Benhaim
Reserve Upper Galilee Cabernet Franc
Upper Galilee, Galilee, Israel
Time for my #FridayCabernetfix. This time it is a Cabernet Franc from Israel.
Dark ruby in color with a very wide brick rim.
Pronounced nose of blueberries, red cherries, currants, oak, licorice, cloves, spices, earth, forest floor, tobacco leaf, graphite, bell pepper, vegetables, celery and black pepper.
Medium plus in body and very smooth with medium acidity and nice legs.
Dry and earthy on the palate with plums, cherries, black currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, herbs, spices, dark coffee, pencil lead, earth, vegetables, bitter herbs, bell pepper, forest floor, green vegetables and peppercorn.
Long finish with fine grained tannins, tangy raspberries and bitter herbs.
This 5 year old Israeli Cabernet Franc is drinking nicely now. Very earthy with nice balance and complexity. Soft and velvety.
Feels like an old world wine, maybe like an aged Northern Rhone Syrah. This would be a great wine to challenge your friends in a blind tasting. A very interesting wine that is fun to drink and talk about.
Good by itself and better with food.
Needs an hour to open up properly, as it is very tart right out of the bottle. Could use a few more years in the bottle to age and remove some of the bitterness at the ending.
I paired it with a mild Brie cheese and crackers, which went wonderful together.
A blend of 85% Cabernet Franc with some Merlot and Petite Sirah. Grapes are grown in Northern Israel. Aged for 24 months in Oak barrels. Kosher.
13.8% alcohol by volume.
88 points.
$50.
Time for my #FridayCabernetfix. This time it is a Cabernet Franc from Israel.
Dark ruby in color with a very wide brick rim.
Pronounced nose of blueberries, red cherries, currants, oak, licorice, cloves, spices, earth, forest floor, tobacco leaf, graphite, bell pepper, vegetables, celery and black pepper.
Medium plus in body and very smooth with medium acidity and nice legs.
Dry and earthy on the palate with plums, cherries, black currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, herbs, spices, dark coffee, pencil lead, earth, vegetables, bitter herbs, bell pepper, forest floor, green vegetables and peppercorn.
Long finish with fine grained tannins, tangy raspberries and bitter herbs.
This 5 year old Israeli Cabernet Franc is drinking nicely now. Very earthy with nice balance and complexity. Soft and velvety.
Feels like an old world wine, maybe like an aged Northern Rhone Syrah. This would be a great wine to challenge your friends in a blind tasting. A very interesting wine that is fun to drink and talk about.
Good by itself and better with food.
Needs an hour to open up properly, as it is very tart right out of the bottle. Could use a few more years in the bottle to age and remove some of the bitterness at the ending.
I paired it with a mild Brie cheese and crackers, which went wonderful together.
A blend of 85% Cabernet Franc with some Merlot and Petite Sirah. Grapes are grown in Northern Israel. Aged for 24 months in Oak barrels. Kosher.
13.8% alcohol by volume.
88 points.
$50.
Beautiful color of ruby with medium intensity and a wide brick/ orange rim.
On the nose, blueberries, raspberries, wood, vegetables, earth, bell pepper, spices, forest floor, light barnyard, mint, licorice, cloves and black pepper.
Medium-bodied with medium plus acidity, soft and smooth with gorgeous legs.
Dry on the palate with cherries, plums, raspberries, black currants, leather, pencil lead, spices, cloves, wood, wet rocks, black tea, bitter herbs and black pepper.
Medium plus on the finish with very soft tannins and tangy pomegranates.
This five-year-old Cabernet Franc from Israel is earthy and interesting. Not fully balanced, but showing great complexity and a gorgeous mouthfeel. Reminds me of an aged red burgundy.
Could use another two or three years in the bottle to remove some of the vegetable notes and balance itself out. Has the potential to age very nicely in the next 10 years.
This is a red wine that is nice to sip on and talk about. Good by itself or with food. I paired it with brie cheese.
A blend of 85% Cabernet Franc with some Merlot and Petite Sirah. Aged for 24 months in Oak barrels.
13.8% alcohol by volume.
88 points.
$45.
Beautiful color of ruby with medium intensity and a wide brick/ orange rim.
On the nose, blueberries, raspberries, wood, vegetables, earth, bell pepper, spices, forest floor, light barnyard, mint, licorice, cloves and black pepper.
Medium-bodied with medium plus acidity, soft and smooth with gorgeous legs.
Dry on the palate with cherries, plums, raspberries, black currants, leather, pencil lead, spices, cloves, wood, wet rocks, black tea, bitter herbs and black pepper.
Medium plus on the finish with very soft tannins and tangy pomegranates.
This five-year-old Cabernet Franc from Israel is earthy and interesting. Not fully balanced, but showing great complexity and a gorgeous mouthfeel. Reminds me of an aged red burgundy.
Could use another two or three years in the bottle to remove some of the vegetable notes and balance itself out. Has the potential to age very nicely in the next 10 years.
This is a red wine that is nice to sip on and talk about. Good by itself or with food. I paired it with brie cheese.
A blend of 85% Cabernet Franc with some Merlot and Petite Sirah. Aged for 24 months in Oak barrels.
13.8% alcohol by volume.
88 points.
$45.
Pretty ruby in color with a wide brick/ orange rim and medium intensity.
Nice nose of black currants, plums, bell pepper, cherries, oak, licorice, cloves, earth, vegetables, graphite, spices and black pepper.
Medium bodied and smooth, with medium acidity and nice legs.
Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, bell pepper, raspberries, vanilla, licorice, cloves, oak, herbs, spices, dark coffee, pencil lead, bell pepper, earth, leaves, peppercorn, spices and green vegetables.
Medium on the finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a nice Cabernet Franc from Israel. Not completely balanced, with nice complexity and a smooth mouthfeel. Spicy with lots of vegetable and earth notes on the nose and palate. Feels like an old world Cabernet Franc.
Needs an hour to open up properly and remove some of the acidity. A great food wine. Needs another two years in the bottle to balance itself out, and probably will be in the 90 points mark.
Good by itself or with food like Mediterranean lamb dishes. I paired it with cheeses and light appetizers.
A blend of 85% Cabernet Franc and the rest is Merlot and Petite Sirah. Grapes are grown in the Upper Galilee (Mt. Meiron). Aged for 24 months in Oak barrels.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
87 Points.
$45.
Pretty ruby in color with a wide brick/ orange rim and medium intensity.
Nice nose of black currants, plums, bell pepper, cherries, oak, licorice, cloves, earth, vegetables, graphite, spices and black pepper.
Medium bodied and smooth, with medium acidity and nice legs.
Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, bell pepper, raspberries, vanilla, licorice, cloves, oak, herbs, spices, dark coffee, pencil lead, bell pepper, earth, leaves, peppercorn, spices and green vegetables.
Medium on the finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a nice Cabernet Franc from Israel. Not completely balanced, with nice complexity and a smooth mouthfeel. Spicy with lots of vegetable and earth notes on the nose and palate. Feels like an old world Cabernet Franc.
Needs an hour to open up properly and remove some of the acidity. A great food wine. Needs another two years in the bottle to balance itself out, and probably will be in the 90 points mark.
Good by itself or with food like Mediterranean lamb dishes. I paired it with cheeses and light appetizers.
A blend of 85% Cabernet Franc and the rest is Merlot and Petite Sirah. Grapes are grown in the Upper Galilee (Mt. Meiron). Aged for 24 months in Oak barrels.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
87 Points.
$45.