that loves cold in a warm country like ours is no easy task.
However, recently I’ve been encountering more and more bottles of Pinot Noir from other regions on local wine lists, indicating there’s demand. A wine expert answered me after I asked that Israelis have suddenly discovered this variety that’s always been right under their noses, and now that winter is here, they’re ordering it in glasses quite frequently.
If you think about it, it makes sense. It’s a lighter wine than its red counterparts, it’s elegant, less tannic, suits our climate, and harmonizes well with Mediterranean food.
Pinot Noir isn’t the first variety I would choose, but only because my palate prefers more complex reds. Nevertheless, I recently found myself tasting and drinking several wonderful bottles of Pinot Noir that I really enjoyed, and as befits the agenda of this section, they’re also locally produced.
Vitkin Winery, Pinot Noir
I usually don’t like rating wines because, ultimately, wine is partly a matter of taste.
But you can’t ignore the fact that the Pinot Noir by Asaf Paz from Vitkin Winery, combined with the unique terroir of the Ella Valley, created a wine that simply cannot be overlooked, with a lot of elegance and depth that makes this wine perfect from a culinary perspective.
Recommended price: NIS 110
Golan Heights Winery, Yarden, Pinot Noir
Fans of the genre will find this bottle, from the Yarden series of Golan Heights Winery, to be one of the more successful wines that offer particularly good value for their price.
It’s made from the high-altitude vineyards of the Golan Heights, has a medium body, and a potential for aging, which, if you’re patient, will reward you even more.
For example, I was thrilled to discover the 2014 vintage at a friend’s house, and it was a sensory experience. It’s not available everywhere, so if you find it in a store, don’t hesitate for a moment.
Recommended price: NIS 110
Pelter Winery, T Selection, Pinot Noir
Only 880 bottles were produced from this series by Pelter Winery, so the price reflects that. The manual harvest of Pinot Noir grapes was carefully done in the Asniya vineyard in the northern Golan Heights, where the cold weather did them a lot of good.
Throughout the experience with this bottle, I kept thinking that if the wine is this good, there’s no need to compare it to anything else.
Price: NIS 220
Tel Afek Winery, Pinot Noir
When the bottle was opened, we thought we had made a mistake. I asked to see the label again because I was sure I had ordered from the Israeli wine menu, but when I tasted it, I somehow thought I had ended up with a French wine.
I can’t explain exactly what makes the Pinot Noir from Tel Afek Winery the most “Pinot-y” Pinot I’ve had recently. Maybe wine experts have an explanation that would make sense, but it doesn’t really matter—it’s different from the norm, and I highly recommend it even to anyone reading this who’s saying to themselves, “I don’t like Pinot.”
Price: NIS 110