It was a week with a spark of optimism, hope, and an indescribable sense of anticipation. A week where I couldn’t do anything but wait for time to pass quickly and mask my emotions with wine and other drinks.
Amid the joy tinged with sorrow, I searched throughout the week for things that would help me hold onto the good and share it forward.
The first is a special beer box called Sig Beer Box, created in memory of Sigal Levy z”l, who was murdered on October 7th when she arrived at the Nova Festival as a social worker on behalf of the Elem nonprofit.
Sigal’s close friends, knowing she was an avid beer lover, organized a large beer festival called Siggy-Fest on her birthday in February last year. In honor of the festival, these beers were created in collaboration with Beer and Beyond.
Now, due to popular demand, the box is being released again as a limited edition. This is a floral, light beer with natural extracts of violets and other flowers. All proceeds from the beer boxes will go towards fulfilling Sigal’s dream of establishing a café for at-risk teens.
The box includes: Four bottles of Sig Beer, a branded glass, a Siggy-Fest bottle opener, and two Siggy-Fest coasters.
Price: NIS 119
More details and orders: Here
A Bottle of Luck
In the middle of last year, I found myself at the Flam Winery at Eshtaol Junction. I wanted to purchase a bottle of Camellia Reserve for the milestone birthday of someone very dear to me, and I couldn’t find it anywhere else.
Camellia, named after the family matriarch, is a wonderful blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc from the unique terroir of the Judean Hills. At the same time, I also grabbed the White Label—a red blend with an abstract white label, stripped of any other markings.
A few weeks ago, that same special someone told me she’s convinced the wine brought her luck, so she bought it again.
Then I read that Wine Spectator magazine included Flam’s 2021 White Label vintage on its list of the 100 best wines in the world. I remembered I had one at home and immediately went to open it. Flam seems to be a winery that brings good fortune.
A Bottle of Escapism
Last Saturday, we needed to pass the time in a quick, escapist way—one that wouldn’t allow us even a moment to refresh Telegram for updates.
The wailing morning siren froze us in place, and I nearly canceled everything. But in the end, we decided not to change plans and spontaneously drove to a place we hadn’t visited in a long time: Galai Winery in Nir Akiva, in the northern Negev.
At the family-run winery, which has existed for over 20 years, everything is done in-house—from growing the vineyards to manual harvesting and producing excellent wine. (Keep an eye on their Blanc de Noir 2023 and take another bottle home.)
The location is also suitable for a winter outing, open Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 to 15:00. They offer a cute picnic basket and cheeses from Be’eri. It’s not too far, giving you a chance to get some air and return to the center before it gets dark.
A Bottle of Comfort
A good friend told me that every time he needs comfort, he pulls out an aged bottle of wine he keeps in his wine fridge and shares it with someone who knows how to appreciate such bottles.
So it was that kind of week when I had the privilege of tasting the Shiraz, Kayoumi Vineyard by Carmel Winery, vintage 2015, which, for some reason, I had overlooked at the time.
My good friend and I thought it was a magnificent Shiraz, currently at its peak, and convinced ourselves that it was the perfect time to open it—not a day later.
It’s a wine that you’ll likely have trouble finding in stores. Shiraz lovers are invited to seek comfort in the Kayoumi Shiraz from the Signature series by Carmel Winery.