Work is officially quiet for the next two weeks, which is such a relief after the last hectic 5 weeks.  There’s no doubt that once these next 2 weeks are over, the following 7 weeks will be insanely busy, but for now, I’m enjoying the chance to catch-up on old emails, to do some necessary research, and to take advantage of slightly shorter work hours.  On top of yesterday being the beginning of a quiet period at work, it was also the first night of Passover, which is one of my favorite holidays and definitely my favorite Jewish holiday.  As regular readers know, I normally don’t keep kosher, but during Passover, I do make some significant dietary changes to observe the holiday, such as giving up anything made from the five major grains—wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt—that are mixed with water for long enough to rise and drinking kosher wine.  To start off the holiday, I opened a bottle of the 2006 Galil Mountain Yiron.

The 2006 Galil Mountain Yiron (winery, snooth) was 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% merlot, and 5% Syrah grapes and had a deep purple color with flecks of ruby throughout.  On the nose, there were blackberries, black currants, dark plums, dark cherries, and blueberries, which were followed by vanilla, fennel, and a touch of smoke, thyme, and cloves.  In the mouth, there were similar black fruits, with some blackcurrant leaf, smoke, cedar, cloves, and a touch of vanilla.  The wine was full-bodied, with medium-to-high acidity and tannins.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely!  If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $20, this wine surprised me.  At first, I thought the wine was more enjoyable with a juicy brisket or some chocolate covered matzah than it is on its own, as the food helped tone down some of the wine’s initial harshness. The aromas had beautiful, jam-like quality that the flavors lacked; in fact, the flavors were dominated by a bitterness that I couldn’t quite identify.  However, after decanting the wine, I was beyond impressed.  This was a beautiful, full-bodied red that nor only paired perfectly with food, but also was great for indulging in good, relaxing conversation at the end of the evening.  The stereotype of kosher wines being inferior is shattered by the 2006 Galil Mountain Yiron, as there is a delicious wine.  The key to enjoying it, though, is making sure that it has plenty of time to breathe.  Also, if you don’t mind letting the wine age for 2-3 years, you should buy it and cellar it, as I think that with a little more time, this wine will continue to mellow and become even more enjoyable.

Overall: 4 corks

Happy Passover!