They say it’s impolite to ask a woman her age — and not just that. It’s also impolite to ask a woman how many bottles of wine she’s had in the last month and a bit, which included holidays and then more holidays, and in between family events, and other such gatherings that required bringing or opening at least one bottle — on a good day.
Most of the wines were good. I already recommended some of them in my various holiday columns. But not every wine managed to get me running for my phone to snap a picture of the bottle before we got too drunk and forgot about it.
Here are three bottles of wine that were left on the editorial room floor during the holiday issues but are definitely worth a mention, and have made it into my future recommendation lists. Here they are:
1848 Winery, 5th Generation, Marselan
I was supposed to bring this wine to one of the holiday meals but luckily (and I do say luckily), I forgot it on the kitchen counter. The day before, we drank the “Orient” — a Mediterranean red blend from the same series: Syrah, Marselan, and Argaman, served slightly chilled, and it was especially excellent.
This particular Marselan (93% Marselan with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon) even managed to surpass it, as hard as that was. For Marselan lovers, I must say this is one of the best of its kind in my opinion.
It’s a juicy, complex, and ripe wine. And if you’re looking to impress with a pairing for a dinner — any dinner — this is an excellent choice not just for red wine fans.
Price: NIS 90.
Carmel Winery, 2VATS, Rosé
You don’t need too many excuses to open a cold bottle of rosé, especially in the current weather. Although this rosé — made from Barbera, Marselan, Grenache, and Malbec grapes — was declared by the winery as a festive wine for the Shavuot holiday, I feel free to recommend it regardless of any holiday or special occasion.
Why? Because it’s an excellent wine for Friday or Saturday lunch, and a great bottle to take to the beach. I like the 2VATS wines because on one hand, they are simple and unpretentious, but on the other, they’re not too simple — you can find flavor complexity, aroma, and fun in them.
Tip: Chill it as much as you possibly can.
Price: NIS 65.
Blends, White Kakadu
About a year ago, I met Shiri Rosenthal for an article about the first harvest of wines she’s been making solo over the past two years.
A few weeks ago, she came to my home with two new bottles from the 2024 harvest, one of which — a Sauvignon Blanc–French Colombard — she had told me about in our previous conversation, and it seemed we had both been looking forward to it equally.
I didn’t open the bottle right away. I waited — as one does with bottles you’ve been waiting a long time for — for a special occasion. Then on the last day, just before I packed up my old apartment, I opened it. The final festive meal, with the wine that gave me strength to continue packing.
Like all of Shiri’s wines, this one is made using her method: she tastes, harvests, and ferments all the grapes together, in a constant search for interesting and unconventional combinations. Kakadu is also a light, mineral, and soft wine — you don’t even have to wait until 5 p.m. to drink it.
Price: NIS 120.