Pinot Noir
This Week’s Jewish Week (at least my printed version) contains an article by Gamliel Kronemer on kosher Pinot Noir. The article is no longer on the website for some reason, but here is a link to a cached version, for as long as it lasts. A few snippets:
Pinot Noir is the famous red grape of France’s Burgundy region, and has long been considered one of the greatest and most versatile red wine grapes in the world. These grapes are used to make everything from dry, sparkling whites to fruity reds. …
It is important to note that a Pinot Noir wine can vary a great deal in quality not only from vintage to vintage but also even from bottle to bottle. A producer may make a great Pinot Noir one year and a mediocre or awful Pinot Noir the next. When buying this type of wine it is always best to buy one bottle and sample it before buying more.
The article is accomanied by a guide to kosher Pinot Noir under $30. Five wines are evaluated and given letter grades:
Hagafen Pinot Noir. Napa Valley, 2004: B/B+ ($29.95)
Domaine gaston & Pierre Ravaut, Ladoix, 2001: B/B+ ($29.99)
Yarden, Pinot Noir, Golan Heights, 2002: B ($21.95)
Gamla, Pinot Noir, Golan Heights, 2003: B ($15.99)
Barkan, Pinot Noir, Negev, 2000: B ($17.95)
The evaluations are generally favorable, although the Barkan wine is described as “perhaps a tad too sweet.”
Have you tried any of these wines? What did you think?
Love the Hagafen…Yarden is good but not great…Barkan Pinotage ia a much better wine than theur Pinot Noir….Gamla seems a tad thin to me…Haven’t tried or seen the French one anywhere.
Thanks! (As usual, the most expensive wine wins…)
BS”D
Well, Sol should know, especially about the mevushal stuff. I was very displeased when Levana was required to use only mevushal wine (didn’t stop me from eating there, though). I was surprised when Box Tree sold nonmevushal, but that didn’t last long either. Won’t someone come up with a workable and somewhat fool-proof protocol for serving nonmevushal wine in restaurants?
Have never had the Hagafen, but presume it is a typically expensive fruit bomb. I recently had the Tishbi Pinot Noir, which was fine – at least it tasted like Pinot Noir. Why anyone would want to spend on expensive Israeli wines of a notoriously difficult grape is beyond me.
Have recently had the Gamla, which tasted quite good to me.
In #4, the question was asked why one would wish to purchase Israeli pinot noir, as it is a notoriously difficult grape and allegedly the Israeli versions are expensive. Well-first, the prices of the Israeli versions as noted above appear to be cheaper than other kosher versions. Second, they are from Israel, and it is important to support Israeli products.
Hagafen is excellent, Gamla is very good, and if you’d like to try an excellent french version of Pinot Noir try Roberto Cohen’s. It’s not only execellen but at about $17 a bottle it’s pretty cheap too!
There is also a very reasonable pinot noir from goose bay new zealand its fermented in self mixing bags very interesting no barrel aging.
There will be a new central coast pinot coming out of california soon.
Ella Valley will be releasing a Pinot sometime in the near future but I doubt it will make it to the states. They have had to overcome some some difficulties with heat in the vineyard by covering them with a mesh netting to provide shade.
Currently there is no exceptional kosher Pinot Noir most of it is pretty ordinary. Has anyone tried Roberto Cohens ridiculously priced burgundy?