Terroso Merlot 2007

This week we head south to our friends in Chile. A country known for decent inexpensive wines. We have chosen a well aged . The wine has a decent nose but a little flat tasting not bad but not good either. It makes me wonder if I am drinking wine or something else. While I expect a Merlot to be a little mellow there are almost no tannins at all. I think this one has spent to long on the rack and got a little to stretched out. I suppose it is a decent table wine OK for a party on a budget but not for anyone who drinks wine regularly.

A Merlot for the Sophisticated College Student

Let it be known up front that even though I am down to earth, I am not the biggest fan of earthy wines. Somewhat ironic but I thought you should know that before I give you my impression of this 2007 Terroso Merlot which sells for a budget friendly $7.99ish. That said, I liked it for the money. This Chilean wine proved to be much less earthy than one usually expects from South American wines (especially from Chile). We might have drunk this wine (no pun intended) a little too late because it seemed to lack the longer, fuller, bolder taste of a merlot. I searched for the tannins...couldn't find them which might account for the thinner taste. In keeping with the college student theme of the post, if you are looking for an Introduction to Merlot 101, this might be the wine for you. Now, as I implied, it is not what one typically expects for a merlot, but if you are looking for a stepping stone away from the cream whites, concords, etc. (we won't be reviewing these any time soon) to more sophisticated, complex, lengthy wines, this might be a good start. For that reason I give it...

Twin Sons From a Different Valley

Did you miss us? Well it's been a while since these two Jews reviewed. Because of that, you can believe that this review is going to be worth the weight…because it is heavy (bad joke but I couldn't resist).

So this time, instead of reviewing one wine, we decided to review two and compare them. But we didn't review just any two wines, we are reviewing a "regular" and "special reserve" wine from the same vineyard. I know many of you have been wondering whether or not it was worth it to spend more on a special reserve or not. WE answer that question for you (at least for these two wines).

Wine: 2009 Herzog Cabernet Sauvignon Central Valley
Price Point: $12.49

This is a very smooth Cab. It is a very shallow and short wine, especially for one this vintage. When poured, it has very little meniscus and virtually no tannins. It's a remarkably light and fruity wine with very little body so it falls short on one's bolder expectations of a California cabernet. Still, it is very good with cheese and crackers (I had lots of them with this wine). If you are looking for a light cabernet, it is a good value at this price but I am not sure I would be willing to pay much more than that.

Wine: 2009 Herzog Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
Price Point: $42.99

Spoiler Alert! The following is NOT a cut and paste error.

This is a very smooth Cab. It is a very shallow and short wine, especially for one this vintage. When poured, it has very little meniscus and virtually no tannins. It's a remarkably light and fruity wine with very little body so it falls short on one's bolder expectations of a California cabernet. Still, it is very good with cheese and crackers (I had lots of them with this wine).

These wines are almost identical (hence the very similar reviews). The novice blindfold taste test yields virtually no difference. This is proof positive that just because you spend more on a bottle of wine, doesn't mean you get better wine much less a better value.

The other Jew asks Is a reserve worth the money

Today we tasted two wines a regular Herzog Cabernet and a Herzog special reserve Cabernet. The wine details are as follows 2009 Herzog Cabernet Sauvignon Central valley $12.49 vs. 2009 Herzog special reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander valley $42.99 These wines were both very enjoyable. Both smooth with decent fruit and low tannins. They both had a delightful fruity nose but not as much followed thru on the tongue. They were defiantly not what I would call big bold California Cabs, but enjoyable none the less. Now as you can see I have only written one review. That is because the differences were so stuble as to be almost invisible. With a thirty dollar price difference I find that troubling. As I've said in the past to me a great wine is delicious and affordable. In this case I would definitely stick with the regular Cabernet and not spend the extra money on the reserve.

The other Jews take on Barkan Pinot Noir 2011,

Barkan classic Pinot Noir 2011 Approx. $12.50

A nice ruby color and a light but fruity nose are my first impressions of this wine. The first sip is nice, a fruity, easy drinking Pinot. Low tannins and a nice fruity flavors are the trademarks

of this wine. An enjoyable wine great to bring to a party and share with friends. I can imagine pairing this with a nice piece of fish or pasta DELICIOUS!!! This is one to buy and enjoy for yourself as well as give proudly as a gift. As I consign this bottle to the recycling bin I salute it for it's noble taste and for helping me to relax at the end of a busy day. This one gets a full Matzoh ball !!!!





New Jew Review: Barkan Classic Pinot Noir 2011

Our second bottle of wine is the Barkan Classic Pinot Noir 2011, (not to be confused with LA Noir) although we did consume it in LA.

Here are some of the bare bones:

Nose: Yes, another one of those wines with a nose. We're working on the olfactory system here to give you a clear idea on what to expect. You should expect a light nose with a  slight hint of teaberry.

Color: Beautiful light red color with a very 

minimal meniscus (especially in this price range) and very similar to a arthritic knee.

Length: Medium length and it delightfully smooth from beginning to end. Especially in this price range.

Tanins: Very light. Nuff said.

My Recommendations: 

Not your typical pinot noir in this price range. Typically there are not many (if any) kosher pinot noirs in this price range. $12 range (you may be lucky enough to find it for around $8.00). Great taste and a buzz for less than minimum wage...life is very good INDEED!

Good idea: have a conversation with your

best friend and let the wine open even more...wow you will be very pleased!

Price: $ Cheap!

BOTTOM LINE: Impress your friends who like wine. Impress your cheap friends. Impress your cheap friends who like wine. Let's face it, THIS IS A FUN WINE!

I give it:

The other Jews take on Bazelet HaGolan reserve Merlot 2007

Welcome to our blog. I hope we will entertain and educate you with our reviews of different kosher products. I must admit this is my first time writing anything for public consumption and I hope you will help me grow into it.

Our first wine: Bazelet HaGolan reserve Merlot 2007 Approx: $50.00

Upon opening (and a very short breathing spell) I observed that it possessed a super dark ruby red color almost holding back the light from the other side. It holds the glass nicely when swirled and rolled about. The wine has a nice fruity scent with a hint of peppercorn. My first taste is of a wine not overly dry but with a smooth lingering end. There was a little bite at the end but overall the tannins were very mild. I was expecting it to be a little more fruit forward in my mouth as is common in higher end Israeli wines. One thing that had excited me about this particular wine is that it is grown in volcanic soil. I was hoping for some scent or flavour from the soil as I have experienced in some Spanish varietals. I was disappointed that it was not present.

As I proceed to my second glass I conclude that it is a very nice wine, light on the palette. It would be nice with a spicy or full flavored meat dish such as a peppercorn crusted rib eye steak. As we near the bottom of the bottle (that's how we roll, waste not want not) I begin pairing it with a nontraditional food (Ziggy's happenin jalapeno kettle corn). The wine's lightness cuts through the spice of the jalapeno flavor (my wine snobbery coming through) quite nicely holding its own against the spice.

In conclusion it is a nice enjoyable wine that you can be proud to give as a gift for Shabbos or Yom Tov. I did not say to buy it and enjoy for yourself as I also feel it is overpriced at $50 probably a good buy for your own enjoyment at $30 or so. We will be reviewing many wines in many price points and hope you will follow our tasting journey and give us your opinions on any of these wines that you may have tasted. Please scroll down to see Jew two's opinion.

                                                                                                                                         I give it....
                                                                                
Winery website: http://www.bazelet-hagolan.co.il/