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

Will Stanley

9.4

A gift from my old man for my thirtieth birthday this year. My last experience with this wine was the 2001, enjoyed around ten years ago. I described then how the wine lived up to its popular reputation. Happy to reaffirm that feeling with this 1994, that is an absolutely gorgeous, captivating wine that ticks every box one may have for older Rioja. It marries sweet with sour in that way that the best wines from this region do, a medley of ripe blueberries with sour cherry; bitter orange, coconut, balsamic, tobacco and cranberry. The finish is long, with flecks of sweetness that beg you for another sip. I would imagine that Faustino produce in excess of a million bottles of this stuff, given the size of their holdings, which only impresses me even more that it turns out so well. — 2 years ago

Seth Masterson

9.4

I smell apricots, honeysuckle and a touch of a wood refinishing shop where an old man has been rubbing turpentine onto ancient woods. The smell of this Manzanilla makes my mouth water and I didn't want to take my nose out of the glass.
On first taste it has a bit of an 'Uh oh what have so gotten myself into' kick in the pants of your pallete. As the sherry warms in your mouth let it explore of the crevices and you will find flavors in corners of your mouth that I you have not encountered before in any bottle of non fortified white wine.
The freshness of this when served chilled and the amazingly long aftertaste make it one of the few wines that I prefer to drink on their own but it pairs great with simple salty food like premium organic fries tossed sea salt!
A steal at $16 for a half bottle at Little Death. (I've paid $13 for a three ounce pour of this at a tapas joint) — 4 years ago

Patricia Schnitzer

9.3

Sept 24, 2021. Purchased in Madrid at Madrid & Darracott wineshop (a must visit if you are in Madrid). I was intrigued by the label. They have 3 wines with photos of men of different ages on the label, denoting the aging of the wine. Genius. Of course i purchased the old man. 🤣🤣🤣 Lovely Tinto de Toro. Would probably age very well, but I couldn’t wait. Lots of stewed fruit. Tannins and acidity. Wish I had another bottle to open in a couple years. Definitely decant! — 5 years ago

Chris Monahan

9.0

Texas Red table wine. Enjoy with chicken sausage and spinach ricotta ravioli. — 6 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.5

2013 Sami-Odi Syrah DW-OLD
Thought I’d open something from my favorite Australian producer, @fraser_mckinley, in honor of the start of the Formula 1 Season in Melbourne. (Nice start for my man Max Verstappen and the new Red Bull partnership with Honda). My first and only bottle of the 2013, decanted for 3 hours. 14.4% alcohol. It appears a deep, dark, black hole in the Zalto stem. Nose of dark berries, clove-and-cinnamon and dried fruits, with some forest floor and floral notes in the background. On the palate, rich dark fruits with a cedary tannin. Wonderful acidity. Full-bodied, fresh, rich and complex. Lengthy finish. My recollection is that Fraser told me that 2013 was a difficult year with the entire first fruit being destroyed by frost, and then there was a second set. Always amazes me that these challenging years always seem to produce the most memorable vintages. I’m a big fan of Fraser’s work. — 7 years ago

Daniel M

9.1

Meat juice, soy sauce, black tea, blackberry juice, ripe cherries, leather, oak, wet forest soil... a lot happens on the nose here ! The palate is a model of balance. Good acid drive, nice savoury, and meaty notes along with cherry and blackberry touches all along. The mid-palate is expanding into some kind of a ball, with only oak tannins, that powers up a long and broad finish with the same savoury, meaty notes, the same red and black fruit juice touches, a tiny salt thing in the very end and and overall sense of a wine that is complete. It's not a trendy wine. It's not gimmicky. It's the essence of a very well-made old world wine, but man, does it deliver. — 9 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

This wine screams left bank Bordeaux. The final blend is 63% Cabernet Sauvignon; 22% Merlot; and 15% Cabernet Franc. Great depth of flavour particularly for a 2nd wine. The medium + palate shows an inner core of strength and opulence which exhibits the class of the producer and the excellence of the vintage. Tertiary aromas and flavours. See last Delectable note of 2020. Very integrated, balanced and polished. Prompts the old saying in a London Club, “Just damn good claret my man”. Excellent drinking now but still 5+ years left in it. — a year ago

Matthew Cohen

9.5

Man this is old school.

Needs at least an hour to open even at 12 years.

Nose is pure cherry. Cherry cough syrup. Spice. Intoxicating.

Palate is gorgeous elegant cherry spice. Perfect texture. A hint of bitterness to round it all out.

Amazing finish.

Wow. Great burgundy.

Talent can be great for a day. As this is. Greatness requires persistence. — 4 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.6

Yowza. This is magnificent. Nose is cherry compote, confectionery aromas, huge stoney minerals and so much complexity. Cherry pit with some black cherry flesh left on it. Just bitten cherry basically. Man it’s so stoney. So old school and so expressive. One of my favorite bottling in Burgundy. Palate is super complex with just so much going on. Amazing depth. Deep deep ocean here. Sappy and concentrated with just incredible palate cleansing minerality. Wow. So elegant and perfectly balanced. Yes it’s young but it’s not inaccessible. Which is the key when drinking young wine. This nose keeps expanding and expanding. Stunning. Velvety and sweet tannins and they are abundant but ripe. Can’t wait to journey with this as the night progresses. — 4 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.4

Man. This wine is a petulant genius child. When it was young was amazing. Now on open it’s a child hiding in the corner.

Nose at 2 hours just reluctantly gives you a glimpse. Reticent bastard. Just a peek of gorgeous flowers. But they are glorious.

Palate is gorgeous. Cherry flower more than cherry. I love you. Yes I do. So silky. So elegant. Yes you are holding back on me you annoying young genius bastard. But I am old and wise. And can enjoy your promise and can wait for it become apparent. Because I am old. And I have nothing left but patience. And you in the impetuousness of youth will be out lasted by me.

Bought from fass selections. — 6 years ago

Jeff Miller

9.6

Thank you to my good friend Andy Bunch for bringing this beer to try tonight. A rare treat for sure. Took a while to open up, bit man, it’s hitting its stride a couple hours later with notes of semi sweet chocolate, espresso liquor, brownie batter, vanilla, toasted nuts and almond oil. A rich brew with a 15%+ ABV. Black as old motor oil and super mouth coating. Yum yum yum. — 8 years ago

Mikael Novén

9.4

Smell: earthy fruity dark chocolate/blackberries
Taste: fresh sour. Cherry — 8 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

1999 vintage. This review a bit of a mixed bag. “Inherited” this bottle and had been looking sideways at it for the better part of three years. Fill decent but both the front and back labels pretty trashed. The foil up top a tad crimped in places. Ugly duckling syndrome. See a ton of this at work and occasionally able to resuscitate what appears to be an abused bottle. Cut off the foil and there was some seepage at the top trapped between the cork and the foil. Not good. Extracted the cork in three passes (3!!!) with the Durand. Cork was half saturated and dunzo. Did not decant. Color was on point at least. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.1% ABV. Less than expected sed. Poured out a fifth of a glass and let sit for 2-3 mins. Nose was big white pepper, roasted cashews and white sage…three notes that I don’t come across often over the years with Napa cabbage and flavors were hidden beneath for a spell. Gave it 15 minutes. That initial nose dissipated and a bit of magic unfolded. Light-medium body, cocoa powder, graphite, feminine, sumptuous milk chocolate, a little sweaty, dried legumes, spearmint, supremely resolved tannins. Echoes of Haut-Brion/La Mission Haut-Brion. This old-school, Stags Leap District Napa cab came through in the clutch. Seemed to gather strength the longer it was open. Given that this particular bottle was not exactly mint, more than a bit curious as to how a decently stored example of this wine would perform. Van the Man was right. Wild night is calling. Come on out and dance. 05.16.25. @Shay A — a year ago

Henry Boshoff

9.0

Bok day wine! Very nice wine with best pasta ever! — 3 years ago

with Alicia

Byron C Mayes

8.9

Dark reddish purple with near black core. Inviting nose and medium full palate of ashy blueberry, red blackberry, and high-cocoa dark chocolate. Dusty, medium plus tannins present (but not assertive) from entry. Medium acidity wrapped up in it all, and a lengthy finish wraps it all up. Classic California PS with enough stuffing for the connoisseur, but still enough approachability for the novice. Drink now through 2030. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

A solid rich Ruby red with no tawny rim. Looks way younger than 27 years. An earthy, plummy leathery perfume with same earthy, plummy and minerally medium to full bodied palate - a sweaty saddle classic old Hunter Valley style. Medium plus intensity of flavour with great persistence. Demonstrates the amazing longevity of old vine Hunter Valley Shiraz. I think you could safely drink this into the late 2020s. Honouring the Hunter Valley legend, Maurice O’Shea, who made great wine in primitive conditions In the late 1940s and 1950’s. About 15 years ago I had a 1952 Mount Pleasant Shiraz made by the great man - just medium bodied and still full of energy. — 5 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

2014 vintage. Super dry and powerful. Medium bodied but drinking like it’s (ballad of a) the thin man. Smoke/char in the nose. Upfront coffee/tobacco and raspberry flavors but little else. Not a good introductory Bordeaux for the masses. For those already smitten, I can see this going 40+ years but there will never be fat years. This is a (c)lean machine. Monolithic and totally old-school Bordeaux. — 5 years ago

James Reid

9.0

It's a little sweeter than I'd like but man do I love me some cask flavor — 7 years ago

Matt Nason

9.1

60 year old vines on this Grenache blend, man, super delicious. Cool blend with a hint of Tempranillo. 💵 — 8 years ago