Freddy R. Troya

9.5

The Cave – Red Blend – 2020
Galilee, Israel 🇮🇱

Overview
A powerful Bordeaux-inspired blend composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and 9% Petit Verdot, sourced from high-elevation vineyards in the Upper Galilee. Aged 24 months in French oak inside the historic Carmel Mountain cave, a naturally cool, humidity-stable cellar that shapes the wine’s depth and structure. Mevushal / Kosher for Passover.

Aromas & Flavors
Dark mulberries, black plum, and blackberry compote meet cedar, mahogany wood, espresso, and subtle graphite. The Petit Verdot adds an herbal-floral edge, giving the wine both muscle and nuance.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied with firm, assertive tannins and a deep, wood-toned intensity. Concentrated, layered, and long, with an oaky spine that lingers on the finish.

Food Pairings
Braised lamb shoulder, smoky short ribs, aged Gouda, slow-roasted brisket, or charred portobello mushrooms.

Verdict
One of Israel’s most characterful red blends, bold, structured, and cellar-worthy. The interplay of fruit density, mineral tension, and pronounced oak makes this a standout Mevushal wine for those who appreciate power and polish. Cheers!

Did You Know?
The Cave winery ages its wines in a 250-year-old man-carved cave in Carmel Mountain, originally quarried in the 18th century and repurposed in the 19th century as a brandy cellar. Its natural insulation provides ideal conditions for long élevage, giving these wines their signature depth and aging potential. — 7 months ago

Ted Holland

9.4

Start to finish luxurious! Bouquet, color, and legs are amazing. Delicious with matured flavors of vanilla, apple, and a hint of pear! Finish is long and velvety. Enjoy!! — a year ago

Byron Hewett

9.2

Paulee. Lovely. — 2 years ago

Jake Hajer

9.3

The Syrah adds such great mid palatte to the wine. Not enough cab/Syrah blends. — 3 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.2

Great fruit blackberries. Nose is granite and sweet fruit. Palate is blackberry and granite.

Bought from fass selections — 4 years ago

Krystal Vento

9.2

7th anniversary wine!🍷 — 5 years ago

with Ryan

Severn G

9.6

🎇🎉New Year's Eve 2020🎉🎇
❤️🍾Cheers to the Delectable Community🥂❤️

There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.
(Nelson Mandela)

Amount disgorged: 16,388 bottles in October 2008 - Dosage: 4g/l (No Reserve Wine)

Winery Notes:
"The 1990 Vintage is a blend of 17 different Crus, all classified as Grands and Premiers Crus.
Black grapes make up two thirds of the blend: 56% Pinot Noir, from the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne, and 11% Meunier, from the Premiers Crus in the west of the Montagne de Reims.
The blend is completed with 33% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and, to a lesser extent, from the Montagne de Reims." — 5 years ago

Taylor Jukes

9.1

Almost dessert-like with a rich, sweet, pear and honey finish. — 7 months ago

Vin d’Ottawa

9.0

Hazelnut & marzipan with light bubbles. — 8 months ago

with Gillian

K

9.3

Red berries, light-bodied, medium tannin.
Elegant Loire red — a year ago

Andrew Belzer

9.0

Floral, green apple, toasted biscuits. Cremant’s will almost always be better than any Champagne you’ll pick off the shelf and at a fraction of the price! — a year ago

Charlie Frago

9.1

Earthy, terroir nose. Opened nicely. Palette- enjoyable , long finish, medium tannins . After one hour, improved, earthiness is a nice change from Napa cabs. — 4 years ago

Mark Harrison

8.9

2016 lite and somewhat dry. Beautiful deep purple color. — 4 years ago

Brandon T

9.0

Sub -$20 winner! — 5 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.3

Cool simple bottle and label. A screw-top with class. Color is golden straw. Aromas of lemons and honey. Hint of freshly scrubbed flagstone patios. Flavors are lemon water, honeydew melon and jasmine tea. This is like all the good things in non-buttery Chardonnay mixed with the minerality and zing of Sauv Blanc. It’s fuller, denser and more elegant than most CA Chenin Blanc I’ve had. It’s also a white that seems to age nicely. If I could find it somewhere around here, it would join the short list for go to whites. — 8 months ago

Vin d’Ottawa

9.2

I have FINALLY tried wine from the rare Humange Rouge grape, grown deep in the Swiss Alps, and it did not disappoint.

Black cherry and Cranberry to start before settling into a herbal and lightly mineral finish. The way it twists from one into the other is beautiful. — 9 months ago

with Gillian

Brad Jensen

9.2

Soft, creamy, not overly acidic but nicely balanced this is a great value! Nose of green citrus rind, maybe some orange or kalamunsi, sea air and slight hints of fresh cut grass on a pale yellow/green color. Light to medium bodied, with tiny bubbles, and slightly creamy palate that shines mostly of Chenin, with a dry palate but not stark, with notes of cooked leeks with butter, sumo orange and wet stone like minerality. — a year ago

Jeff Singer

8.9

Great value — 4 years ago

Austin Blackwell

9.4

So smooth. — 5 years ago

with Angelina

Cathy Corison

Owner/Winemaker Corison Winery

9.2

Happy New Year! — 5 years ago